Spot bedding + damp patches reversal

Patio flagstones (slabs), concrete flags, stone flags including yorkstone and imported flagstones.
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crol
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:15 pm
Location: ireland

Post: # 110110Post crol

hi paving experts,

i have been having some paving problems with my builder and found the information here excellent. thanks!

one thing i wanted to ask about was this.

our builder used spot bedding (and butt joints) on our granite paving 12 months ago when he installed it. we are trying to get him to relay the slabs now.

looking at pictures from that time, i can see the tell tale damp patches on the paving soon after it was installed.

however, now when the paving starts to dry out, the spots dry out first with the remainder of the slabs staying damp.

some before and after pictures here -
https://goo.gl/photos/R59PF9odr9etsfNP9

any idea what is going on?

cheers,

colm

Tony McC
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Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
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Post: # 110122Post Tony McC

Site Agent - Pavingexpert

crol
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:15 pm
Location: ireland

Post: # 110149Post crol

Tony McC wrote:See this page

Thanks Tony.

The curious thing for me is that what is described on your reflective stain page and what I've seen before are wet spots caused by spot bedding.

Whereas what we get are spots that dry out more quickly than the rest of the slab.

Colm

lutonlagerlout
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Location: bedfordshire

Post: # 110173Post lutonlagerlout

this makes me so angry
what did he save by spot bedding?
1 tonne of sand and 5 bags of OPC?
and ruined the lot
:angry:
LLL
"what,you want paying today??"

YOUR TEXT GOES HERE

crol
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:15 pm
Location: ireland

Post: # 110175Post crol

lutonlagerlout wrote:this makes me so angry
what did he save by spot bedding?
1 tonne of sand and 5 bags of OPC?
and ruined the lot
:angry:
LLL

yes; it makes us even angrier!

... and looks like it will be battle to get him to relay it all. the best offer from him so far is to relay some of it (the main patio area in the middle photo) on a full bed with close but not butt joints.

some of the other problems we have to deal with are -
1) he used sand for wide plinth/boundary wall/AJ joints and this is permanently damp near gullies and has scoured away in many locations. could he repoint these with mortar?

2) a lot of slabs have dropped in toward the house so are no longer falling away from it. would this be due to inadequate compacting?

colm

Tony McC
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Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
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Post: # 110212Post Tony McC

Spot bedding will not be in accordance with the supplier's installation guidance, therefore your contractor has failed to comply with best practice and would be liable to re-lay the lot.

But, as many of the flagstones will now be permanently buggered, he's also liable for the cost of new paving.

It doesn't sound as though he has the requisite skills to do the work correctly, so I'd be looking for him to cover the cost of bringing in a competent installer as the only certain way for you to get the pavement for which you've paid.

He can agree to this or take his chances with the courts.....
Site Agent - Pavingexpert

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