Concrete driveway advice (pics included)

[LeeUK]

Got a few likely lads in to lay some new concrete on part of my back yard, it needs to be good enough to put a car on.

They have ripped up all the old surface but it doesn't look deep enough. What is the ideal depth?

They are supposed to be putting gravel down and steel mesh before concrete.

 

[ANDARIAL]

At least 6 inches and wacked down first too

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Yeah needs to be done properly if going
To park a car on it
Or they will be long gone when it starts cracking

 

[Maccapacca]

What did you agree with them?

 

[LeeUK]

They told me it was going to be 4 inch deep and suitable to put car on.

What they have dug out is not 4 inch. They have been messing me about for a week, finally turned up today, did 2 hours work, left and never came back. I phoned them up after lunch to see what the crack was with them not coming back and getting on with the job. They recon they are coming back tomorrow with the gravel to wack down and take away that pile of rubble.

I'm thinking about sacking them off later tonight.

 

[robj20]

Aren't you supposed to add a drain as well? When we looked at getting our drive done they all said we would require a drain where the drive meets the public path.

 

[LeeUK]

The old drive didn't have a drain. And absolutely no one else in the street has a drain.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Any sort of contract?
Cash up front?
Stage payments etc
If you sack them they will still want payment for what's been done
Only did a garage floor once but dug it deeper than that looks
And put 6 inches of rebarred concrete in
After whacking the base
Might be more than needed I am not a builder so erred on the side of caution

 

[LeeUK]

Any sort of contract?
Cash up front?
Stage payments etc
If you sack them they will still want payment for what's been done
Only did a garage floor once but dug it deeper than that looks
And put 6 inches of rebarred concrete in
After whacking the base
Might be more than needed I am not a builder so erred on the side of caution

Just verbal contract. Cash/bank transfer when job done.

Haven't paid anything yet. I'll offer them some cash for the work done if I do bin them off. All they did was 2 hours breaking up the top surface which was loose and broken to start with, and take one load of rubble away.

I suppose this is what I get for getting quasi-tradesmen who post on local Facebook groups but I just couldn't get any decent tradesmen interested in the job.

 

[Bug One]

This is how deep they dug mine. The company who did ours were some of the highest respected builders in our area, so pretty sure they did it all as it should be done.

 

[LeeUK]

Nice drive but I'm just having a concrete slab down to match with the rest at the top of the yard, not blocks or paving slabs.

 

[robj20]

The old drive didn't have a drain. And absolutely no one else in the street has a drain.

https://www.bradstone.com/inspiration-and-advice/planning-permission-for-driveways/

Not always applicable but if you're paying someone to do it you want it done properly.

 

[LeeUK]

https://www.bradstone.com/inspiration-and-advice/planning-permission-for-driveways/

Not always applicable but if you're paying someone to do it you want it done properly.

I'm not concreting over a front garden. I'm just replacing concrete in a back yard of a terraced house that has always been concrete since it was built 100 year ago.

 

[Matt-Page]

This is how deep they dug mine. The company who did ours were some of the highest respected builders in our area, so pretty sure they did it all as it should be done.

That looks a similar size as mine, Sam sort of thing I want as well. Mind disclosing a rough price as a ballpark figure for me? Thanks.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Just verbal contract. Cash/bank transfer when job done.

Haven't paid anything yet. I'll offer them some cash for the work done if I do bin them off. All they did was 2 hours breaking up the top surface which was loose and broken to start with, and take one load of rubble away.

I suppose this is what I get for getting quasi-tradesmen who post on local Facebook groups but I just couldn't get any decent tradesmen interested in the job.

Messing around not turning up
Leaving the job and not telling you we are
Finished for today
Is all pretty unprofessional, not to mention rather bad manners
It sucks you couldn't get a proper tradesman
Now you're in an awkward position of will i sack them, how much will they demand for work already done
If sack them who will finish it
Or let them carry on assuming they bother to turn up
And hope they actually do a reasonable job
Problem is it might look OK immediately after but will it stand up over time once
Start using a car on it
Difficult position to be in unfortunately

 

[LeeUK]

Messing around not turning up
Leaving the job and not telling you we are
Finished for today
Is all pretty unprofessional, not to mention rather bad manners
It sucks you couldn't get a proper tradesman
Now you're in an awkward position of will i sack them, how much will they demand for work already done
If sack them who will finish it
Or let them carry on assuming they bother to turn up
And hope they actually do a reasonable job
Problem is it might look OK immediately after but will it stand up over time once
Start using a car on it
Difficult position to be in unfortunately

Yes my head is spinning and wish I never started this project now.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Yes my head is spinning and wish I never started this project now.

Yeah I feel for you
Sounds like speaking to them regarding your concerns isn't likely to go down as constructive criticism somehow
Personally if not happy I would speak to them and if it's not received well would sack them
Then you have to argue what's an appropriate % of the agreed amount for the work that's been done
And hopefully find someone competent to finish it
Or let them carry on and just hope it's all OK in the long run and that in a while you don't have to pay someone else to redo it

 

[Bug One]

That looks a similar size as mine, Sam sort of thing I want as well. Mind disclosing a rough price as a ballpark figure for me? Thanks.

We paid £4500. That included the dropped kerb which needed doing + council consent. This was in 2013 though.

 

[LeeUK]

Ah well, I fired off my concerns all I got back was that he's been doing it all his life and knows what he's doing. What bit? The concrete, the 2 hour work days?!? Says he'll see me tomorrow.

Just to point out that I couldn't get decent tradesmen interested in the job wasn't because of Covid, I've been trying to get this job done since last year.

 

[fezster]

This site has everything you need to know: https://www.pavingexpert.com/faq_subbase

I've also linked directly to the section on the sub base construction.