Can i omit the sub base? - .. again

[Michael Burrows]

First of all let me congratulate Tony on a great site.

I want to lay a 40 sq m of patio and paths with Indian sandstone to the rear of my house where the only access is through the house. If I can I'd like to omit the sub base to avoid wheeling 4 tonnes of aggregate through the house.

1. How do I decide if I can omit the sub base? Is there some test I can perform on the sub grade to decide? Is the California Bearing Ratio test pertinent? What value would suffice? Where can I get the equipment?
2. Should I plate compact the sub grade?
3. Could I use something instead of aggregate?
3.1 I'm tempted to use plywood or a grillage composed of treated timber. I guess it could rot but I notice the treated sawn timber I used for edging is still intact seven years on.
3.2 Suppose I made the bedding cement rich and put reinforcement wire near the bottom? Do you think the resulting raft would be strong enough?

Thanks
Mike

[lutonlagerlout]

is the area enclosed or is it just a lack of access thats the problem?
i have paved enclosed courtyards and you have to consider drainage ,as professionals we did indeed bucket all the spoil and aggregate through the house,we used cordek boards and all door frames and doors were protected
a slow job but better to do it right surely
you could omit the subbase and it might be alright,but it might now
and that would involve even more work
LLL

[Carberry]

If you're worried about damaging the house you could always buy it in 25kg bags and carry them through the house or buy a bulk bag and just fill rubble sacks yourself. Hard work but it means you won't have any problems related to your sub-base and you can treat it as a work out or just get all your friends over, have them help shift it and treat them with a BBQ and a case of beer.

[haggistini]

many hands make light work of a few ton sub-base! this site will guide you every step of the way but you will have to hump it all yourself! forget the wood idea just buy some buckets and follow the guide lines on the main site

[London Stone Paving]

Its par for the course in London. A friend of mine does a lot of work in Central London and they once had to dig 60 tons out by hand and then bring it all through the house. Not to mention all the stuff they had to bring back through.

A properly installed patio should last for 20 years. I would bite the bullet and get the base in. Carberry's got the right idea, turn it into a bit of a work party.

[Wideboy]

I'm in the same boat but better to do it right first time,me and the mrs bucketed through 10 yards of soil that we dug out and 3tons of type 1 for the sub base and still not finished but much cheaper than going to a gym!Cant you get some mates or family around to help?I bribe them with beer and bacon buttys works for me!