Random patterns - Advice on how much i need

[ThomasMcG]

Hello there

I hope you can help

I'm looking to lay my own patio and path with Marshalls natural sandstone. I want to use the range of slabs as a random pattern, but I'm stumped on the amount slabs of each size to order to fit the space. The paving calculator on here is great, but it doesn't use the same sizes as the Marshalls range and I can't work it out.
Their range is:
845x560
702x560
560x560
560x417
560x275
417x417
422x275
275x275

So I was wondering if there was a top tip to calculate how many of each size I need? I actually thought landscapers would have used CAD or something to work out, but I'm hoping there may be a simple calculation that can be applied....which will also work if my wife wants a bigger area covered (God help me and my aging back).

At the moment the main patio area is approx 5m x 4m and the path around the house is another approx 8m

Thanks in advance
Thomas

[dig dug dan]

If you are buying Marshals, then i would get your supplier to not only work it out, but draw you a plan.
At the price they charge for the slabs, its the least they can do

you know, the gaffer on here can draw you up a design in colour for a nominal fee. i would recommend it, as it saves a lot of problems later on. i know LLL used his service, and i was impressed with the results

[Tony McC]

A 20m² layout plan, complete with quantities, will cost you 37 quid. See this page for full details

[ThomasMcG]

Thanks for that Tony and DDD. i suppose planning it out will be better when we go ahead. For me and my back!!! It will save me laying all the slabs out and lifting then back up when they don't fit , or when the wifey tells me she doesn't like it!!!

For now I was wanting to gauge a price for buying the slabs we're looking at. I just want to make sure we can afford the natural stone option for the area. I know that it will still be an estimate of the different slabs to do the job, but at least it should allow me to get a price from the merchant. The merchant I went to was pretty unhelpful and didn't know how to work out how much I needed either. And the Marshalls site is good, but their paving visualiser keeps crashing my computer, so I gave up. Personally I don't see what's wrong with sitting on the grass lol

[lutonlagerlout]

worth every penny tom.i recommend buying the book too,you can find that here
cheers LLL

[lutonlagerlout]

you are better off spending 40 quid at this stage ,than going ahead and overspending
a rough rule of thumb is about £600-700 for your flags
overall most blokes on here chgarge around £100 per metre to supply and lay indian stone,
cheers again LLL

[ThomasMcG]

I daresay the book and plan are good advice. I'll more than likely buy the book in any case for general guidance tips (I had seen it on the site earlier). Just worried about going ahead with a plan at this stage in case wifey changes her mind (believe me, it's been heartache till now). It started off she wanted a deck!!!

No worries if there isn't a simple way to calculate/estimate the individual slabs. I thought there might been one because of paving calculator on here. I haven't seen anything like that on any other site. All the other sites think you only need one size of slab and a rectangle shape!!! However, as per DDD's comment, maybe I'll just try an alternative merchant. It looks like TP and Keyline have dedicated landscape centres, so I'll give them a try. It's just that merchants aren't very approachable when I'm a retail customer:( and unsure exactly what I need

Thanks for the advice guys, it's appreciated

[rab1]

their not very approachable when your a trade customer either. ?? :;):

[jay-Manor Driveways]

my merchant is brilliant i tell him i want 40m2 of 4 differnt sized slabs etc he he does it all for me , i make sure i tell him if i dont want to many 300x300 as i hate these ones and they are a pain in the aris he he come up trumps every time , if i have any left over i take them back and he gives me a credit note or cash lol

sorry im no help thomas

[Tony McC]

There's is an easy 'formula' for calculating quantities, but I don't publish it because that's how I make a living. Besides, it only gives an approximation (as do all such formulae); it's only when you develop the layout that you can get an accurate quantity run-list.

Anyway, a decent merchant would give you a price per m² and allow you to pick sizes to suit.

[mickg]

I was not going to reply until our leader had responded as it is how he makes his modest living doing drawings of driveway and patio layouts

anyway I am sure any builders merchant in your area would love to spend time going through your requirements whether you know what you want or not because at this time of year and especially in this current climate not many of them are busy and would be happy to have your business

[lutonlagerlout]

1 of our local merchants offers a similar service to tony mc's but at 4 times the rate
I have used it and tbh it works perfect and there is very little waste
i have met clients who can do bits of cad ,but they havent got the years of experience and knowledge of flag sizes to back it up
LLL

[ThomasMcG]

Thanks again guys. And Tony, with hindsight, I totally appreciate not publishing how to work it all out, especially if you are able to make some money out of it. You've built up the experience and knowledge, so you're quite right to keep your 'pearls of wisdom'. Anyway, I've spoken with my graphic designer brother, who said he would draw it up for me using the sizes if the merchant can't help. He said it wouldn't take him too long to do and should give me a starting point. I wish I had thought of him earlier!!!

But can I just say having looked through the forum and the different discussions that this is a fantastic resource for information, made all the better by professionals who know what they are doing. Tony, the site is also a great general reference tool especially for a novice like myself ... and the general banter is not too bad either

[lutonlagerlout]

oh dear
has your brother ever designed a patio layout before?
what fits on the screen doesn't always work in real life
nonetheless best of luck to you
I expect we shall hear from you soon
regards LLL

[Bob_A]

I got Tony to do me a layout.
To be honest my layout was relatively simple and I might have been able to do it myself but I didn't for the following reason.

I know that Tony's layouts definitely work. You don't want to be scratching your head with the mixer going 'cos you've come across a small hitch. It's only when you start laying and realise you've got to balance the joints yourself that the plan needs to work

I saved £1000's doing it myself so in comparison the cost of the layout was small

By paying something back you are indirectly helping this forum.