The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2020 9:08 am**

Hi,

I am currently laying yorkstone setts on my drive from a delivery I received late last year, I ordered an initial 30 sqms. The block size is 200x100mm.

I have now figured out that there is not 30sqm. Checking my emails I see that I've been quoted 43 blocks to the sqm. At the time I just went off the SQM x price. But now realise I am 210 blocks short on this order. This based upon 50 blocks to the sqm. I have also laid the same size granite setts but these are quoted at 50 to the sqm.

I went back to the supplier yesterday who said that is what they quote 43 to the SQM. To me that is not a SQM. It's 86% of a SQM.

My question is, is this normal in the trade, and am I paying for the gaps between the setts, either way it does not appear to be correct. Sell to the sqm then supply less than a sqm?

Advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Graham

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2020 10:11 am**

It varies from trader to trader.

Most sell by weight, not by area, and they rely on the professionals knowing what typical coverage they get per tonne of various different sett types. This is done largely because weight is indisputable - a alleged tonne of setts either weighs a tonne or it doesn't, and it's easy to check. But a parallel reason for NOT selling by area is that the trader can't possibly know what joint width any given sett-layer will achieve. It's all well and good saying it should be a 10mm joint and this box of setts will cover 2mÂ², but joint width will vary, from the ankle-snapping (like those truly bloody awful installation on Coronation Street - must be at least 25mm between each sett - Instarmac must have loved that job!) to the 'fag-paper' width where adjacent setts are actually touching.

I would never buy from a trader selling by area. My attitude is that such an arrangement is set up to deceive. What's to stop some charlatan selling 9 setts as a square metre, which they would perhaps cover if you have 300mm wide joints?

In theory, 43 setts at 200x100mm should just about cover a square metre allowing for 10mm joints, but that makes no allowance for wastage, and, if you reduce the joint width to, say, 6mm, just 4mm narrower, then you'll find yourself 3 setts short for each mÂ². And if you close joint (1-3mm) you're more likely to be 6 setts short for every mÂ².

The Brew Cabin

Setts to the sqm