Bad Paving Driveway Job

indianabones · 23 February 2019 at 8:37AM

I should have gone with my my gut instinct but fell for the cheaper quote trap.

Anyways I have a 60 sq metre front drive, it was part lawn, hedge and concrete before.

I was getting quotes of 3000-3200 from most guys, but one company if I can call them that quoted 2800 to gut my existing front and put a simple brick paving design in.

Well they've run off after doing a shoddy job, very shoddy. The edge of my drive is above the level of the public footpath so they've put some concrete to level it off, but it looks shocking for a new drive.

From afar it looks fine, people have already complimented me on it. But I can see it falling it apart soon from the front edge when I finally bring my car into the drive..

How much would I expect to get a professional to come around and relay it, perhaps even the entire garden?

Doozergirl · 23 February 2019 at 8:58AM

You've got quotes to do it. It should easy for them to quote again without some of the materials.

If it isn't laid properly, then presumably the base isn't sound either.

Ours has concrete at the front too. Admittedly, we did it to save money, but it's been there for 5 years and not moved.

indianabones · 23 February 2019 at 9:45AM

Doozergirl wrote: »

You've got quotes to do it. It should easy for them to quote again without some of the materials.

If it isn't laid properly, then presumably the base isn't sound either.

Ours has concrete at the front too. Admittedly, we did it to save money, but it's been there for 5 years and not moved.

Appears to be laid properly on the flat portions. But my gut feeling is that they've put in too much of the sandy middle layer which is above the sub-base.

Now if I get it redone, at best I think I'd need 20 bricks and maybe type 1 and sandy layer bag. So materials I estimate £150 at worst. It's the labour I think will set me back, probably 2 men and 1.5 days.

I'm guessing at the moment, but will need some quotes first.

bris · 23 February 2019 at 11:10AM

It's easy to lay the blocks so anyone can make it look right.

The problem is the preparation. How deep did they go, did they use enough type 1 mot for the type of ground you have?

If all they did was scrape the surface, throw some sand down and lay the blocks it's going to sink.

EssexExile · 23 February 2019 at 11:40AM

indianabones wrote: »

But I can see it falling it apart soon from the front edge when I finally bring my car into the drive.

How about using it for a bit & seeing if it does fall apart or sink?

indianabones · 23 February 2019 at 12:22PM

I managed to lie my way into getting them to fix it.

I told them today I had someone come around asking about who did my driveway, but I didn't have your card to give them and that the person said they'll come around in a few days and try again.

With the thought of another potential customer, repairing my driveway is all of a sudden something they can do today. I'll see how they fix it up, but I think I'll post some pictures for you guys to get an idea.

indianabones · 23 February 2019 at 12:26PM

bris wrote: »

The problem is the preparation. How deep did they go, did they use enough type 1 mot for the type of ground you have?

If all they did was scrape the surface, throw some sand down and lay the blocks it's going to sink.

No they did dig deep, very deep, at some points I thought they had dug too much. If anything I think they've put too much of the sub base and the sand down. The sand especially seemed execessive.

bris · 23 February 2019 at 1:55PM

You can never put enough sub base down, the deeper the better, sand should be about 40mm so may look a lot but is solid when the blocks are laid and whacked it sets like concrete.