Zoning at Town Hall first, then Harnett County for the building permit
Erwin splits the paperwork. Under an interlocal agreement, Harnett County's inspection department handles building inspection for the Town, but the agreement says no building permit gets issued for any construction, repair or improvement on land in Erwin until the Town has issued a zoning permit or comparable approval. So the order is Town Planning & Zoning, then the county. The Town's planning and inspections page explains the hand-off and posts the zoning application.
The form wants a plot plan showing lot shape, existing and proposed buildings, parking, driveways and the front, rear and side yard dimensions. It also asks for the estimated project cost, whether the lot accesses a DOT road, and whether it sits in a floodplain, watershed or wetlands. Town staff fill in the zoning district, the setbacks and whether the Town wants a foundation inspection. Nothing published singles out a ground-level pad, so we call the planner with your address before we quote. Our permits guide shows how we handle the same question in other towns.
Flat ground, hydric soils and what the Town's own plan says about water
The Town's 2023 Land Use Plan puts it plainly: the Cape Fear River runs on the west side of town, the Black River drains the east side, and drainage and stormwater is an issue where the topography is relatively flat and hydric soils occur. That's the starting point for every pad here. A pad on a flat lot has to carry its own water away, because the yard won't. That's the first thing concrete patio contractors in Erwin plan for.
The soil survey at 40 spots inside town shows why. Norfolk loamy sand, a well-drained soil, takes 15 of them. Marlboro sandy loam shows up four times, and Wahee, Bibb, Exum, Altavista and Coxville fill in more of the map. Wahee is somewhat poorly drained, Exum and Altavista are moderately well drained, and Bibb is mapped as frequently flooded. We grade the pad away from the house, lay a stone base thick enough to stay firm when the yard is soaked, and extend the slope past the edge so water doesn't sit against the slab.
Backyard pads are priced by the square foot, $7 to $12 per sq ft for plain or broom finish and $12 to $20 for stamped. Here's what common sizes come to.
| Project | Size | Per sq ft | What it comes to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grill and chair landing | 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $7 to $12 | $840 to $1,440 |
| Family table pad | 12x16 (192 sq ft) | $7 to $12 | $1,344 to $2,304 |
| Large patio | 16x18 (288 sq ft) | $7 to $12 | $2,016 to $3,456 |
| Stamped pad | 12x16 (192 sq ft) | $12 to $20 | $2,304 to $3,840 |
A thicker stone base for wet ground, a pump for a blocked yard and a raised edge near a creek bottom change the total. We give a free written estimate after we see the site.
