Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Every project starts with a free quote, with no charge to find out what your project involves. Request one on our free quote page.

We're based in Indianapolis and work up to about an hour out, with closer jobs being easier to schedule. See our service area for the full list.

Yes. Our number takes calls and texts, so text us at (317) 374-0258 with a few photos and a short note about what you want.

Yes, financing is available. Ask about it when you request your quote.

We take cash, check, Visa, AMEX, Discover and MasterCard, plus financing. Commercial clients can pay by invoice.

Yes. Our minimum charge is $500, which covers a half day of work.

Both. We build what we design. The plan starts with a walk-through of your yard, and the install follows that plan.

Yes. We work for HOAs, offices, retail properties and apartment communities, and commercial clients can pay by invoice.

Arbuckle Outdoor Living has been landscaping around Indianapolis since 1952, and our owner is a third-generation landscaper.

A free quote. Call or text (317) 374-0258, or send a request online, and tell us what you have in mind.

Yes. Our hardscape work carries a warranty on labor. For new plantings, ask about our watering plans and warranty.

Most makeovers start with design, then add hardscape, features, plantings and lighting. If you are not sure where to begin, a free quote is a good first step.

Yes. We design and build, so the patio, the lighting and the plantings can be planned and installed as one project.

Call or text (317) 374-0258, or fill out our free quote form. Every project starts with a free quote.

Hardscaping is the built, non-living part of a yard: paver patios, walkways, retaining walls and the features that sit on them, like fire pits and outdoor kitchens. Plants, mulch and turf are the softscape side, covered by our landscape installation work.

No. We build with pavers only and do no poured concrete. Pavers flex with freeze-thaw movement, and a single paver can be lifted and reset if it ever settles.

Yes, and it often makes sense. On a sloped yard, a wall can create the flat ground a patio needs, and planning both together keeps the levels and drainage working as one.

For a single bed or a few shrubs, not always. For a full yard, a new patio with plantings or anything with lighting and drainage, a plan saves time and money because every piece fits together.

Yes. We build what we design, so your plan goes straight from the walk-through to the install.

It starts with a walk-through of your yard. Depending on the project, the plan can cover beds and plantings, patio and walkway layout, lighting and drainage.

Yes. If your plants are healthy and your patio is in good shape, we can design around them and add what's missing.

Often, yes. A plan lets you install the patio this year and the plantings or retaining walls later, knowing it will all fit together.

It depends on your yard, but most installs include bed preparation, plantings and a finished mulch layer. Lighting can be added too.

Yes. We refresh tired beds and handle full yard makeovers, keeping healthy plants where it makes sense.

Spring and fall are good planting seasons in central Indiana, with milder temperatures that help new plants settle in. Hardscape parts of a project can be built in other seasons, weather permitting.

We can. Planning lighting along with the beds and plantings means the whole yard comes together as one project.

Ask about our watering plans and warranty when you get your quote.

Ask about our watering plans and warranty when you request your quote.

Yes. If you already have a planting plan, we can install it. We can also suggest changes if a plant won't suit the sun or soil where it's going.

Plants that handle heavy clay soil, wet springs, hot summers and freeze-thaw winters. Many native Indiana plants fit that list. We help you match plants to the sun and soil in each part of your yard.

Yes. Beds along a patio or walk soften the hardscape and tie it into the yard. We can plan them as part of a landscape design.

We can finish new beds with mulch, which helps hold moisture and suppress weeds while plants settle in.

Path, patio, accent and tree lighting, all on low-voltage systems.

Yes. Every lighting system we install is low voltage.

Yes. We can install timers or photocells, which switch the lights on at dusk, so you don't have to think about them.

Yes. We can add lights around a patio, walkway or bed you already have.

Yes. Accent lights work well on plantings and on retaining walls, and they add depth to the yard at night.

Small ponds set within a landscape, fountains and pondless waterfalls. We don't build large ponds.

All of them need some care, like keeping debris out and the water topped off. Pondless waterfalls and fountains generally need less than an open pond because there's less standing water exposed.

Yes. Seasonal care for your pond, fountain or waterfall can be part of our spring and fall cleanups.

Yes, and it's one of the best places for one. You get to enjoy the sound while you sit outside.

Yes. Low-voltage accent lights make the moving water show up after dark.

Pet-friendly turf is made for dogs to use, and a well-drained base helps keep the area clean. It's a good fit for dog owners with worn or muddy yards.

Yes. We install backyard putting greens, on their own or as part of a larger yard project.

Shady areas, dog runs, small yards and spots where grass has failed more than once.

Yes. Turf pairs well with patios and beds, and we can plan the edges so everything fits together.

Most of the paver patios we install run $18 to $25 per square foot installed. Size, pattern, site prep and access move the final number, and your free quote spells it out.

The biggest factors are size, shape, the pavers you pick, how much base work the ground needs and how easy it is to get into the yard. Steps, borders and seat walls add to the total.

Pavers handle freeze-thaw movement better because they aren't one rigid slab, and damaged pieces can be replaced on their own. We work in pavers only and do no poured concrete.

Yes. We can tie a new paver walkway into an existing patio, or extend the patio itself. Pairing it with a retaining wall can level a sloped section too.

Yes. Our hardscape work, including patios and walkways, carries a warranty on labor.

No. We don't do concrete work of any kind. Every driveway we build is laid in pavers over a compacted base.

Yes. Built on a deep, compacted base with good drainage, a paver driveway handles central Indiana's clay soil and freeze-thaw winters well, and repairs are simpler than on a cracked slab.

Herringbone is the most common choice for driveways because it interlocks in two directions and holds up to turning tires. We'll show you options when we plan your drive.

Paver driveway cost depends on the size of the drive, the pavers and pattern you choose, how much digging and base work the site needs and how the water has to be handled. Your free quote gives you a price for your own driveway.

Yes. We can run a paver walkway from the drive to the front door or a side gate in a matching or contrasting paver. See our paver patios and walkways page for more.

Yes. Driveways are hardscape work, and our hardscape installs carry a warranty on labor. We'll explain what it covers with your quote.

If a slope is washing out, you want flat space for a patio or lawn, or soil is creeping onto a walkway, a wall is worth a look. A free quote is a good way to find out.

Yes, we repair retaining walls. Most leaning walls have a base or drainage problem, so we fix the cause and rebuild the failed section.

We give water a way out with drainage material behind the wall and a route away from the base. Wet yards may also need French drains or grading.

Yes. A low wall at seat height around a patio or fire pit gives you built-in seating.

Yes. Retaining walls are hardscape work, which carries a warranty on our labor.

Yes. We plan and build the kitchen and its paver patio as one project, so the layout and the base are made for each other.

Often, yes, depending on its size, layout and base. We'll look at it during your free quote. If it's too small, we can extend it with new pavers.

A pergola for shade, a fire feature for cooler nights and lighting for evenings are natural add-ons. See our outdoor fireplaces and fire pits.

Grills, other appliances, counters and the gas, electric and water lines to run them. We install or coordinate all of it, so you have one company to call.

Only if you want gas appliances. We can run the gas line or coordinate it as part of the project, along with any electric and water.

Call or text (317) 374-0258, or request a free quote online. Tell us how you like to cook and entertain, and we'll talk through the layout.

A fire pit suits a circle of seating and a casual feel. A fireplace gives a focal point and directs heat one way. We'll help you decide based on your space.

Both, for fire pits and outdoor fireplaces. If you're talking to other fire pit contractors, ask whether they also build the patio around it. We do.

Often it can, depending on the patio's size and condition. We'll look at it during your free quote, and can extend the patio if you need more room.

Rules vary by city, town and HOA, so check with your local government and HOA before you build. We can talk through your plans during your free quote.

We build cedar, treated wood, aluminum and louvered pergolas.

In many cases, yes, depending on the patio's size and layout. We'll look at it during your free quote.

Yes. Low-voltage lighting on or around a pergola makes the patio usable at night, and we can plan it with the build.

If you live in an HOA, check its rules before you build, since many have guidelines for structures in the yard. Your city or town may have its own rules as well.

It comes down to budget, looks and upkeep. Treated lumber costs the least, cedar has a natural look, and composite needs the least care over the years. We can price more than one option so you can compare.

We do both. Deck repair covers boards, railings and steps, and we will tell you if a deck is past the point where repair is worth it.

Yes. A deck that steps down to a patio works well on a sloped lot, and it's easier when your deck contractors also build the patio, because the levels and transitions line up. Learn more about our hardscape installation work.

Yes. We take care of the permits for your deck project, so you're not chasing paperwork.

Many Indianapolis-area HOAs review decks before they are built, so it is smart to check your HOA rules early. We are happy to work from any requirements they give you.

We install aluminum, cedar and treated wood fences.

Yes. We repair aluminum, cedar and treated wood fences, including posts, boards, pickets and gates.

Cedar and treated wood can be built as solid privacy fences. Aluminum is an open design, so it is better for marking a yard or keeping pets in while keeping the view.

Yes. We can mark your property lines and handle a survey if you need one, so your new fence sits where it should.

Yes. We build fences to keep pets in the yard and fences around pools, in aluminum, cedar or treated wood.

Yes. Many HOAs have rules on fence height, style and color, so check before you choose a material. You can also review our deck building work if you are planning both.

Both. We can spread mulch in your beds, or deliver it so you can spread it yourself.

Yes. We can cut a fresh edge along your beds before the mulch goes down, which gives a crisp line and helps keep the mulch in place.

Mulch breaks down over time, so most beds benefit from a fresh layer each year or every other year. If last year's layer is still thick, a lighter top-up is often enough.

Purdue Extension suggests about 2 to 3 inches in most beds. Keep it pulled back from tree trunks and plant stems instead of piling it up.

Yes. Mulch is a common finishing step on new beds. See our landscape installation page for more on new beds.

A spring cleanup takes care of what winter left behind in your lawn and beds, cuts back last year's growth and preps the yard for summer. Tell us what you want done when you ask for a quote.

A fall cleanup covers typical lawn and landscape cleanup plus winterization for Indiana yards, so everything is in better shape come spring.

Yes. We haul away the debris from every cleanup.

Yes. A fresh layer of mulch is a good way to finish a cleanup. It helps beds hold moisture and keeps weeds down.

Yes. We handle spring and fall cleanups for HOAs, offices, retail and apartment properties.

Usually it is a mix of low spots, slopes that run the wrong way and slow-draining clay soil, which is common around Indianapolis. Downspouts emptying in the wrong place can add to it.

A gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that collects water from soggy ground and carries it to a better spot.

Yes. A channel or trench drain sits flush with the surface and catches water before it reaches the garage, the house or a low spot. We can build one into new pavers or add one to an existing surface.

Yes. We install downspout extensions and buried downspouts to carry roof water away from the house.

Yes. Grading reshapes the yard so water flows away from where you do not want it. It often pairs with a drain. Planning a bigger change? Start with landscape design.

We're a yard drainage contractor, so we can't promise a fix for a basement. Moving water away from the house is generally a good idea, but basement leaks can have other causes worth checking with a specialist.

We work with HOAs, offices, retail properties and apartment communities around Indianapolis.

Yes. We handle spring and fall cleanups for commercial properties.

Yes. We install paver walkways, patios and retaining walls on commercial sites. Learn more about our retaining walls.

Yes. Commercial clients can pay by invoice. We also accept cash, check and major credit cards.