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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:51 pm
by Stoker
Hi
Earlier this year I had my driveway realigned and new tarmac laid. Everything seemed ok until I had it sealed at the beginning of June. Now when it rains a couple of puddles form - one right outside the front door.
I called the contractor who laid the drive and his proposed solution to the problem is to drill holes where the puddles form and insert black soffit vents so that the water drains away into the stones below the tarmac. I'm not very happy with this considering that I paid over £5000 for the job. Unfortunately there is no written quote or contract.
What can I do? Does anyone have any suggestions as to how the problem can be solved?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:19 pm
by DNgroundworks
How big of an area is it?
Im not tarmac expert but that aint right, even if they cut out the areas and patched them it will be forever obvious. Drilling holes? never heard of that before!
What was the thinking behind sealing it, out of interest?
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:25 pm
by Stoker
Each one must be about 2 sq ft.
The idea behind sealing it was that the previous tarmac hadn't been sealed and it had started to break up around the edges and the surface was all loose grit. I was lead to believe that this was because it hadn't originally been sealed. Is it not normal to seal tarmac?
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:32 pm
by DNgroundworks
Ive never heard of sealing tarmac, but thats me, other may tell you different, im no expert on tarmac.
I mean the whole area of the drive i was just wondering about 5k figure
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:37 pm
by Stoker
Sorry!
I would think that it is somewhere between 250 and 300 square yards. it's not a regular shape so it is difficult to measure.
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:49 pm
by DNgroundworks
Ah rite, Dave L is your man, hell be along shortley
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:17 pm
by Stoker
Thanks for your interest.
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:48 pm
by Pablo
are those puddles where a car sits. No solution other than cutting it out and patching it up but that will look rubbish
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:00 am
by lutonlagerlout
if puddles are forming that were not there, then the subbase has failed
it looks pants form my study
not sure but i dont think 5 k is enough to do a proper excavate and lay job over that sort of area
dave or bobbi will be along and tell you in a bit
LLL
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:16 am
by Stoker
Pablo wrote:are those puddles where a car sits.
No the car is parked well away from where the puddles are.
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:21 am
by Stoker
lutonlagerlout wrote:not sure but i dont think 5 k is enough to do a proper excavate and lay job over that sort of area
I may have overestimated the area - it's not a regular shape so it's difficult to calculate. It also involved putting in new edgings at the entrance from the road and at one side of the house.
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:07 am
by lutonlagerlout
I have got a feeling that a quality tarmac job should cost around 40-50 pounds a metre
where are the tarmac fellas?
LLL
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:37 am
by seanandruby
was there anything there before they dug out ie drains, ic, trees etc:?
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:05 pm
by Stoker
seanandruby wrote:was there anything there before they dug out ie drains, ic, trees etc:?
Just a tarmac driveway. It was 18 years old and showing a lot of wear and tear. It was all dug up, realigned (widened) and relaid. All looked fine until it was sealed. This was recommended by the contractor because (according to him) during the winter the tarmac absorbs water which freezes and breaks it up. It was only after it was sealed that the problem manifested itself. There was no change to the drains or anything else except that new grids were fitted.
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:25 pm
by haggistini
More photos of the job would be nice but im afraid they would only confirm my first impression that it's been bodged sorry.