Suspected bad groundwork, need urgent advice pleas

[davelad]

I've just been having a look at the Indian stone, it all seems very dusty or pale in colour, so i wet it and gave it a sweep with a stiff brush and its dried the same. Is this something that can be removed? Maybe its mortar?

Thanks for the info on the non-fossils

[Rich H]

It will be very dusty for a while. All the fines in the sand and cement, dust, etc. will be in the pores of the stone. Completely normal and unavoidable during construction. A few downpours and it will look less dusty. It will always be pale, though, that's the way sandstone is. The colour only really comes out when it's wet.

[davelad]

Thanks Rich,

What I was meaning really was that it was supposed to be shades of brown/pink/yellow and gray, but this seems to be mostly dirty gray on the second half that he's done. I think I need to get someone else round to see what they think cause admittedly, I've only got next doors to go off and theirs is a really nice job, although after reading about it on here, I've noticed that there is a load of "crosses" in there lol.

[Rich H]

Crosses aren't the end of the world, but it's not considered good practise, that's all. Aesthetically a random pattern should be just that, and it will be a little stronger.

Can you post another picture of the paving showing us what you mean about the 'dirty grey' area?

[davelad]

I've just done these.

If you compare this with the shots of next door's job further down, you'll see what I mean - this was supposed to be the same colours.



When the mortar dries out, it's more like brick mortar? The other jobs I've seen have had a yellowy, gritty mortar?

[davelad]

A couple of over the fence shots of next doors job that cost 7 grand.

[jay-Manor Driveways]

you pay peanuts you get monkeys my friend

next door doesnt look any good either to be honest . the lines are way to long with no breaks and the cuts dont need to be there .

[davelad]

Seems like a minefield then, you pay top banana and still get monkeys

[Rich H]

Horrible horrible horrible. Way too cheap and it shows. As I said, the materials and plant should come out near to what you've paid so the labour is bugger all.

They've use a wet mix for pointing which is really risky with Indian sandstone. It marks like a bugger and there's no way to get it out. Very messy job all round. The block paving joint at the corner is really really lazy.

[mickg]

you have not paid top banana though, £35m2 is 15 year old prices even though lately I have been up against morons who say they can do the job for as low as £25m2.

I leave them too it and carry on charging my normal rates because you can't do a first class job for that type of money

I could show you 10 driveways less than 10 miles from where you live what have been laid less than 2 months ago and you would feel seasick looking at them but the house owner decided to have the work carried out by door to door people and the only recourse is a mobile phone number what is now dead

bottom line is this though, if you had been happy with the progress of the work carried out to your property you would not of posted on this forum in the first place and you can see from the standard of work its not what you would call a professional finish

falling asleep in the wheelbarrow - unacceptable behavior
pissing anywhere on your property - unacceptable behavior
even owning a mixer in that state - unacceptable
standard of workmanship - an 8 year old child left unattended could achieve a better finish

[bodgeitandscarper]

I want one!!

[davelad]

About that corner joint, what should be there? there's another round the front which is about half a block's width too.

The pointing is horrible, I agree. What should they have used instead? This info gives me ammo when payment time comes, thanks chaps

[davelad]

you have not paid top banana though, £35m2 is 15 year old prices even though lately I have been up against morons who say they can do the job for as low as £25m2.

I leave them too it and carry on charging my normal rates because you can't do a first class job for that type of money

I could show you 10 driveways less than 10 miles from where you live what have been laid less than 2 months ago and you would feel seasick looking at them but the house owner decided to have the work carried out by door to door people and the only recourse is a mobile phone number what is now dead

bottom line is this though, if you had been happy with the progress of the work carried out to your property you would not of posted on this forum in the first place and you can see from the standard of work its not what you would call a professional finish

falling asleep in the wheelbarrow - unacceptable behavior
pissing anywhere on your property - unacceptable behavior
even owning a mixer in that state - unacceptable
standard of workmanship - an 8 year old child left unattended could achieve a better finish

Absolutely, I agree.

I was meaning that next door payed 7 grand and theirs isn't a good job either apparently? (see the photos further back and the comment right after).

[mickg]

right gotya

[MBPM]

Crikey, and I thought my pointing needed improvement

Least mine doesn't look like a wavescape :O