A paver patio with a fire pit is one of the most-used additions you can make to a Western North Carolina yard. Cool evenings stretch from spring into late fall here, and a fire pit makes the patio worth sitting on.
Start with size. A fire pit needs roughly seven feet of clear space on every side for chairs and walking room, so a patio around 16 to 20 feet across is a comfortable minimum. If you want a table and grill too, plan for more.
Think about placement. Keep the fire pit well away from overhanging branches, the house, and wooden fences, and check that the patio is on a spot that drains. A slight pitch away from the house is built into every patio we lay.
Most of the cost is underground. Excavation, several inches of compacted crushed stone, a screeded sand bed, and an edge restraint are what keep pavers from sinking and shifting. Skip any of it and you'll see ruts and gaps after the first winter.
Finally, borders matter. A contrasting soldier-course edge frames the patio and locks the field pavers in. Pairing it with a seat wall in matching block ties the whole space together.