Hi Mangomoon, I'm not an expert in this stuff but i did build 2 concrete paver walkways a few years ago. Here's what I remember from my research back then and my experience. "Traditional" brick is made from clay. Good for walls and fireplaces but has some drawbacks for walkways and patios. One thing is that they can chip pretty easily. Modern "pavers" are made from concrete and are designed for strength and durability as walkways and patios. They are available in many different shapes, sizes and colors, even "brick" look-a-likes. There are many manufacturers and costs vary widely. Poured concrete is a relatively inexpensive way to create a patio or walkway but doesn't offer many design options. However, one can add color to concrete and there are concrete "stamps" that can be used to create a faux stone or brick look. Bricks and concrete pavers are usually installed on a base of sand and gravel. Sand is usually used to fill the gaps between joints. As such, they do allow some water permeability. Still, it is recommended that the project be gently sloped to allow water to run-off away from the nearest building structure. This will be more critical with poured concrete. Heat retention will depend largely on the color chosen. Lighter will be cooler. I'd be surprised of there is much of a difference between similarly colored bricks or concrete but I don't know for sure. I think brick and concrete will have the same "hardness". The skill level required to build a simple square patio with pavers isn't too high. It is more physically demanding than anything else. And, most of the work is in the base preparation. i.e. excavating, getting it level, put in a gravel base, then put in a level sand base. Indeed, the better the base preparation, the better the final job. If you use a concrete paver, installation is easy. If you don't have to make any cuts, no special tools are required. I'd suggest looking at some of the manufacturer sites for concrete pavers, if you think you might like to go that way. I used Unilock brand (others are Bolduc, Belgard, Nicolock...just Google "interlocking pavers"). Good luck...

Brick is generally softer and more prone to breaking. Also will be slightly smaller than pavers. Stone will be irregular and require more careful fitting. That, in my opinion, are the only drawbacks of the three. Decide the look you desire and go for it. The base is the same for all and is important that it be proper for your climate.

It shouldn't be level. It should pitch down and away from the pool. This promotes draining away from the pool during rain or heavy splash outs, keeping dirt out. Without pictures of when it was being laid, we can't tell if they followed best practices, good practices, or on the cheap. Scott

I cannot recall seeing a concrete driveway in our neighborhood. I mostly see asphalt (blacktop) driveways and a handful of paver drive ways. I am starting to see more and more paver driveways though. Some other houses in the neighborhood had a paver driveway recently installed in the last few months. It looks really decorative but that's while it new. I've seen some other houses with paver driveways that are a few years old and some have started bulging, sinking, become overlayed with weeds and also seen them with intricate line of moss as well. It seems either an asphalt or paver driveway would need some kind of maintenance, but I'm going to make the assumption that asphalt is easier to maintain.