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Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:45 am
by stumac49
Good morning everyone. I've been on here before and asked a few (probably daft) questions before I decided on having a block paved driveway installed.
The new driveway was installed back in July but I have noticed that there are 6 blocks damaged. They are in various places across the drive - not close together.
The top surface in the corners have broken away on some and 1p sized bits have broken out of the middle of the others.
I'm thinking maybe it's stones that have got into the tyre treads and broken them or could it be the quality of the blocks or quality of installation?
They are Brett Omega and were installed by a Brett approved installer. I have received their 10 year product guarantee, but worringly yet to receive the 5 year installer's guarantee (which I'm entitled to as the installation used over 70% of Brett products).
I'm suprised and disappointed that after spending such a large amount of money on this project I'm finding damaged blocks already.
Just to mention also that the contractor did the joints whilst it was POURING with rain and I've had to refill some joints a COUPLE of times since the installation. He assured me at the time that it would not need refilling as they put loads in!
His attitude appeared to be that he didn't think it was his responsibility to come back and check the joints. Do any of you do that as part of the 'service'?
The guide on this website says DO NOT fill the joints in wet conditions so that concerned me. And it also says that the installer should return in 4-6 weeks to see if joints need refilling.
Should I just accept that blocks will get damaged? I know they will eventually, but surely not after only three months?
Sorry if I'm waffling on here, but just want to check with the experts before I go complaining to Brett and the contractor - which I will do if necessary.
Thanks.
Stuart.
(not angry yet - just a little disappointed)
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:09 pm
by seanandruby
just wondering how big your drive is and that 6 blocks is typical of the amount that would be damaged on installation. Have you got some spare blocks you could replace the damaged ones with. Joints will need filling after a while once it has all settled. It has been known to wet fill joints but once again it is more than likely the joints will need topping up.
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:09 pm
by stumac49
Thanks for your reply.
The area is approx. 70 square metres.
Yes I have some spare blocks.
Is it easy to remove individual blocks?
Thanks,
Stuart.
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:46 pm
by seanandruby
yes you can prise them out with a couple of screwdrivers. There is a piece on the index about it but i can't link you to it as i'm only on a mobile phone.
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:00 pm
by local patios and driveway
We generally leave a bag of kiln dried sand with the customer and ask them to re sand the blocks in a month or two its a simple job and it saves me a trip and i like to think it helps instill some pride in the driveway. To be honest i would have called the installer and just mentioned the blocks to him, im sure he wouldnt have a problem with coming over and sorting it for you. It would take minutes to sort.
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:14 pm
by seanandruby
your right lpad but stum has stated that the contractor ''wouldn't be interested''. Without it becoming a long drawn out affair he might be better off doing it on a saturday morning but let the contractor know he's not pleased with him.
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:49 pm
by local patios and driveway
Didnt take in that part, in which case do it and let brett know that installer wasnt intrested.
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:29 pm
by haggistini
As for the problem it's a minor fix in my opinion but your contractor has shown a lack of customer service and pride in his otherwise faultless install.
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:36 am
by stumac49
Thanks for the replies.
Re the comment about leaving a bag of sand with the client - that would have been the OK with me. I went out and bought some myself and have swept more in a couple of times.
I was disappointed with the contractor by the end as he appeared to be rushing and couldn't get away quick enough to get to his next job. I will be fair and say that the weather was awful for most of the install which meant he ran two or three days over time. But surely you all give yourselves a few days in-between jobs for just such occurrences?
But his reaction when I asked politely if he'd return if the joints needed refilling was not the one I was hoping for.
I know it's a simple job and not that time consuming for me and to be honest I don't mind doing it - I am proud of my new driveway and it gets a lot of favourable comments from the neighbours, but I just think to enhance his own reputation he should have been willing to spend half an hour a month down the line to look at the joints and any other issues like the damaged blocks and shown some pride in his work.
I'm not keen on contacting him about the damaged blocks so I will replace them myself but I will be contacting Brett to ask about their standards for their 'approved installers'.
Do they ever check the work as they state on their website?
Thanks again for the replies.
Stuart.
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:15 am
by local patios and driveway
Im sure everyone here agrees with you stuart, the guy let himself down, as for rushing to get away, the weather can do that to us and when times are busy you cant really afford to leave spare days here and there, i use weekends for that if i must.
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:42 pm
by stumac49
That's a fair comment from you 'local patios and driveways'. I fully understand.
At the end of the day he's missed out though as I won't be recommending him to anyone.
It does seem odd to me that some contractors don't want to go the 'extra mile' and make the client feel that they've received 'excellent' service rather than just 'satisfactory'.
It doesn't take much effort and the results in terms of more work are surely worth it.
Maybe I'm just a fussy pain the a**e though - yep that could be it!
Stuart.
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:43 pm
by local patios and driveway
Nahh if you do research to make sure you get a good job done, which if i remember rightly, you did, then you expect the job done right. People here myself included always flame those that come here after getting a carp job that was 200 quid.. You pays your money right? Weve all had jobs as a result of good work and a good relationship from a previous customer.
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:37 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I did a 65m drive last week ,but due to other commitments had to sub most of it out to some decent groundworkers i use
I went there every day to speak to the client and to check the work ,
and have been back the last 2 days doing minor snagging,filling up a couple of joints and replacing a length of downpipe that an over zealous wacker cracked
Free of charge
thing is they are over the moon with their drive,and for the sake of a bag of KDS , a 2 .5m length of downpipe,and an hour of my time I have generated a lot of smiles
I told the client i will do a 6 week check, but if she has any problems to ring straight away
its the way I would like to be treated ,so why treat others differently?
LLL
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:50 pm
by Carberry
lutonlagerlout wrote:thing is they are over the moon with their drive,and for the sake of a bag of KDS , a 2 .5m length of downpipe,and an hour of my time I have generated a lot of smiles
I told the client i will do a 6 week check, but if she has any problems to ring straight away
its the way I would like to be treated ,so why treat others differently?
LLL
Spot on. You can do a fantastic job but you will be always be remembered for not going back to repair that downpipe or fill in the rest of kiln dried sand etc
Reminds me of this joke:
Scottish old timer in Scotland, in a bar, talking to a young man.
The Old Man says, "Lad, look out there to the field. Do ya see that fence? Look how well it's built. I built that fence stone by stone with me own two hands. I piled it for months."
"But do they call me McGreggor-the-Fence-Builder? Nooo..."
Then the old man gestured at the bar. "Look here at the bar. Do ya see how smooth and just it is? I planed that surface down by me own achin' back. I carved that wood with me own hard labour, for eight days."
"But do they call me McGreggor-the-Bar-builder? Nooo..."
Then the old man points out the window. "Eh, Laddy, look out to sea...Do ya see that pier that stretches out as far as the eye can see? I built that pier with the sweat off me back. I nailed it board by board."
"But do they call me McGreggor-the-Pier-Builder? Nooo..."
Then the old man looks around nervously, trying to make sure no one is paying attention.
"But ya f*ck one goat..."
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:55 pm
by lutonlagerlout
LMAO
LLL