The Short Answer
Concrete costs less up front and usually cracks within 3 to 5 years here. Pavers cost more, flex with the ground, last 25 to 50 years, and run 20 to 30 degrees cooler underfoot. Ten years in, the slab has usually been patched or repoured, and the pavers are still the surface you put in.
Why Concrete Cracks Here
Why Does Concrete Crack in Las Vegas?
A slab is one rigid plate. Most of the valley sits on caliche over clay that swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries, so the ground under a slab never stops moving. The plate can't flex, so it cracks straight across and then a corner lifts.
Pavers are hundreds of small pieces on a compacted base with sand in the joints, so the movement spreads out across the joints. If one chips or sinks, we lift it and drop in a match. No saw cut, no patch line.
The Heat Test
Bare Feet Don't Lie
Dark concrete in July reads 138 to 140 degrees on the surface, hot enough to burn a bare foot. Light pavers and travertine run 20 to 30 degrees cooler, which is why travertine is everybody's first pick around a pool.
The Ten Year View
Day One Is the Wrong Question
- Concrete over 10 years: it cracks around year 3 to 5, and then you're into patch lines, a repour that never matches, or a full tearout.
- Pavers over 10 years: you resand the joints and swap the odd paver. You pay more once, and then you mostly stop paying.
Over an Existing Slab
You Can Keep the Slab & Still Upgrade
If your slab is sound and drains away from the house, we can lay pavers right over it and skip the demo and hauling. If it's already heaved or drains toward the house, an overlay inherits those problems, and we'll tell you it needs to come out.
Side by Side
Concrete vs Pavers the Quick Read
| Factor | Poured Concrete | Pavers / Travertine |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Lifespan here | Cracks in 3 to 5 years | 25 to 50 years |
| Repair | Saw cut and repour | Swap one unit |
| Summer heat | 138 to 140F | 20 to 30 degrees cooler |
| 10 year cost | Higher once cracks force repairs | Usually lower |
New Builds
Got a Plain Builder Slab? Cover It While It's Still Sound
Builders pour the cheapest concrete that meets spec. Right now yours is clean and level, which makes it the best base for pavers it'll ever be. Wait until it cracks and you'll pay to tear out concrete you could have built on.