The Brew Cabin

I am looking for 70 metres of slabs for a Patio. Does anyone know of where I can get these cost effectively. I am looking for a riven slab that looks good, (without pimples etc).

P.S. Site is Awesome.

Hi Amrik,

there's 3 grades of riven copy flags/slab - cheap but awful, mid-price and not too bad, and top price but damned good. It depends on how much you want to spend.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't entertain the cheapies. these are the sort of things you see in the DIY shed for 99p per 450x450x30mm flag, usually in a garish non-authentic colour. There's no size variation, so you can't create interesting or random layouts.

The mid-price lot are better, but they are definitely copies. They come in a reasonable size range, usually 5 or 6, colours aren't too bad, but the moulds are not very convincing and the finsh can be a bit iffy.

At the top of the range come the real beauties, such as Millstone by Stonemarket and Chancery by Marshalls. Top quality concrete, best dyes, best size rang (9 or 10 diff sizes), and you have a job telling them apart from genuine stone paving. Of course, you pay for that look!

Best advice I can give you is to work out your budget, and then I can tell you 2 or 3 'candidates' that would fall within your price range. The final choice has to be yours, because it's you that has to live with them.

Thanks for the info. I looked at Chancery from Marshalls, and I agree it is truly excellent. Unfortunately out of my budget of £900.00 (that is really pushing it). Any recommendations would be welcome.

Does that 900 quid cover ALL materials and labour or just the flags, Amrik?

If it's just for the flags, that gives you a budget of just under 13 quid per m2, which is very tight for quality riven flags. You could have a look at the offerings from Bowland, Minster or Atlas - see the Concrete Paving Manufacturers Links page for contact details.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on, and what you think of the products these manufacturers offer.

Got a brilliant deal. Small manufacuturer in between Binfield & Wokingham in Berkshire.

Same as Marshalls Chancery, very thick and very very heavy for £15/ sqm.

Tell us more, Amrik. If you've got a good deal, then pass it on, don't keep it to yerself! :)

What's the company name and address?

Contact details are as follows:

Belco Paving
Ashridge Manor Garden Centre
Forest Road
Wokingham
Tel 01189 891 771
Mob 07753 791 853

Regards,
Amrik.