Pavers pattern costs

We are going to put in a paver patio and some of the quotes don't make sense and I can't find an explanation with Google and don't want to come off dumb with the bidders.

The quote per square foot is massively different for a pattern using two size/shapes and four size shapes. When I check prices for the same pavers there is very little difference per square foot and the total number of pavers is almost identical.

So the only difference I can figure is it takes longer to install per square foot and the only way that would matter if the same number of pavers per square foot was the same is the extra time it takes to figure out what paver to lay next?

Doesn't make sense that the installed price per square foot is 60% higher for the same number of pavers and the same square feet and the only difference is how many shapes of pavers are involved. Considering the prep work is identical, the actual cost to install 4 shapes is much more than 60% compared to two shapes.

What am I missing.

Not a general contractor but I have gutted and remodeled my entire house with my bare hands, down to the studs / new windows / electrical / plumbing / drywall, etc...

So - my 2 cents...

Could be thickness of paver; complexity of pattern; how many cuts they might have to make / waste. Maybe even material if it's made of something fancy. We used a really complex pattern in our bathroom floor but we did it ourselves so price of travertine is price of travertine.

Really - seriously - don't do pavers. No matter how good of a job they do building / preparing the base, I've never seen a paver patio not shift and look like crap after 3 years. Maybe yours will last longer - your in Arizona - but up here in the north - nope.

They can stamp and color concrete basically any way you want it now a days. It'll last longer then you and look just as good.

Or do flagstone - then when one of them comes up a bit and needs to be reset, you can pull it yourself and re-level it.

Pictures attached -
flagstone patio
complex bathroom tile pattern - think they call it Harrington
dads concrete patio, stamped and colored, we did earlier this year.

We did our entire house in travertine a few years back. Good choice on your part.

But no, the pavers thickness is the same and the number and price per foot of the pavers themselves are almost identical. So still trying to figure out why they want almost double for the actual laying of the pavers for 4 shapes compared to two shapes. Might be more than double because its 60% more total and the prep work is identical and as I said the cost of the pavers themselves are abut the same.