The Brew Cabin

Advice please.

I'm having a conservatory built, and am planning to replace and extend the surrounding/adjoining patio as part of the same project.

I'm keen not to have a building site garden for the whole of the summer, so have been thinking about the scheduling of the various jobs.

The basework/foundations for the conservatory will be started toward the end of May. I'm told that this will take 6/7 days, after which there will be a 2 - 3 week pause before the structure itself is erected.

My original assumption was that the patio contractor couldn't start until the conservatory was complete, but now I'm thinking of having the (surrounding) patio and associated paths laid during the 2-3 week middle period. There's about 90sq. m. to do in total, so it's not going to be an overnight job.

Other than the probable need to cover up the pristine patio whilst the conservatory constructors are in, are there any reasons why this isn't a good idea?

All thoughts / observations welcomed.

The usual advice is to get all your 'wet trades' completed before installing paving. This means the brickwork, the plastering and the painting, as these tradesmen are notoriously slip-shod when it comes to respecting a nice bit of paving - I put it down to jealousy! ;)

I've not got the advantage of seeing the site and the plans, so I can only go off my experience with conservatory jobs and it is much better to get the structure up and practically complete before laying the paving itself. I've no problem with getting the excavation done and the sub-base stoned-up, but I'd leave the actual paving.

You could, in theory, install the paving as soon as the dwarf walls are in place, as these determine the levels and final shape of the pavement, but then you need to go to a lot of trouble to protect the paving from the aforesaid wet trades.

The worst that could happen is to have the paving gang and the builders on site at the same time as they will be tripping up over each other, and blaming one another for anything and everything, but I think you should talk to your paving contractor and see how they feel about the scheduling. Many, if not most contractors are not particularly keen on doing a job in two stages, as it means they have to tittivate the sub-base when they return to do the paving.