Badly laid slabs?

[sawtooth]

Hi,

My builder assured me that he could lay a patio so I left him to it Friday. I returned today after a weekend break and I am very disappointed with the work so far.

I'm not an expert but from what I know and have read on here I think most flags are upside down (chamfered side up) and I think the mortar gap is huge also around 30mm. In places its 15mm and others 35mm.

Pics are here

https://www.flickr.com/gp/134705261@N07/p26zWX

Looking for advice on what to do next please.

[DNgroundworks]

Ive just salvaged a job like this for a client, you cant accept that work, the flags are upside down and the joints are enormous, and sadly the flags will have to be skipped, depending on how bad the staining is.

[London Stone Paving]

It doesnt look too bad a job, apart from the fact that they are upside down.

You just need to have frank conversation with the builder. If he values his reputation he will suck it up and relay the slabs for you

[sawtooth]

Thanks.

I spoke to the builder today and he has ripped up the flags and is ready to start over. However, I am not ready to go ahead with this yet because these particular flags are irregular in their shape and size and I am not sure that the builder will get the result that I am looking for.

[Tony McC]

....and that's why I always recommend leaving paving to the paving specialists.

With the best will in the world, builders tend to be generalists (we have some very good builders in The Brew Cabin, of course) but only a few of them will regularly undertake paving work, so their skills set is probably not as finely tuned as it could be.

This explains why your builder has manged to lay the flags to a reasonable random layout, with good levels and not-too-bad joint widths on a good, full bed of mortar....just one minor detail: the sodding flags are uspide down!!!

This is what I mean about the skills set not being quite a full tool kit.

If you are considering a lift-and-re-lay be aware that the 'face' of the flags may now be stained with mortar, and trying to clean off mortar stains from Indian sandstone is fraught with problems.

[DNgroundworks]

Hi sawtooth, i have got your pm's, sorry about not getting back to you...mega busy. I was going to suggest discussing it on here rather than on pm....it looks like we have all raised the same points........not to bad a job apart from there upside down...doh!

How is the acid wash going?!