Paving laid upside down - Paving laid upside down

Durdana · Post: # 12068Post **Durdana** Fri May 19, 2006 8:01 pm

Hi,

We have just had a patio and path of Stonemarket Trustone fellstyle laid - not pointed yet, but it has all been laid with the slabs upside down. The builder has offered to relay it and clean up the slabs. Will the slabs clean up or do we need to insist he buys new slabs (approx Â£2000).

Any advice would be appreciated.

alan ditchfield · Sat May 20, 2006 10:33 am

It all depends how he has laid them as to how badly they will be stained, it is possible they could be cleaned but it is unlikeley, i think the real problem is do you want this guy to relay them when he does not even know which way they should be laid.

Post: # 12088Post **Tony McC** Sat May 20, 2006 5:54 pm

I'm with Alan - if this clown can't even tell which way is up, should he be allowed a second chance?

Ham · Post: # 12105Post **Ham** Sun May 21, 2006 9:34 am

We had the same - all the more painful since I had mine laid while I was recovering from an operation on both feet. I'd say - if you possibly can - get rid of him now and get someone who knows what they are doing. It won't just be the flags he'll get wrong.

Durdana · Post: # 12107Post **Durdana** Sun May 21, 2006 11:54 am

Thanks for the replies.

The boss of the building company was appalled that the flags had been laid upside down, he has now offered to rebuy the flags.

The patio re-lay is part of a big extension build which they have done really well, so we are considering giving them another chance but with someone different laying the flags.

From the comments I take it that telling which is the right side of a flag is something that is pretty obvious and not just a mistake anyone could make?

We'll be having further discussions with him tomorrow. I'll let you know how we get on.

Ham · Post: # 12117Post **Ham** Mon May 22, 2006 8:14 am

The way I have dealt with mine is to fill the wide gap with a very hard mix (around 3:1 if I remember rightly) and brush out the surface with a coconut brush. The end result is OK, but rustic. Laid the right way up, apart from the flags being smoother, you get a more architectual effect. It is possible that you may prefer the former, if you'd like I can post pictures of both - the ones my wonderful expert laid the wrong way,and the ones I laid the right way.

Durdana · Post: # 12124Post **Durdana** Mon May 22, 2006 7:07 pm

Seeing some pics would be good. I'd send one of my patio, but they took up all the flags today.

The outcome is that the builder has bought us new flags and he is getting another one of his guys to lay them.

One question I have for the experts though is that they have taken up the flags leaving behind the concrete/mortar and are planning to lay the new ones on top of this - is this okay or should they take it back to scree before they start again?

Ham · Post: # 12127Post **Ham** Tue May 23, 2006 12:51 am

Here are the upside-down slabs, with the gaps filled

Slabs laid upside down

And here the same ones are, the right way up

And the right way up

Post: # 12142Post **Tony McC** Tue May 23, 2006 2:10 pm

If the new flags can't be laid directly over the existing bed: some form of new bedding is required. If the old bed is left in place, the new flags will end up somewhat higher than the ones that were laid arse-up: this may or may not impinge on DPC levels, depending on the site.

Durdana · Post: # 12152Post **Durdana** Tue May 23, 2006 11:08 pm

The DPC should be okay. The patio is raised with a wall and steps down to the garden, I'm concerned that there will be too much concrete on show between the flags and the wall they are sitting above.

How thick would the new bed need to be?

I'm starting to think the best course will be to insist the concrete is all removed.

TarmacLady · Post: # 12156Post **TarmacLady** Wed May 24, 2006 2:18 pm

forget the slabs, Ham -- I'm inviting myself over for some of those gorgeous birds on the rotisserie!:p

dig dug dan · Post: # 12158Post **dig dug dan** Wed May 24, 2006 6:40 pm

I notice you say a builder laid the flags

as a general question to everyone,If you wanted a house built, would you ring up a landscaper?

Post: # 12241Post **Tony McC** Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:57 pm

I had a call from a lady in Salisbury who was having a problem with her driveway. The clown laying the block paving had set the blocks on a bed of bricklaying mortar and then ran a plate over them with pretty disastrous results.

I told her he was a cowboy and she should get him off the job immediately, without paying him a penny. She said she was surprised, because he'd done such a good job with the new bathroom...he was bloody plumbist!!!

Why do members of the public assume an acquaintance with one aspect of the building game qualifies you to turn your hand to everything?

Stuarty · Post: # 12268Post **Stuarty** Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:31 pm

My boss seems to think we can do everything Tony. He has just taken on a job where we are landscaping the clients garden, but we are also building their conservatory. We have just completed a site clearance job, trees, walls, and taken the ground to level. And, im not sure how he got this job, we cleared the grounds around a train station, then 2 weeks later we were back there, with structural engineers on a little boat so they can inspect the ironwork. And i have been slabbing 80 foot up, only access was in a cherry picker to lay them on that damn Caro system. It seems Blah Blah Landscaping & Fencing Contractor has now become Blah Blah All Trades & Anything Else