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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 6:14 pm
by yinhong
Hi everyone, I'm a complete layman and am thankful for any constructive advice upfront.
We have asked a landscaper to lay a new patio for our back garden using slabs. A few days ago he dug up the old turf and slabs, and yesterday he laid the cement and about 3/4 of the slabs. (pictures below)
I'm now very concerned because of two issues:
1) I can see a hump in the middle of the patio which means that it slopes back to the house, and we haven't asked for nor did he suggest any drainage.
2) it is only 100mm below the damp proof course, and from my basic research it should be at least 150mm.
It is a new build house, less than 2 years old. We have been quoted £2000 for the job but we haven't paid anything up front.
Before and after pictures below:
[img]http://s7.postimg.org/h8uklkw....mg]
I suppose the crux of my thread is:
- are these two issues serious, and if so I would appreciate your advice on how I should go about resolving them, if it's even possible!
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 7:36 pm
by rimexboy
Pictures don't work for me
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 7:57 pm
by bodgeitandscarper
You already know the answer to these questions!!
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:16 pm
by mickg
photos don't work for me either
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:21 pm
by yinhong
Reuploaded pictures, hopefully it works now?
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:28 pm
by rimexboy
I'm a DIYer let me make that clear...
Is this a joke they look awful
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:58 pm
by rab1
Don't pay this clown a penny and tell him and his horse to feck off.
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:05 pm
by lutonlagerlout
see here for further advice
LLL
sorry but that is one of the WORST patios I have ever seen
up it comes
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:10 pm
by lana
I can comment on the dump course question, as had to investigate it myself when did my project. the 150mm while desirable, can be waved in some applications. take a look here http://www.pavingexpert.com/dpc01.htm and scroll to the title "Bending The Rules". I've checked out the regulations they referenced in this article and it appears that it is ok. It is also more acceptable if your slabs do not come directly to the wall, but have a little "dry gap", the one in my patio filled with shingles - provides nessesary drainage.
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:17 pm
by lutonlagerlout
lana the installation is all wrong ,regardless of the dpc
looks like the slabs are laid straight on the bedding course on the mud
it wont last 5 minutes
LLL
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:43 pm
by yinhong
Well.... what can I say? What a bloody mess!
I'm at a loss... what should I do next?
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:46 pm
by mickg
stop the work from continuing any further is the next step, then you need to sit down with the person who has laid this mess and explain why you will not let the work continue and finally you need to find another contractor
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:50 pm
by lana
I would ask him to remove the slabs, clean them, then - re-lay properly? :-/ or better still - ask him to remove the slabs and go and then find another someone to lay them properly? maybe he won't argue, as he should really see how bad his job is. did you pay for materials used already?
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:54 pm
by yinhong
- Should I still pay him for the job, and if so how much?
- Do I then just leave the job half done and ask another contractor to come in a sort the it out?
- Will the new contractor be able to reuse the slabs that have already been laid down? How should they go about doing this?
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:00 pm
by yinhong
lana wrote:I would ask him to... to remove the slabs and go and then find another someone to lay them properly?
Did you pay for the materials already?
Is it possible to remove the slabs from the cement without damaging the slabs?
Yes, we paid for the slabs and a deposit for the cement but nothing else so far.