Hi Everyone,
I have a long story to tell and I am asking for help and advice please. I need a true and honest opinion as I think my contractor is bulling me. (This is the very short version)
In May 2010 I had some work done including a new block driveway totalling £9.5K. After about 6 weeks a colour difference showed up in the middle on the right side - see picture first attempt. I called them back; they agreed and said it must be a faulty batch of block. The rep from the manufacturer came, it transpired the manufacturer had supplied 11 packs of colour batch A and 1 pack from a different colour batch so they don’t match. The contractor did not check the batches prior to laying saying nobody does ?
In the coming days samples were sent to try and match up the original blocks. They picked a new pack and came and laid it, it was raining but they did it anyway. It looked terrible, very little kiln dried sand, gaps in the blocks etc… but they said I should let it settle over a few weeks it was late September 2011. I had asked them to mix the new blocks all over the driveway to help give a uniform look, they said they would but did not as you can see.
In January 2011, the contractor, supplier and manufacturer came and said, yes it is still not right but it needs a summer on it so it can weather ! . We will come back and check it in June. July came and I made a fuss, they all came back and said it’s getting better. All along I have said its rubbish, the colour does not match.
They are now giving me two options, to seal over it and that will match it up or remove and reorganize the blocks to a more uniform look ?
Please give me your opinions on how it looks and what you think of their statements. The main man says it looks great and it will eventually all fade together! He actually says, it looks the same when it’s wet because that brings out the true colours therefore it will all match eventually.
The second picture is how it looks today. Picture second attempt.
Surely we should be able to have a great looking driveway straightaway ?
Please help ?
Thank you - Stoyer
I have a long story to tell and I am asking for help and advice please. I need a true and honest opinion as I think my contractor is bulling me. (This is the very short version)
In May 2010 I had some work done including a new block driveway totalling £9.5K. After about 6 weeks a colour difference showed up in the middle on the right side - see picture first attempt. I called them back; they agreed and said it must be a faulty batch of block. The rep from the manufacturer came, it transpired the manufacturer had supplied 11 packs of colour batch A and 1 pack from a different colour batch so they don’t match. The contractor did not check the batches prior to laying saying nobody does ?
In the coming days samples were sent to try and match up the original blocks. They picked a new pack and came and laid it, it was raining but they did it anyway. It looked terrible, very little kiln dried sand, gaps in the blocks etc… but they said I should let it settle over a few weeks it was late September 2011. I had asked them to mix the new blocks all over the driveway to help give a uniform look, they said they would but did not as you can see.
In January 2011, the contractor, supplier and manufacturer came and said, yes it is still not right but it needs a summer on it so it can weather ! . We will come back and check it in June. July came and I made a fuss, they all came back and said it’s getting better. All along I have said its rubbish, the colour does not match.
They are now giving me two options, to seal over it and that will match it up or remove and reorganize the blocks to a more uniform look ?
Please give me your opinions on how it looks and what you think of their statements. The main man says it looks great and it will eventually all fade together! He actually says, it looks the same when it’s wet because that brings out the true colours therefore it will all match eventually.
The second picture is how it looks today. Picture second attempt.
Surely we should be able to have a great looking driveway straightaway ?
Please help ?
Thank you - Stoyer