Another 'Shed Base' Question...!

Soldato
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Hey folks, we recently had the furthest part of the back garden block paved, there was an existing concrete base there due to previous shed but that fell apart (previous house owners!) and I did not want to be stuck with an odd shaped shed so had block paving done, i'll say the people I used for that patio 'got the job done' however would not exactly say I was delighted with what they did, anyhow it's done now...

It is not 100% level, I prefer to use the term 'wonky teeth' it's actually not that bad, but all I keep hearing about is you cannot put a shed on it unless it's 100% level, so now I have ordered a shed (8 x 8) I am wondering about the best way to just get a base down, I was thinking about these;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOG-CABI...SHED-BASE-GREENHOUSE-BASE-FLOOR/173072791232?

Or these?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shedmate...elling-Garden-Shed-Decking-Feet/371645905048?

I cannot see how the first link works, as surely if it's not 100% level in the first place, all it'll do is just make a higher version of an already-not 100% level base???

Here is a pic of the area it will be going on, I've tried to be all arty and get angles in but not sure I have achieved that but have a look anyway! (Obviously the concrete at the back will be painted dark however it'll be hidden by the shed anyhow! I will also be fitting guttering and 2 water butts to the rear of the shed.

slbKzo9.jpg
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Much appreciate any help/advice in advance :)

PS> They built up the paving as the concrete at the back was about 6 inches higher than the grass level, so that has also left me a dilemma with how to finish the edges, as right now it's a sloped out bunch of cement... Thinking about sanding it smoother but not sure what else...?
 
Soldato
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That looks like a disabled half blind person laid that patio. Couldn't even be bothered to smooth the concrete out around the edges.

Only way to tidy the edges is to put a skim of concrete over the top and smooth it out, or break it all out and start it again.

For the blocks i would (assuming you have no recourse to get the imbecile back to fix it) try to lift the worst ones and stuff some kiln sand under neth to try and get them level.

For The shed the entire base wont sit on the ground, you need to work out what it will
Sit on, maybe some treated planks? And pack them out level then put the shed on top
 
Soldato
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That looks like a disabled half blind person laid that patio. Couldn't even be bothered to smooth the concrete out around the edges

I know mate, I know, we got them back, as they left it far worse originally, and I told them to flush the sides, they said you can't as it needs to be sloped otherwise the bricks won't be supported... Live and learn but what a joke eh.
 
Soldato
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I know mate, I know, we got them back, as they left it far worse originally, and I told them to flush the sides, they said you can't as it needs to be sloped otherwise the bricks won't be supported... Live and learn but what a joke eh.

Guessing you have no experience with mixing concrete etc?

The closer i look at that pic the worse it gets lol
 
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Soldato
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I'm pretty clueless when it comes to concrete work, I can plumb pipes and do some basic electrical work but not tried concreting anything.
It's awful mate hoping once the shed is there and the edges covered it won't be so bad...
 
Soldato
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In Essex (north)

Im in essex myself, was just interested to know who you used so i can avoid them!

It would be very easy for you to diy tidy the front edge up as much as possible. You can even buy pre measured buckets of mortar etc now days. But a bag of cement and 4 bags of sharp (guess from pic) at prob £20 and a little bit of effort and you could do a much better job than they have!
 
Soldato
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I actually posted the job on a site called Rated People, I have experience with that site twice now, the first time was when we moved to this house 4 years ago, and a 'bathroom fitter' completely butchered a bathroom installation, which needed re-doing 6 months later, and now, that debacle! So I no longer will use that site! I just find it so hard to get a decent tradesman, who is reliable, turns up to do the job when they say, does a good job. It's not like I am a bad customer, they get teas, coffees, biscuits, snacks, whatever! I don't stand over them like some people do and tradesmen hate, yet I still get rubbish jobs done, mad isn't it!!
The irony of it all was the guy who was supposed to do the job originally had done our front driveway yet he kept saying a date, then cancelling the night before, or at 7am of the morning he was due to start said he had hurt his hand and couldn't come that day etc, he did it 3 times over the course of 2 weeks before I just sacked him off, should have given him another chance lol

I have a fair few tools, like a sander, angle grinder, etc that I am not scared to crack out if needed.
So do you mean I can actually cut off that slope all around the edges and have it completely flush as such? Or I just have to smooth the existing slope ? I guess it's BS what they said about needing it to be sloped? It's basically 6 inches from the top of the brick to the grass level.
 
Soldato
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You will need to maintain some sort of slope to stop the edge bricks falling away i suppose, i would skim over the top of the messy slope that they have done and try to make it look as good as poss.

For such a small job you need something to mix up in, i like the rubber scaffolder buckets, a trowell, a shovel and some sand/cement. Theres plenty of videos on youtube of how to mix. Id go with a 4-1 on that, 4 bags of sharp to one bag of dust.

Short of starting again with it or bringing the garden up to the same level i think your stuck with it. What should have happened is to remove the old shed base and level the patio to the garden
 
Soldato
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Got ya, one of my friends is fairly handy with that kind of thing, not on a professional level, but that said, I think even if I attempted that job I wouldn't have left it looking like that!
I did have an idea of just completely cutting the cement flush with the bricks, then buying some slim railway sleepers and using them as an edging for it, hiding the flushed out part, yet maintaining a decent enough look, wonder if that would work?
 
Soldato
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Got ya, one of my friends is fairly handy with that kind of thing, not on a professional level, but that said, I think even if I attempted that job I wouldn't have left it looking like that!
I did have an idea of just completely cutting the cement flush with the bricks, then buying some slim railway sleepers and using them as an edging for it, hiding the flushed out part, yet maintaining a decent enough look, wonder if that would work?

Dont see why not. As long as you can find a way support the sleepers so they can support the bricks. Whats the rest of the garden like is it huge? Or feasible to raise the grass level as that would probably look the best in the long run?
 
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Don
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Never pay in full until you're 100% happy, or pay with ya CC.
did they even dig it out and lay hardcore with a compactor? OR did they simply slop it all on top of ya soil?
I'd really be looking at getting them back to rectify (again) or looking to get at least some of my money abck.

Fixing wise, upping the grass level should be easily doable, might take a little while for the grass to appear where yuo've laid fresh top soil tho
If theres no option for recourse then I'b be grabbing the angle grinder and removing the haunching they've left, redo at a far sharper angle then fill upto it with a mix of top soil and compost wiht a good amount of grass see.
 
Soldato
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If that was me I would get a few 3x3 treated fence posts - lay them out 90 deg to battens under base of the shed - space them evenly and fix together at each end with something like roof lathes.
Place it where you want the shed and level it up using plastic spacers or whatever - when level place your base on it and build your shed - Take the lathes off so in future you can lift shed slightly and renew the 3x3 if it rots.
Also as was mentioned on the other shed thread don't forget to put guttering on the shed.
 
Soldato
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I'd get 4no 2.4m/8ft concrete fence posts and lay them at 90 degrees to the shed base battens. Level the fence posts with some slate shims and sit the shed on top.

Barely any more expensive than timber but will last indefinitely. Should do the whole job for £60.
 
Soldato
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Dont see why not. As long as you can find a way support the sleepers so they can support the bricks. Whats the rest of the garden like is it huge? Or feasible to raise the grass level as that would probably look the best in the long run?

It'd be easier to run the railway sleepers next to the concrete edging (maybe nibbling a small amount away from the concrete to get it straight) then infill the gap with some granite/slate chippings. Depends if you have the space.

Just bare in mind that a nice level railway sleeper might make the paving look even more uneven!
 
Soldato
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Well a bit of an update to this whole palava! The shed arrived last week, and the shed fitter came over, looked at the paving, thought he could maybe figure out a way to get it to work, before then bailing out and saying it's badly uneven and at best, needs taking out and relaying properly, and at worse, taken out and replaced with a block of concrete, refused to fit the shed as-is, as in 6 months it would be warped due to the base.
In a complete fit of anger I have lifted the whole lot of paving up and a guy is coming later this week to just use concrete slabs, flat and level (!) and then i'll have the shed on those, I've sold the bricks to try and claw back something and been in contact with the original people who did the job, who are giving all the excuses under the sun about how I was supposedly happy with it, and how 'the shed fitter is trying to get me to spend more...' hmmm yeah rightio!
They claim they would have come back and sorted it, I wouldn't want them ANYWHERE near the house again, they are incapable, after 2 visits they still managed to do a terrible job so why should I give them a 3rd chance! I have also accused them of ripping me off, as I said the bricks were worth about £150 max, so where has the other £1500 gone? A few bags of sand? Isn't going to be much... The whole job was around 8sqm worth maximum.

I very much doubt I will succeed, but I have written to the head office of Rated People, as I still believe they should take responsibility in these kind of situations, I have given the person a chance, they came back and still did a rubbish job, and at the very least should be kicked off that site, not that that gets me any money back. I have also asked for a refund, I think enough to cover the new concrete job that is being done, but whether it'll work who knows... I have also asked the guy, no reply so far!
 
Associate
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jesus 1500 quid for that small area I had the front drive brick weaved it was probably 25sqm for 1300 and it was billiard table flat apart from the slope up to the front door which we asked for
 
Soldato
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As a person who has laid block paving and slabs for over 20 years all i can say is that my 10 year old could do a better job than that! :eek:
The cuts are rubbish, the lines arent straight, uneven levels, bad haunching and even the edges of the blocks arent sanded lol.
Its hard to see if they done anything right
Btw the going rate for block paving is £60 to £80 for standard blocks, how many blocks was used?

Are you sure these wern't the local travellers?
They didnt even screed the sand , they probably just raked it hence why its so uneven.
Inform the local trading standards dept. if i were you, they shouldnt be able to get away with that quality of woek,
 
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