Laying slabs in garden

I'll tackle most things, but I'm wanting to lay a paved area in the garden and I'm not very good at slab laying, so I'm gonna get somebody to do it.

Thing is, I'm not sure how it should be done "properly".

I've had two quotes and there are huge differences in them.

The area I want done is 5m by 4m and it's just lawn at the moment. The slabs aren't going to be near the house.

The first guy says he'll lift the turf, use a vibro-plate thingy to compact the ground, lay hardcore, compact that, then lay the slabs (he also says there will be a very slight slope on it for drainage).

Second guy, lift turf, put down some ballast and then cement the slabs in. His quote is almost half the price of the first guy, but I'm not sure if it's going to be a good job. He says he's quoted for 6 bags of ballast (I'm assuming that he's talking 25kg bags) but I'm not sure if that's enough to cover an area of 20m2.

Can anyone give me an idea of what should be done to lay a paved area so that I know who's gonna do it right?

And what should I be expecting to pay (roughly) for that kind of work?

Thanks all.

We would do the following assuming its for foot traffic:-

lift the turf and reduce the level of the ground to suit the finished level

lay a bed of MOT/Scalpings and compact them with a vibrating plate compactor.

lay the slabs on a mortar bed, in other words just the way you would expect bricks to be laid. The bed is a full bed, not 5 dabs of mortar.

point the whole thing up on completion.

the whole thing would be laid level and to falls, ie its flat but will have slight slope (virtually un-noticeable to deal with the water running away)

first guy looks to b more on the ball.

prices depend on many things, access, amount of work, type of slabs, customer etc etc etc. get more than two quotes and then decidee. Ask for refences or ask to see work they have done locally a few years ago and see how it has fared.

anything less than that and it wont last, im sure wabbitpoo will agree

Thank you - what you've said is basically the same as what the first guy said and I must admit, I felt that he knew what he was talking about. The second guy is just a sort of handy man I think - not actually a particular trade (like the first bloke).

It was the difference in price - man number 1 quoted £892 while man number 2 quoted £490.

Man number 1 also told me to get a couple of other quotes and not to just go with his.

So I will get another couple of quotes and now that you've explained the process, I feel that I can at least discuss the plans and kiind of sound like I know what I'm talking about!!

Was that price to include the slabs? Sounds like a very cheap quote.

i was thinking that for both of them

Yep, both quotes included the slabs. Materials was about the same for both - £322 from man number 1 and £300 from man number 2 - the difference came in labour £400-odd for the first guy and £190 from the second.

The first guy certainly sounded like he knew what he was talking about and I felt more confident in his abilities.

I'm just not sure how far he'll dig down cos the main gas pipe runs along the edge of where the slabs will be and it's only about 5 inches under the earth (if that) - I found it when I was digging the border over - and trust me, I didn't dig that far down!!!

just let them know its there when you ask for a quote.

And make sure he has insurance (that goes for any trade)

i always mention that when i visit people for quotes and its surprising how many people dont even consider it when employing someone