The Brew Cabin

Hi

I priced a job a few weeks ago. The client wanted Marshalls Natural Stone Setts - Greenmoor Rustic.
I got a price from my local BM of £46m2.
I just found out that the price is now £86m2 and there is a 10 week wait for the blocks - all I need is 54m2
This has obviously ****** things up a bit !

Before I tell the client, I am looking for alternatives. Anyone any suggestions. The client wants the same size blocks laid in stretcherbond pattern. Everything I look at is concrete.I dont particulary want to use proper Granite Setts. The Marshalls ones were all the same size and shape (or so they say !!)

Ive also got to tell the client that if he wants to use his preffered setts it is gonna cost him an extra £2500 and 10 weeks wait. He may think I'm pulling a fast one - I hope not. I was actually looking forward to the job, I'm sick of laying standard block paving and the same old flags - I NEED A CHALLENGE !!!

Why is that everyone wants the standard 200mm by 100mm in Brindle with Charcoal border I am sick of laying this **** I'm doing a job in 2 weeks - Marshalls Driveline Elite - at last something different !! Anyone got any comments on the Elite blocks ?

Nigel

There's a few alternatives to the Greenmoor tumbled setts, Nigel, and they're a bit cheaper, too. Iain Kennedy at Farrar's has a tumbled yorkstone sett in various sizes, and Graham Goldthorpe at Johnsons Wellfield does a version - both are charging around 42-48 quid per square metre, plus the dreaded VAT, of course. I was speaking with them both in the past month and, as far as I know, there's no lead time for delivery. You can have them within a couple of days, once you've paid. :)

The reason everyone goes for the clasic Brindle and Charcoal herringbone block paving is because that's what they've seen and what they feel safe with. There is so much choice available with paving that I really do despair of the driveway buying public for being so bloody conservative. Having said that, the tumbled yorkstone setts are superb. If I had the right sort of property, they're what i would have for my driveway.

As for the Elite....I'm not impressed at all. I really don't like them, they look too artificial, too concretey, too much like Lego. I saw some laid to a driveway near me and I had to get Mrs Taz to pull over while I had a good gawp. Has your client seen them in real life or are they judging from the catalogue?

Tony

Have you got any contact numbers or details of the suppliers you mentioned ?

The client who is having Marshalls Elite picked them out of the brochure !!
I have my reservations after looking at the photo - like you say very artificial/false. But at the end of the day , the customer is always right - they pay at the end of the day (hopefully !) . Ive been asking the local BM for weeks for a sample of the Elite - to show people and to see myself, but I am still waiting.
My favourite colour scheme at the moment for Driveline 50 is Burnt Ochre in 45 herringbone with a Marigold border. Also for paths and patios I am laying the blocks in a Basketweave pattern - looks nice and minimul cutting !!
I think if a big area is all 45 herringbone it sometimes looks too much - thats why I like the paths different

Cheers

Nigel

Contact me by email (or the private Messenger system on this forum) and I'll give you all the info.

Burnt Ochre has always been my favourite Marshalls Colour, but I always liked it with the Plum Brown rather than Marigold. I have some photies, somewhere, of a huge, 1,000+m² job we did to 4 bungalows using all Burnt Ochre about 8 0r 9 years ago, when I was fit and able. I must dig them out and upload them at some point.

Funnily enough, Marshalls have just appointed a new rep for the North-west of Engerland. I'll have a word and see if he can chase up the Elite samples you wanted.


I've altered your member status to "Contractor", too, so that folk know you're speaking from a professional point of view. :)

Tony

Apparantley Plum Brown is no longer available from Marshalls.
Have you ever come across Regatta blocks from Top-Pave
Marshalls are bringing a new block out this summer - Volcano - The brochure says it is only available from Marshalls Register members - is this the same group as approved contractors ? Cos I will never join an approved contractor scheme.
It would be nice to use more different makes of block - but the local BM's all seem to stock just Marshalls - must be a lot of back handers !!!. Plus Marshalls is all joe public seem to want - boring people.

Cheers

Nigel

I know the PB got its P45 a couple or three years ago, which, I thought, was a shame. It was never a huge seller, but it was a nice 'organic' colour for use in gardens and patios.

Regatta is a nice block on the right sort of job. It looks olde worlde, but then its edges are too neat to be 100% convincing. Still, if it came to a choice between Elite and Regatta, I'd go with the Regatta.

Volcano - it's being released to the Marshalls Approved List members next month which I think is a total bloody nonsense, but then, if you'd paid 300 quid plus to be in the Marshalls gang, you'd want summat for your money!

It's easy to think that Marshalls dominate the business if you're stuck here in the North-west of Engerlund, but, in other parts of the country, there is much more competition, and a much wider choice of products.

If you're in Cumbria, what about the Armstrong stuff? Those Beamish cobbles are nice, and then there's Lakeland in penrith - it's not all Marshalls, although I agree it can seem that way at times!