Bad Paving Driveway Job

JimmyChanga

These guys are known as JS Landscapes

Numerous companies by that name. Only one I can find in Brum has a B90 postcode, is that them?

indianabones

JimmyChanga wrote: »

Numerous companies by that name. Only one I can find in Brum has a B90 postcode, is that them?

No can't be them. B90 is the South-East of Bimingham, they mentioned living South West to Central Birmingham.


I mean they're doing a job on my road today with some other people, I'll go over there this evening when they're not around to see what they've done.

AndyMc.....

indianabones wrote: »

So I had a huge discussion with them this morning, enough for neighbours to hear them swearing.



In the end I told them I have no confidence in completing the job so please don't do anything until we've agreed a solution.


I gave them 3 options.


1. Give me money back for the labour involved to remove the bricks and relay them properly.


2. Remove the bricks and material. Pay me for getting someone to relay the bricks.


3. Go away, never come back to my house and let the legal process give me the money for the poor job you've done.


I remained calm throughout, they were hurling insults and asked me not to speak to any other potential customers. I said, who I speak to and what I speak to them about is not their concern.

What legal process?

By the sound of it you don't know who you've paid.

Cash job was it?

Aylesbury_Duck

AndyMc..... wrote: »

What legal process?

By the sound of it you don't know who you've paid.

Cash job was it?

My thoughts entirely. If you paid cash and don't have some form of company-headed receipt, yow are you going to pursue them you don't know who they are?

indianabones

AndyMc..... wrote: »

What legal process?

By the sound of it you don't know who you've paid.

Cash job was it?

I have a contract with signatures. I will have to think about how I approach this, I'll be browsing the forums and the wider internet for some information on this.


It was cash unfortunately.


My primary aim right now is to get my drive re-done properly so as not to cause any more damage.

fezster

The first thing you need to ascertain is how much sub base have they put down (type 1 mot)? If it is not between 4 to 6 inches (take a look at http://www.pavingexpert.com/subbase.htm#designs), this will need redoing.

If necessary, you can dig up a small portion of the drive to check, or hopefully you have taken pictures which could be used to gauge the depth.

It also sounds like they did not use a compactor on the bricks, because they should not be settling so quickly after driving a car on them if they had.

indianabones

fezster wrote: »

The first thing you need to ascertain is how much sub base have they put down (type 1 mot)? If it is not between 4 to 6 inches (take a look at http://www.pavingexpert.com/subbase.htm#designs), this will need redoing.

If necessary, you can dig up a small portion of the drive to check, or hopefully you have taken pictures which could be used to gauge the depth.

It also sounds like they did not use a compactor on the bricks, because they should not be settling so quickly after driving a car on them if they had.

Two companies which high ratings have come out to view the work and they've said the driveway needs to be gutted. One of them lifted bricks in an area and checked with his little tool and said there is sufficient sub-base and sand which means they've not dug deep enough. So the only way to fix this is to dig 6-8 inches deeper than they originally had.

Both companies gave a quote for £1500 on labour and said it was a 4 day job. They estimate an additional £400 to be spent on materials.

Mojisola

indianabones wrote: »

They did a small front patio on the road next to mine and came around knocking.

They have done 3 jobs in the area and according to the person who they are currently working with, they have another job on our road lined up.

This would set up warning signals to me - any decent company will have work scheduled for weeks/months ahead.

This sounds like a gang who come into an area, grab as many jobs as they can and disappear.

fezster

indianabones wrote: »

Two companies which high ratings have come out to view the work and they've said the driveway needs to be gutted. One of them lifted bricks in an area and checked with his little tool and said there is sufficient sub-base and sand which means they've not dug deep enough. So the only way to fix this is to dig 6-8 inches deeper than they originally had.

Both companies gave a quote for £1500 on labour and said it was a 4 day job. They estimate an additional £400 to be spent on materials.

Something doesn't add up there.

6-8 inches additional for a residential driveway would mean your original contractors did not dig at all, which is obviously impossible. The total amount to be dug should be 6-8 inches.

If the new contractors were to dig another 6-8 inches, then the Type 1 MOT alone would cost at least £1800 (using your 60sqm from your original post). You say they quoted an additional £400 for material.

I would advise you do some due diligence before making the same mistake again with this new contractor.

indianabones

fezster wrote: »

Something doesn't add up there.

6-8 inches additional for a residential driveway would mean your original contractors did not dig at all, which is obviously impossible. The total amount to be dug should be 6-8 inches.

If the new contractors were to dig another 6-8 inches, then the Type 1 MOT alone would cost at least £1800 (using your 60sqm from your original post). You say they quoted an additional £400 for material.

I would advise you do some due diligence before making the same mistake again with this new contractor.

All points noted and maybe my understanding regarding the digging and levels is wrong, so once I have written quotes I'll be able to tell you what they're saying.



I've had 5 quotes so far and will have more. I'm also viewing some of their older work (5+ years) to see how the driveways have stood the test of time.


Quotes so far and this is just the labour.


1500
1500
1800
2000
1400


Quotes so far and this is their rough estimate for materials.


400
400-600
800
800
800