Tagula block paving sinking

[j2orchid]

Hi
I had my drive done in Tagula paving last December and it has started to sink were the car wheels go. The rest of the bricks in the drive look OK. We do not put heavy vehicles on the path. After lots of calls to the firm that did the paving, and a lot of 'we will ring you back', we have given up and are going to have a go at levelling them ourselves.

First - How do we get the first brick out without any very expensive equipment.

Second - Do we add more sand underneath, pad it down, position bricks, then add kiln dried sand in between.

Thanks for any help

[Rich H]

You don't need any expensive equipment, just wriggle the first one out and the rest of them will be free. You will however need a number of decent tools even to effect a 'quick and dirty' repair - that is to add sand under the blocks (not bricks) and then re-lay.

If the subsidence has taken this long to manifest itself it's more likely to be a poor sub-base (foundation) preparation than simply sand compaction. This is a more significant problem the solution to which is to rip it up and start again.

Try a threatening letter to the firm that did the work in the first place. If they are proper company they'll want to put it right. If they're cowboys you'll never see them again.

If it's the latter, then read Tony's section on screeding and laying blocks (link below). If you feel this is something you can take on, then go for it, you've got nothing to lose.

Sadly there are a lot of 'firms' around who build many many nice looking driveways that actually won't take the traffic they're supposed to.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/blocks2.htm

[j2orchid]

Thanks for that

We had it done in november last year, but before they could get the sand in between the blocks it poured down. They eventually did the sanding but I am now wondering if they didn't get enough sand in between the blocks as it started to sink by January. The rest of it seems Ok its just were we run the car over. And yes they are a proper firm but we have threatened them with legal action and still they ignore us. But that's another story.

???

[seanandruby]

id take out a few blocks then dig out the sand to see if they put a sub base. if so how deep is it and what is the condition of the sub soil. it could be that they just didnt compact anything.

[Tony McC]

Call your local Trading Standards office

[j2orchid]

Hi, they definitely put a base in but I didn't watch them do it. I didn't know how to upload photos, so I have put them on some web space I have, see link below.

As you can see from the picture, it’s only slightly sunk, that’s why we want to try to do it ourselves. Will have a go at getting a couple of bricks out and padding with sand, and let you know how we get on. How will the Trading Standards Office be able to help.

How do you like the way they finished off the grid.

My Webpage

[seanandruby]

I reckon you should send them a letter of complaint. send it recorded delivery and say you expect action by a certain date, or you will be seeking legal advice. sunk is sunk slightly ,or severe. there is a potential for the rest to sink and cause a hazard. the gully finish is shite. the trading standards will intervene on your behalf as it is shoddy workmanship. i think once you start to put it right yourself they can blame you. good luck m8. kick some arse

[Tony McC]

I see they used Marshalls blocks. Are they a member of the Marshalls Register? If so, you can contact the register and have them 'persuade' the contractor to make good.

I can't understand why you feel you should be undertaking the repairs. You paid good money for a good job, so you're entitled to have the contractor do it properly.