Sunken Pavers

[71-1093879274]

I have recently had my front garden and drive block paved. Almost straight away, small depressions in the paving appered (very shallow ruts) where the car has driven over them - just a few mm, but resulting in slightly loose pavers either side of the depressions.

The contractor has agreed to put it right, but should it have happened? Is it indicative of a poor job with insufficient foundation?

(Edited by GZK6NK at 4:43 pm on July 12, 2004)

[84-1093879891]

Usually - it really shouldn't have settled at all when trafficked for the first time. You sometimes onserve rutting (channelisation) after secveral months of trafficking the same lane over and over again, but not "straight away".

Are you absolutely sure a sub-base was installed?

[71-1093879274]

The contractor dug out the old driveway and garden with a mini digger, then laid what looked to me like limestone chippings a few inches deep (exact depth not known - I wasn't around while this was being done), and these were compacted with a 'wackering plate'. On top of this went sand, again 'whackered', then the pavings, also 'whackered' down.

We are on a soft clay soil here.

[84-1093879891]

Ask the contractor for a full description of what was done, including quantities of materials.

There should have been NOT LESS THAN 100mm (4") of granular sub-base material (aka MOT or DTp Type 1).