Dropped kerb and vehicle crossing - am I being unreasonable?
Discussion
I wanted to widen my driveway to make it easier to get cars in / out without having to bump up a kerb. I wanted to do this prior to getting the driveway re-done so that it could match up properly. Everything was on hold until the work was completed.
So, I applied for a dropped kerb and vehicle crossing. The council were instructed and paid (not bloody cheap!) and they've then subbied it out to a local firm. Last week the work was undertaken and I came home to this on Friday.
As it is, it just looks daft and it still means there's still a 'hump' to drive over. Essentially all they've done is lower the kerb on the left (the 2 lighter coloured strips).
The council are saying that they've done the work instructed but I'm vehemently disagreeing! Am I being unrealistic in my expectations that the pavement / kerb should match that on the right i.e. be flat and level right across the entrance?
So, I applied for a dropped kerb and vehicle crossing. The council were instructed and paid (not bloody cheap!) and they've then subbied it out to a local firm. Last week the work was undertaken and I came home to this on Friday.
As it is, it just looks daft and it still means there's still a 'hump' to drive over. Essentially all they've done is lower the kerb on the left (the 2 lighter coloured strips).
The council are saying that they've done the work instructed but I'm vehemently disagreeing! Am I being unrealistic in my expectations that the pavement / kerb should match that on the right i.e. be flat and level right across the entrance?
Sorry, but 
, if ever there was a literal execution of a request!
I'd be pissed off, as you are though. Worth taking some photos of other dropped kerbs nearby and asking why yours wasn't done the same? I bet they all involved sloping the pavement up to the driveway in a smooth gradient!
, if ever there was a literal execution of a request!I'd be pissed off, as you are though. Worth taking some photos of other dropped kerbs nearby and asking why yours wasn't done the same? I bet they all involved sloping the pavement up to the driveway in a smooth gradient!
We refer to that as a Manchester style crossover (don't know why) and is often put in when there are stats in the footway that can't be lowered. They should have reinforced the footway to take account of cars passing over it. Without seeing the agreement or the specs it's difficult to say if it's correct.
Also looks like the channel isn't correct because of the sitting water (unless it was hammering down!), is there a high point stopping the water reaching the next gully?
Also looks like the channel isn't correct because of the sitting water (unless it was hammering down!), is there a high point stopping the water reaching the next gully?
Shouldn't be flat and level - there needs to be some fall on it for drainage. The crossing will most likely be in tolerance for crossfall, kerb upstand, and profile. Can you put up a clearer photo, or a shot along the kerb?
As Tom says, the biggest issue with that job is that there appears to be ponding.
Which local authority are you in?
As Tom says, the biggest issue with that job is that there appears to be ponding.
Which local authority are you in?
I had to have mine dropped because the council didn't like the ramps that I had in place. As you can see, what they did was to put in the dropped kerbs, remove the existing tarmac from the pavement immediately between the dropped kerbs and my property, and replaced it with new tarmac. i'm happy with it, although I wish now that I'd had one more kerb dropped at the other end.
From what I can see from your photo, it looks like they've done exactly the same with the tarmac part of the footpath, but not touched the slabs, so yes, they've dropped the kerb, but they're supposed to make sure that the footpath being crossed is up to passage of vehicles over it, your argument is that the slabs are not as they're cracking already.
From what I can see from your photo, it looks like they've done exactly the same with the tarmac part of the footpath, but not touched the slabs, so yes, they've dropped the kerb, but they're supposed to make sure that the footpath being crossed is up to passage of vehicles over it, your argument is that the slabs are not as they're cracking already.
I could have recommended a driveway firm, but the boss has just been incarcerated for 10 years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-...
This just seems to be typical of councils up and down the land, not doing a sensible or proper job but instead just doing the absolute minimum
I bought my house six years ago and the guy I was buying it off pointed out that he had had the gateway widened and dropped kerb also widened which was fine but the actual tarmac on the footpath was only replaced on the new section meaning half of the tarmac on the pavement was brand new and the other half old and breaking up a bit
Fast forward five years and the tarmac has broken up alot more so I contacted the council and they came out a few months later to re_do about 80% of the broken up section. Talk about doing half a job, twice
Not only have they had to do what they should have done in the first place but they still haven't done the whole section. They must be in a seriously tight budget if they can't lay down two feet more tarmac
Knowing how much councils charge for dropped kerbs (i paid nearly £2k for one nearly 10 years ago) it's only fair they do it properly. For ours they removed the slabs, dug out, laid and compacted new substrate, set new kerbstones as well as a retaining edge at the border of my property, then laid tarmac.
What the OP has there is a half-arsed job. Did they also charge for a half-arsed job? Doubt it.
What the OP has there is a half-arsed job. Did they also charge for a half-arsed job? Doubt it.
Dagnir said:
Did you reall think they were going to dig up, contour and then re-tarmac the whole thing, just so it looked a bit nicer for you?
I think your expectations were a tad too high...
No, you drop the kerb and make the gradient of the pavement smooth up to the boundary of the property, replacing the pavement between the boundary of the property and the kerb - the OP paid for this and that's what anyone would expect to be done!I think your expectations were a tad too high...
I had the same problem a couple of years ago. They replaced the kerbstones but didn't lower the pavement so it was flush with the existing dropped pavement onto our drive. We were out when they did it, my neighbour questioned them but they were adament they had done it right. It was a right ballache to sort it out as they'd already had our money (had to pay upfront) so weren't interested in rectifying it. The original bloke that came and measured it all up had gone off/resigned with 'stress' and months later after my placid phonecalls turned to irate phonecalls, talking to different people each time and having to explain it over and over again they finally came to do the job again after I threatened a chargeback on my credit card. I made sure I was in the second time round to make sure it was done properly. I'm still not 100% happy with it but the amount of hassle we had sorting it out I don't really want to go through it again.
AyBee said:
No, you drop the kerb and make the gradient of the pavement smooth up to the boundary of the property, replacing the pavement between the boundary of the property and the kerb - the OP paid for this and that's what anyone would expect to be done!
Absolutely, this was my expectation. Some slightly clearer photos below. For clarity, the part in blue is what they've worked on. I was under the illusion that they'd also work on the hatched part in order to make it level with part A of the pathway / crossing.
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