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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 12:59 pm
by kurt
Hi all. I have spent many hours on this site and in the forum already. There is some brilliant information here, and makes the task of laying paving myself seem a little less daunting.
However, I would be interested in getting a quote or rough idea what I should expect to pay for the work I am trying to do. It is a new-build and we are moving in next week (Silsoe, in between Bedford and Luton on the A6), and have plenty of things on the to-do list. If the cost of getting the paving done professionally isn't too prohibitive then that is definitely the way I would like to go.
The back yard is pretty much a blank canvas: a layer of top soil over rubble.
I did post the job on mybuilder . com but didn't get any responses.
My better half and I have worked out what we would like to do with the space and i have uploaded a picture of it: 
The blue part at the bottom has already been paved by the builder, they have used Bradstone Peak Paving Buff Riven (450mmx450mm) so we would like to continue with these. I appreciate they may not be the prettiest paving, but as long as the quality is decent we may as well use them.
We were thinking of this as the paving circle: http://www.buypaving.co.uk/country....9-p.asp
Thanks in advance, and thanks again for such a great resource!
Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 4:26 pm
by lutonlagerlout
what is "Yorkshire Stone Concrete"?
dont they just mean concrete?
did you post the drawing on mybuilder?
no disrespect to the lads on there but generally its the bottom
feeders,they wouldnt like to see all those curves
we are well booked up but even using cheap slabs you are still looking at £80-90 ish a metre as the job has to be done right
I can PM you a couple of numbers of fellas that might be able to fit you in for a quote
cheers LLL
Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:44 pm
by kurt
Thanks for the response. Not sure about the Yorkshire stone concrete, not really fixed on that particular circle, just a circle that of that sort of size.
I should have described whats going on in the picture a bit better...the curvy bits will be stones/pebbles with an edging. The paving will be just the straight bits on the right and top (that form a T), to keep things simple.
I did post the picture on mybuilder. Been over a week and no responses. By what you are saying, that may be a good thing!
I think I will go back to plan A and do it myself. Will be back here with a few questions I am sure!
Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 9:50 pm
by lutonlagerlout
different companies have different business models
so some may be cheaper
but I dont think its sustainable to lay domestic patios any cheaper than that
riven Indian stone is normally around £100 per metre supply and fix
cheers LLL
Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 1:25 am
by johnty
£100 a metre may be the normal down south but up in the north west i think that sort of figure will be very difficult to get regardless of workmanship
Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 7:02 am
by lemoncurd1702
johnty wrote:£100 a metre may be the normal down south but up in the north west i think that sort of figure will be very difficult to get regardless of workmanship
Same here in S.Wales.
For £100/m it would need to be a bit more exotic than riven sandstone.
But it's all relevant, property prices are cheaper this way and so are wages etc.
Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 7:22 am
by lutonlagerlout
its all relative and depends on how much dig there is ,are there drains etc etc
very few jobs are the same
LLL
Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 1:20 pm
by johnty
LLL am i not right in thinking you were referring to £100 a metre just for the paving ? as i dont believe drainage was mentioned
Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 5:46 pm
by lutonlagerlout
Yes johnty
correctamundo
TBH for sawn stuff we charge £130+ per metre
but it all relates to business costs
we get 35% of what we price so I am happy with that
LLL
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 12:29 am
by johnty
ok yes, and what percentage of that £130 in clear profit if you dont mind me asking, £50 to £60 i guess ?
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 1:07 am
by lutonlagerlout
Johnty we aim for 20% gross profit
sometimes we make 12-15% sometimes 22-25%
then from this we have corporation tax
public liability insurance
vehicle insurance and road fund
tools
CITB levy
so net profit annually is around 12%
does that sound OTT to you?
cheers LLL
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 7:25 am
by lemoncurd1702
lutonlagerlout wrote:so net profit annually is around 12%
does that sound OTT to you?
cheers LLL
I think that's reasonable assuming you take your own wages before arriving at the net, suppose that depends on your turnover.
Different people work in different ways. When I look at a job, I figure how many days it will take and multiply by the amount needed to cover the daily costs, labour, including myself, and all other yearly and ongoing overheads.
Add this figure to the materials and add 10% which generally makes up for the time when I'm not earning such as holidays, days lost to weather, error in calculations etc.
If I'm lucky there may be a bit leftover.
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 9:52 am
by johnty
LLL
no i dont think 20% profit sounds over the top at all, in fact i thought your profit margin would be fair bit higher than than to be honest,
lemoncurd your quite right we all have different ways of pricing and basing are profit margins
cheers john
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 4:47 pm
by lutonlagerlout
John its just different business costs around the country
we pay around £240 +vat for 10 tonnes of type 1 here loose
£35 +VAT for bulk bags of aggregate
6 yd skips are now £170 +permit + VAT which means a skip can cost £260 on the road
skilled men £150 a day before stoppages
labour £90 a day before
if you dont pay these rates around here you wont get anyone
most firms round here start at £100 a metre for riven sandstone
its only the lay it on the grass on an inch of sand brigade who can do it cheaper
we are not in it for the glory alone
need to make a profit or what is the point?
cheers LLL
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 6:54 pm
by lemoncurd1702
That puts it in perspective LLL 10T of type 1 yesterday, delivered £165 inc.vat.
8 yd skip £180 if mixed or £140 if inert waste.
Bulk bags not much less £32.
Skilled about £10-12, decent labourer £8 or a donkey for as little as £30/day cash.
But this boom I keep hearing of hasn't reached this far yet.