Driveways & Paving

Block Paving Problems

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.23 PM

I had a tarmac drive excavated and block paving laid. Contractor quoted to put down a new layer of hard core, but instead retained the existing hardcore under the tarmac and laid the new block paving on top of it. He laid the drive at a level which has created a lip where it meets the rear patio, a lip all around two drains in the drive and a lip where the drive meets the footpath. An elderly relative who did not see the lip at the pavement edge has already tripped over it. Despite saying I wanted a herring bone pattern laid for the drive and front of the house he laid a different pattern in front of the house without telling me. He refused to accept the drive has been laid too high creating a dangerous lip at the pavement edge and so will not do anything about it. He did take up the block paving in front of the house and seal them straightaway. However, they were damp after heavy rain and have now turned a milky white. He says this is due to the "stomper" and will go away. His quote was the most expensive and we chose him thinking that would mean he would do the best job. However, the actual result looks second class with a drive that has been laid too high creating lips that are dangerous, a drive that looks like someone has poured milk all over it and even now he hasn't matched up the herring bone on the drive with the front of the house. It looks as if they were laid at different times and so don't match up rather than at the same time with the drive sweeping around in front of the house as requested and promised. Are there any regulations or codes of practice which I can quote to make him lower the drive. Also is he full of it saying the milky appearance of the drive is nothing to do with his sealing it when it was damp and will disappear given time.