Discussion
Any block pavers on here? I could do with a rough idea of costs to lay 200m2. The ground will be prepared in so much as it is ready for hardcore.
So the job is:
Supply and lay hardcore (I have assumed 150mm depth so about 30 tonnes?). Is the recycled stuff ok for this?
Lay sand and screed (I have assumed 50mm depth so about 10 tonnes?)
Lay 80mm blocks 45 deg herringbone.
Rough ideas and breakdown if poss plus are my specs/qtys ok?
Thanks in advance
Matt
PS Oh, I already have the blocks
So the job is:
Supply and lay hardcore (I have assumed 150mm depth so about 30 tonnes?). Is the recycled stuff ok for this?
Lay sand and screed (I have assumed 50mm depth so about 10 tonnes?)
Lay 80mm blocks 45 deg herringbone.
Rough ideas and breakdown if poss plus are my specs/qtys ok?
Thanks in advance
Matt
PS Oh, I already have the blocks
B17NNS said:
Any block pavers on here? I could do with a rough idea of costs to lay 200m2. The ground will be prepared in so much as it is ready for hardcore.
So the job is:
Supply and lay hardcore (I have assumed 150mm depth so about 30 tonnes?). Is the recycled stuff ok for this?
Lay sand and screed (I have assumed 50mm depth so about 10 tonnes?)
Lay 80mm blocks 45 deg herringbone.
Rough ideas and breakdown if poss plus are my specs/qtys ok?
Thanks in advance
Matt
PS Oh, I already have the blocks
You will need to use type 1 for sub base as hardcore is no good really especially for a driveway.So the job is:
Supply and lay hardcore (I have assumed 150mm depth so about 30 tonnes?). Is the recycled stuff ok for this?
Lay sand and screed (I have assumed 50mm depth so about 10 tonnes?)
Lay 80mm blocks 45 deg herringbone.
Rough ideas and breakdown if poss plus are my specs/qtys ok?
Thanks in advance
Matt
PS Oh, I already have the blocks
you may have a shock here but....
6" of sub base over 200m2 you will need approx 70 tonnes (1 tonne will do approx 3m2 at 6" depth).
Make sure its compacted in 2 layers at that depth.
Best to lay it on a geotextile membrane to help stop sub base mixing with sub soil.
Prices will differ over the country especially between good people and bad people who cut every corner there is to cut.
For 60mm blocks over that size area i would imagine £60 per sq m wont be too far off (obviously minus cost of blocks so about £50 per m and then minus the dig out costs so about £40 per sqm approx). you may pay a little more or less per m though.
So many things effect the final price though so i may be off there but still a rough guide for you.
Quick guide to cut out dodgy contractors. ( i know you,ve already mentioned sub base but will go through it all here)
Excavate to 10" below finish
6" type 1 (nothing else)
2" sharp sand
All edge blocks laid on concrete and haunched.
And some bits which all contribute to the best job.
A decent wacker plate (not the silly little things for hire)
Membrane under the base.
Diamond cut blocks (or split then trimmed with a blade).
Go see some of their work though to make sure your happy as believe me 9 out of 10 people (round here at least) are utter rubbish.
Edited by m3jappa on Tuesday 5th August 22:19
I am a labourer to a Landscaper. When we do block pave drives...
Prepare area - Dig out depth required. Depending on what traffic you are to have moving over it and the soil type/ state.
Lay membrane - stops weeds to some degree but also stops the base mixing and pushing into the soil.
Levels - Mark out your levels. We hammer in pegs to show our levels. Marking where your final level and scalping level is to be.
Lay base - We would use scalpings. We've used crushed concrete once before but didn't find it to be as good. Concrete was marginly cheaper than scalpings but nothing major. We found scalpings to be a better size and not have any big lumps, (maybe this was just the load we got!?).
Compact the scalpings in layers as you go. If it's too dry and dusty, or not compacting too well. Try giving it a soak, not too much or it'll be hard to run a compacter over it and become messy. But we find this helps.
Edging block - We would then cement an edging block around the edge. It gives you an edge to work off and a level to work too.
Grit - Fill the area with grit to a rough level. Compact and screed level.
Blocks - Start laying your blocks keeping an eye on the lines (angles) and levels as you go.
Once the area is paved. Brush kiln dried sand into the joints and compact the area to finish.
Now for a 200m square area, adjust accordingly!
Edited to say - Just read M3's above!
Prepare area - Dig out depth required. Depending on what traffic you are to have moving over it and the soil type/ state.
Lay membrane - stops weeds to some degree but also stops the base mixing and pushing into the soil.
Levels - Mark out your levels. We hammer in pegs to show our levels. Marking where your final level and scalping level is to be.
Lay base - We would use scalpings. We've used crushed concrete once before but didn't find it to be as good. Concrete was marginly cheaper than scalpings but nothing major. We found scalpings to be a better size and not have any big lumps, (maybe this was just the load we got!?).
Compact the scalpings in layers as you go. If it's too dry and dusty, or not compacting too well. Try giving it a soak, not too much or it'll be hard to run a compacter over it and become messy. But we find this helps.
Edging block - We would then cement an edging block around the edge. It gives you an edge to work off and a level to work too.
Grit - Fill the area with grit to a rough level. Compact and screed level.
Blocks - Start laying your blocks keeping an eye on the lines (angles) and levels as you go.
Once the area is paved. Brush kiln dried sand into the joints and compact the area to finish.
Now for a 200m square area, adjust accordingly!
Edited to say - Just read M3's above!
Edited by Gingerbread Man on Tuesday 5th August 22:37
Superb, thanks guys.
Thought I was out on my founds. I had assumed 1 tonne to be 1m3 but of course it is compacted. The crushed recycled concrete stuff is type 1. Is this ok or should I insist on limestone?
Good point about the membrane thanks.
Blocks are 80mm Marshall Tescina (I have 1000m2 if anyone wants some).
So I should be looking at about £8k plus blocks?
Thought I was out on my founds. I had assumed 1 tonne to be 1m3 but of course it is compacted. The crushed recycled concrete stuff is type 1. Is this ok or should I insist on limestone?
Good point about the membrane thanks.
Blocks are 80mm Marshall Tescina (I have 1000m2 if anyone wants some).
So I should be looking at about £8k plus blocks?
B17NNS said:
Superb, thanks guys.
Thought I was out on my founds. I had assumed 1 tonne to be 1m3 but of course it is compacted. The crushed recycled concrete stuff is type 1. Is this ok or should I insist on limestone?
Good point about the membrane thanks.
Blocks are 80mm Marshall Tescina (I have 1000m2 if anyone wants some).
So I should be looking at about £8k plus blocks?
Definately the proper type one mate not the recycled crushed concrete stuff. will be about £20 per tonne.Thought I was out on my founds. I had assumed 1 tonne to be 1m3 but of course it is compacted. The crushed recycled concrete stuff is type 1. Is this ok or should I insist on limestone?
Good point about the membrane thanks.
Blocks are 80mm Marshall Tescina (I have 1000m2 if anyone wants some).
So I should be looking at about £8k plus blocks?
8k shouldn't be a million miles off though if you have steps,manholes drainage etc then that can all bump it up. Its worth paying a bit more for someone you can trust to do a good job, after all it will be there for quite some time. A good job will make the house look lovely, a poor job will imo ruin the whole thing.
spikeyhead said:
woodnut67 said:
Speaking of block pavers.......is it OK to pressure wash them? Please say it is as I've just done it to get rid of the grass from a stable yard !! 
You'll need to brush a load more kiln dried sand into the gaps once you've done with the pressure washer.
as think mentioned before make sure yo go visit your contractors previos work ,prefably a few years old anyone can make a job look good when they leave but i have seen so many drives sink over the years , due to pepole trying to save a few quid on hardcore genrealy where you park .
if your in lincinshore i can recomend a lad that did my parents about 5yrs ago which i continuasly park work vans etc on and all is spot on
just meak sure you do choose carfully as it will bite you in the arse otherwise you cant realy save money an what you do save wont be a great deal , do it right or not at all thats my moto
if your in lincinshore i can recomend a lad that did my parents about 5yrs ago which i continuasly park work vans etc on and all is spot on
just meak sure you do choose carfully as it will bite you in the arse otherwise you cant realy save money an what you do save wont be a great deal , do it right or not at all thats my moto
Cheers guys.
This job is actually spread over 2 sites. A smallish (50m2 drive) at my house and a larger 150m2 drive/patio at a bungalow that I am currently renovating.
Have had a few guys round to quote including one that was recommended to me by a guy who has done some ground works for me.
He has made all the right noises re prep/founds so I'm going to take a look at some of his previous work and then hopefully give him the job. Just have a few bits to do myself before he can start.
Will post a few pics as the job progresses.
Nice trailer by the way Quinny. Which model is it? What did you pay? Job seems to be coming along nicely.
This job is actually spread over 2 sites. A smallish (50m2 drive) at my house and a larger 150m2 drive/patio at a bungalow that I am currently renovating.
Have had a few guys round to quote including one that was recommended to me by a guy who has done some ground works for me.
He has made all the right noises re prep/founds so I'm going to take a look at some of his previous work and then hopefully give him the job. Just have a few bits to do myself before he can start.
Will post a few pics as the job progresses.
Nice trailer by the way Quinny. Which model is it? What did you pay? Job seems to be coming along nicely.
B17NNS said:
m3jappa said:
Its worth paying a bit more for someone you can trust to do a good job, after all it will be there for quite some time.
You preach to the converted (and someone who has chosen guys previously purely on price 
).Shame your so far away, your work looks superb.
Superb case study
Was looking at trailers on e-bay as I'm sure one would come in handy for other things. Noticed with the TT105 and TT126 used ones are fetching close to new prices. Having said that an 85 like yours with a powered lift would be perfect for me.
Edited by B17NNS on Saturday 16th August 11:14
not bad at all.
I've done a few small private jobs, and preped areas for pro gangs (we sort out the stone, and they sand and put the blocks down)
it's not that hard to do if you don't cut corners.
remember to plan it well, ie, it all should have a fall to one side for the water to go. Blocks are square, well, not all square, but they go in square patterns, so you'll usually find one perfect edge you start from, but others can be full of cuts, which is the dullest part. You'll never be able to plan a drive length to get the blocks to finish perfectly at the end, but you can hide it by putting your finishing edging in after you've dropped the blocks in.
ie, instead of marking out a square and filling it, put the blocks down, then go round the outside.
try to avoid right angles, or similar, as it won't be long til the pattern will start creeping out a little and you'll have a running stitch of progressively bigger cuts which will stick out like a sore thumb.
get the sand right, take time on this, then you can fire the blocks down like mad, the pro gangs will have 2 putting them down, and another guy running backwards and forwards ferrying them the blocks.
you work in with blocks, work out with concrete
ie, you walk on the blocks you laid, don't start at a far corner unless you have to, as you'll keep having to walk through the leveled sand, concrete is the opposite, as you can't walk on it (unless very religious)
I've done a few small private jobs, and preped areas for pro gangs (we sort out the stone, and they sand and put the blocks down)
it's not that hard to do if you don't cut corners.
remember to plan it well, ie, it all should have a fall to one side for the water to go. Blocks are square, well, not all square, but they go in square patterns, so you'll usually find one perfect edge you start from, but others can be full of cuts, which is the dullest part. You'll never be able to plan a drive length to get the blocks to finish perfectly at the end, but you can hide it by putting your finishing edging in after you've dropped the blocks in.
ie, instead of marking out a square and filling it, put the blocks down, then go round the outside.
try to avoid right angles, or similar, as it won't be long til the pattern will start creeping out a little and you'll have a running stitch of progressively bigger cuts which will stick out like a sore thumb.
get the sand right, take time on this, then you can fire the blocks down like mad, the pro gangs will have 2 putting them down, and another guy running backwards and forwards ferrying them the blocks.
you work in with blocks, work out with concrete
ie, you walk on the blocks you laid, don't start at a far corner unless you have to, as you'll keep having to walk through the leveled sand, concrete is the opposite, as you can't walk on it (unless very religious)
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