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Unilock Driveway & Pavers: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
We stock and install Unilock-compatible driveway pavers and paver parts across Fort Lauderdale, with typical repair work running $400 to $2,500 depending on how many pavers need replacing and what’s happening underneath them. Most homeowners notice the problem the same way: a paver sinks, a corner chips off, or a section of the driveway starts shifting after a heavy rain. You’re not imagining it, and you don’t need a full teardown. Here’s what’s actually going on and what it costs to fix it right.
Which Unilock Models This Applies To
Unilock builds their paver lines in distinct series, and the compatibility details matter more than most people expect. The Brussels Block, Courtstone, Mattoni, Richcliff, and Umbriano lines are the ones we see most often in Fort Lauderdale driveways. Each has a different thickness profile and edge geometry, and you can’t swap a Brussels Block paver into a Richcliff field without it looking wrong and sitting proud of the surrounding surface.
If you’re trying to match a paver, flip over a loose one and look for the Unilock stamp on the bottom. It’ll show the series name and the plant code. That stamp is the fastest way to identify what you have, because color names alone won’t do it. Unilock runs seasonal color blends, and a “Sierra” paver produced in 2019 won’t be a perfect match for a “Sierra” paver produced last year. The color difference is usually subtle, but it’s real, and it’s why we always pull a sample from the existing driveway before ordering replacements. For the actual part, we recommend genuine Unilock pavers for visible field repairs; aftermarket equivalents exist, but the chamfer profile and efflorescence behavior are different enough that we’ve stopped recommending them for anything the homeowner sees every day.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Unilock Driveway & Pavers Is Failing
- Sinking or dipping pavers. This almost always means the base layer under the pavers has washed out or was never compacted properly. In Fort Lauderdale, heavy summer rains push sand and fines out from under the paver bed, and the paver drops into the void.
- Pavers rocking underfoot. A paver that rocks usually means the sand jointing has failed and the paver is no longer locked against its neighbors. Left alone, the rocking paver chips at its edges and the problem spreads outward.
- Wide gaps opening between pavers. Joint sand washes out over time, but if gaps are opening up consistently across a section, water is moving under the surface and carrying the sand with it. That’s a drainage problem, not a paver problem, and just re-sanding won’t fix it for long.
- Chipped or cracked edges on individual pavers. The chamfered edge is the weakest point on any Unilock paver. A single chip is cosmetic, but multiple chipped edges along a driveway usually point to vehicle tires running over unsupported edges near a curb or walkway.
- White, chalky film across the surface. That’s efflorescence, and while it’s not structural, it’s common on pavers in humid South Florida conditions. It can be cleaned with the right product, but it will keep coming back if water isn’t moving off the surface properly.
See the difference
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
In Fort Lauderdale, Unilock paver repair and replacement pricing breaks down like this: a small patch of 10 to 20 pavers runs roughly $400 to $900, a mid-sized section repair with base re-compaction runs $900 to $1,800, and a full driveway edge rebuild or large field replacement can run $1,800 to $2,500 or more depending on square footage. For a full new Unilock paver driveway installation, expect $7,000 to $18,000.
Every quote includes the pavers, the joint sand, the base material if we’re rebuilding the sub-base, and the labor. We write the price down before any work starts, so the number you approve is the number you pay. No change orders, no “we found something unexpected” markup. If we re-set pavers and they fail within a year, the 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the rework. And if we need to come back a second time, that visit is free.
DIY or Call Us?
You can safely check a few things yourself. Pull a loose paver and look at what’s underneath it. If the sand layer is thin or missing, that’s useful information. Check whether the driveway has any low spots where water pools after rain. Those observations help us diagnose the issue faster when you call.
What we don’t recommend is trying to re-set a large section yourself. The base material under a paver driveway is compacted in lifts, and if you skip that step, your repair will sink again within months. Matching the paver color and profile is also harder than it looks. If the section is bigger than a few pavers, or if you’re seeing repeated sinking, call (754) 354-7423 and we’ll come take a look. The estimate is free, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong before we touch anything.
FAQs
With a properly compacted base and well-draining soil, Unilock pavers in Fort Lauderdale last 25 to 40 years. The paver itself rarely fails; it’s the base and jointing system that breaks down first, usually from water moving under the surface during South Florida’s rainy season. Call (754) 354-7423 and we’ll assess whether your pavers can be saved or need replacing.
Most sunken pavers can be repaired by lifting the affected section, re-compacting the base, and re-setting the pavers. The pavers themselves are usually fine to reuse unless they’ve chipped badly. We’ll tell you the split during the estimate, and the price won’t change once the work starts.
A small patch repair takes half a day. A larger section with base re-compaction takes one to two days, plus time for the joint sand to settle. For Fort Lauderdale jobs, we schedule the work so the driveway is usable the same evening whenever possible.
We keep a limited stock of the most common Unilock colors and profiles on hand, and we order from Unilock’s Florida distribution network for larger or less common matches. We also handle parts for KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone projects. Call (754) 354-7423 with your paver stamp info and we can confirm availability before you schedule anything.
If your Unilock driveway in Fort Lauderdale is sinking, shifting, or chipping, call (754) 354-7423 for a free estimate. Luca Romano and the crew at Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale will show up, tell you what’s wrong, and put the price in writing before any work begins. The work either holds up or it doesn’t, we make sure it does.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner & Lead Contractor, Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale at Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
