Old riven paving

[jofaulks]

Approximately 2 months ago I had a patio laid with Bradstone Old Riven and i'm not entirely happy with the result, fortunately I haven't paid the builder yet, but have a few queries, which I hope somebody can help me on.
1. Some of the flags have lips of about 5mm is this normal, he said that they are uneven because the flags are different in thickness??

2. One of the flags can just be lifted up without force

3. The pointing in general is a bit messy it seems to have not bonded to the flags stones thus causing cracks and the odd bit of crumbling and few small pieces missing, is this normal, he said this was caused by the sun, am I within my rights to ask him to redo the pointing?

4. I feel as though some of them, even though they are not rocking I can feel slight movement, and they sound hollow, but I am positive he didn't use spot bedding as the bedding under the one that can be lifted up is grit sand and where is mixed it with dry cement??

I have told him that I am not happy but I don't want him to try and fob me off with technical lingo that I don't know about

[Tony McC]

1 - the idea of bedding is that this is used to even out any variation in thickness!

2 - Doesn't sound promising.

3 - Caused by the sun? Caused by an eejit builder, more likely! Yes: it should be re-done.

4 - If they're moving, they're not right. There should be NO movement whatsoever.


My cowboy alert is going off, I'm afraid.

The flags should be relatively even in level over the surface, allowing for the riven texture. The occasional 5mm 'lip' shouldn't be anything to worry about, and any trip hazard can be 'lost' via the jointing, but such lips really should be occasional, few and far between. The fact that the flags vary in thickness is completely immaterial; they should be bedded into the laying material to whatever depth is required to give an even surface.

Loose flags just should be there. All of the flags should be firm, solid, immovable without being forced or levered. The pointing should be neat, tisy and free from any cracking or crumbling. A profeessional pavior can manage to point flkags without it 'cracking in the sun', so this eejit should be able to do so, too.

From what you;ve toild us, it sounds like a bodge job and I wouldn't settle up just yet.

[jofaulks]

Thanks just one last question, we have looked under the loose flag and the bedding seems to be ok could it be just the pointing that is dodgy, most of the flags are secure but the pointing and some of the lips are dodgy.

[Tony McC]

I can't see this paving, so, if you say the pointing is dodgy, I'll have to take your word for it.