The Brew Cabin

Hi - Looking for some advice please on what to put on my driveway.

Over the last 4 weekends, have dug out my old concrete driveway (45 sqM2)and layed 15 ton of DTP type 1 on top of a bed of the broken up old concrete. Leveled (Min. 100MM of DTP1)and Whacked it until my fillings loosened. Now I am not sure about my original choice to block pave. Reason being, that since I started this project, I have been given a barage of conflicting advice on the pros/cons of block paving.

The drive has a reasonably steep slope towards the house. (DTP1 finish at house is 250mm). A local paving contractor (with a good reputation ) who has completed a number of drives - satisfaction in all cases - for friends and neighbours - advised that I steer clear of block paving and choose crazy paving or something like Milltown (Not sure what this looks like yet). He also said that IF I had to choose block, not to go for Marshalls, but use Bretts instead or some other brand that escapes me.

So, here I am confused !

Can you please give me your thoughts on a sloping towards house with dimensions of approx. 10m wide(lenght of house) by 4.5 m deep (house to path).
The house itself has a combination of red brick and pebble dash finish.
I like the look of block, but maybe have'nt seen enough real life examples of other materials. 45 herringbone in particular.

PS - Why did'nt I use this contractor ? - His quote was too expensive for me, thus DIY so far.

PPS - Tony - Well done - One of the best and really useful practical sites I've seen.

Any advice or guidance appreciated.

No offence to your contractor acquaintance, but he sounds as though he's full of **it!

Crazy paving! Ber-luddy hell - he's extracting urine, and in industrial quantities. Crazy paving is a very labour intensive job. It has to be laid on a full concrete bed if it's a driveway, and it's the sort of job even experienced contractors hate because it is so easy to bollox up. It's slow work; all the joints have to be properly pointed; it will crack; it's a bugger to keep levels accurate; it's the sort of job you get one-quarter of the way through and realise you HATE doing it.

If crazy paving is so wonderful, as this eejit suggests, how come you don't see every other driveway done with it instead of block paving?

Millstone - this is a very, very nice and very, very expensive imitation Yorkstone patio flag manufactured by a company called Stonemarket. It's around 35-40 quid per m2 just to buy the flags. Then you have to lay them on concrete, because they're only 45mm thick and can't take the weight of a car. And then they have to be pointed....can you see a theme developing here? Your man is pizdov because you knocked back his quote!

And why not Marshalls? I'm not saying Brett Paving is not good stuff, but it's no better than Marshalls, who just happen to be the biggest manufacturer in the UK - so they must be doing summat right!

Brett have some nice products, but they are a small fish compared to Marshalls, as they serve only the Sarffeest. You should choose a block according to your
taste and your wallet, not what this gobshite says!

I've not seen your drive, and I'm usually reluctant to recommend a particular product for any job I haven't seen, but I am 99% certain that block paving of one formor another would be fine on your driveway, as long as the slope is less than 1 in 2. If it's more than 1 in 2, then there are special laying structures that can be used, but block paving is still possible.

I reckon he's winding you up, hoping to see you struggle so you end up calling him in to finish off the job that's nearly killed you. Ask him what construction he recommends for a crazy paved driveway, and ask him if the guarantee from Stonemarket is the same as that for, say, Marshall's block paving. If he's not deliberately winding you up, then he's confusing his arse with his elbow!