Fell off me perch today, literally

[Crackle]

I fell off the platform I've been using to paint the ceilings in this house. I've been using it for the last 18 months without a wobble but today I shifted my weight onto my right foot but unfortunately my right foot was not over the platform and down I went. Only a metre'ish but I kinda went out at an angle and skinned my side on the sharp edge of the platform as I went by. It's bloody ruined my beach posing for a while!

And the question: What would you expect to pay per metre for a driveway being paved with middle range bricks. Does 60 quid per metre for a small area 6x4.5 metres sound steep (they've done a bloody good job next door, that's why I asked them for a quote)?

 

[Piemaster]

Two parrots sat on a perch. One says to the other "Can you smell fish?"






Sorry.

 

[Archie_tect]

I fell off the platform I've been using to paint the ceilings in this house. I've been using it for the last 18 months without a wobble but today I shifted my weight onto my right foot but unfortunately my right foot was not over the platform and down I went. Only a metre'ish but I kinda went out at an angle and skinned my side on the sharp edge of the platform as I went by. It's bloody ruined my beach posing for a while!

And the question: What would you expect to pay per metre for a driveway being paved with middle range bricks. Does 60 quid per metre for a small area 6x4.5 metres sound steep (they've done a bloody good job next door, that's why I asked them for a quote)?

Sorry to hear about your fall Crackle... you need H+S hand rails on your platform!...and a toe board... and bracing... and steps. [I'll get me coat!]

60 bricks in a sqm x 27 sqm =1620 bricks at say £300/1000... so £480 just for bricks plus hardcore + sand + concrete for edges; say another £150 for materials =£630 ....so £990 for 2 men over three days= about £25/hr plus transport/ delivery. You can see it isn't an excessive amount, providing they're supplying the bricks for that and breaking up the existing [?] and laying a 150mm Type 1 hardcore sub-base with 50mm sand bed for the bricks. When you say 'bricks' are they clay paviours or wall bricks? If wall bricks they need to be frost resistant [class FL] to prevent the surface spalling off in the winter due to frost and water damage.

[....I'll get me coat x2!].

Ask your contractor if they got planning approval for your neighbour as you may need it unless replacing an existing area with a permeable surface.

 

[Crackle]

Sorry to hear about your fall Crackle... you need H+S hand rails on your platform!...and a toe board... and bracing... and steps. [I'll get me coat!]

60 bricks in a sqm x 27 sqm =1620 bricks at say £300/1000... so £480 just for bricks plus hardcore + sand + concrete for edges; say another £150 for materials =£630 ....so £990 for 2 men over three days= about £25/hr plus transport/ delivery. You can see it isn't an excessive amount, providing they're supplying the bricks for that and breaking up the existing [?] and laying a 150mm Type 1 hardcore sub-base with 50mm sand bed for the bricks. When you say 'bricks' are they clay paviours or wall bricks? If wall bricks they need to be frost resistant [class FL] to prevent the surface spalling off in the winter due to frost and water damage.

[....I'll get me coat x2!].

Ask your contractor if they got planning approval for your neighbour as you may need it unless replacing an existing area with a permeable surface.

Phew! No they're pavers and the 60 is for labour and materials, so I thought that was OK, around 2.3K all in, including removing wall and part hedge and relocating gate posts and running a drainage channel and they did a proper job of hardcore and sand next door all properly bedded in. Still sound OK?

I'm using a soakaway (which my rainwater downspouts already drain to) with a channel to take any run off to the soakaway. So no run off to the street and no planning permission.

Edit: and they have go around a bay so awkward. I was thinking I could probably get a cheaper quote and a more expensive one but you know when you've watched two blokes do a good job and they come across well when you speak to them, then it's half the battle won, finding decent workmen, so......

 

[BearPear]

we've been quoted £3.5k for ours, twice by 2 different firms. Can't do spacial estimates as I'm mathematically challenged, but I would say that a lot of the "value" to you will be that you have seen their work and it all looks good. That would make me more tempted to spend that kind of dosh.

 

[Archie_tect]

Phew! No they're pavers and the 60 is for labour and materials, so I thought that was OK, around 2.3K all in, including removing wall and part hedge and relocating gate posts and running a drainage channel and they did a proper job of hardcore and sand next door all properly bedded in. Still sound OK?

I'm using a soakaway (which my rainwater downspouts already drain to) with a channel to take any run off to the soakaway. So no run off to the street and no planning permission.

Edit: and they have go around a bay so awkward. I was thinking I could probably get a cheaper quote and a more expensive one but you know when you've watched two blokes do a good job and they come across well when you speak to them, then it's half the battle won, finding decent workmen, so......

Had a quote from a contractor we trust for 30 sqm of car park hardstanding using 80mm thick paviours on sand bed on sub-base for £2600 plus VAT so your quote appears OK. Can't remember from your original post if your quote includes VAT or not.

A recommendation/ repeat business is a real plust these days.

 

[Globalti]

You'll enjoy this: about 20 years ago contractors were resurfacing the road near our factory. At tea time some hefty blokes came to reception and asked for the factory manager. They had some tarmac left over and would we like our yard finished? As we had just moved into a new R&D building and the yard was unfinished he agreed and the deal was for "fifty pounds - the yard".

Job finished, they demanded around £5000. "What?" gasped the factory manager. "Yes, fifty pounds the yard and there's X yards there..."

An argument ensued, the gentlemen parked their trucks across the factory gates and refused to move them until we paid up. Police were called and advised that yes, they knew all about this gang, no law had been broken, we had simply misunderstood the contract and had to agree a price. Negotiations got it down to around £1000 but unfortunately the cashiers didn't have enough lolly in their little box so.... the call went out... "Bing bong... would any employees who have cash on their persons please bring it to Reception"

Cue one very red-faced factory manager and a lot of laughter.