Below is a YouTube video of some of our paving installations plus a couple of our repair jobs.
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When you employ someone to install your paving, you are hoping that they know what they doing and that the paving will enhance the aesthetics of your home, plus it must increase the value of your home.
In a lot of cases, either the builder or the electrician, pool contractor or even the plumber will offer to install the paving and can even give addresses of where they previously installed paving to which home owners give the green light for them to go ahead and install the paving.
Unfortunately the home owner only finds out a year or two later that the paving was installed incorrectly but looked good at the time when it was first installed. This is when we as a paving company get called in to fix or repair the paving.
We recommend the following, ” Let each professional install or build what they have been trained to do and you will save money by holding each professional accountable for their own installation or construction.
Take a drive through an estate and casually look at the condition of the paving and you will be shocked at the amount of paving that is busy collapsing due to incorrect installation procedures. Most of these paving installations have been installed by non paving people, don’t make the same mistake, call in a paving company to install your paving.
Flagstone paving and patios
Patio paving
With more brick manufacturing companies now producing their own range of flagstones, it has become very common for home owners to pave their patios with the various types and styles of flagstones which have become available. In the past 2 months we have had more than our normal amount of inquiries for patio paving quotations.
Pool paving with LaCotta 3 size cobble paving
65% of the time people prefer the 3 different size flagstones around the swimming pool or on the patio and entertainment area but there is a growing trend to go with the larger size flagstone as a stand-alone.
We just installed a 500 x 500 flagstone on a patio and around the swimming pool which when finished looked fantastic. The client has had the paving sealed professionally which has enhanced the paved area incredibly. Please give the paving on your patio more than just a casual thought as it is the place where you will be entertaining your guests.
Paving with Corobrick Nutmeg and Cederberg
On another note, Bosun bricks, a large paving brick manufacturer has also recently manufactured a 3 size paving brick which in my opinion is specifically designed for the driveway.
Ganite urban paver from Bosun
The Bosun urban paver when laid has a real granite and/or a marble finish that stands heads above most of its competitors. We have laid this paver in a couple of driveways recently with extremely positive reactions from not only the owners but also from their neighbours. This paving brick might not be ideal for a patio or around a swimming pool but it is a paver that will turn heads when laid on your driveway.
Creative paving for gardens
Creative Paving for gardens
I went to the hobby x show at the Dome last week and saw an idea for a garden or an area of the back which might be currently neglected. Often there are areas around the house that is just never used and is therefore neglected or forgotten and often gets over run with weeds.
Why not get charcoal and Grey flagstones and create a chess or checkers board? There was a company called Bigchess that had chess pieces 84cm high and only 2.4kg in weight. I picked up a couple of the pieces to ensure that even a child could move the chess pieces. These chess pieces are almost indestructible as they are made from a durable polyethylene plastic with a 4mm wall.
With a couple of park benches or garden furniture this once neglected area of the garden could become very popular. The chess board and pieces could also be a very good selling item and cover up what used to be a eye sore. The entire area could be landscaped and with a little imagination it could end up as the main featured area of the house.
This is just one example of how to tackle an area that is currently your problem area at your house. Consult a few friends or family and have a brainstorming session with them and you will be amazed at the ideas that come pouring out. Show them what your problem is, tell them about this article and that should get the ideas to flow until the point where you have not only solved a problem area but you also have created a unique reason for your house to be in demand the day it is put up for sale.
Concrete pavers in demand
Concrete products move.
We have had one month of the new year and customers are swinging more towards concrete products from LaCotta and Smartstone than the traditional clay pavers from companies like Corobrick. I used to get 6 out of 10 inquiries for clay and the balance was a spread across the board for 6 concrete suppliers.
Pool paving with LaCotta 3 size cobble paving
The type of finish that seems to be the trend at the moment is the 3 different size pavers. Most of the concrete brick suppliers manufacture the paving bricks in a range of colours with a light brownish yellow (sandstone) being the current favourite. The main key here is to ensure that the bricks are S.A.B.S or there could be a problem with colour or the actual finish could be warped.
3 size flagstone pavers
In a paving site recently we were asked to do the paving around a swimming pool with the clients bricks that he obtained from a friend that manufactures bricks. The bricks were so out of shape that we rather walked off the job. The long term result would have been a bad reflection on our company name. We told the client what we were concerned with but he had total faith in his friend and would not even consider an alternative brick.
Flagstones and clay combined
These concrete pavers are more expensive than their clay counterparts but give a very up market finish. I suggest that you look at a couple of finished paving projects or closer in photographs to see if you like any particular style and then get samples to choose the correct colour. For more help and assistance phone me on 084 300 4220.
invest in your paving.
Is your paving an investment?
There are literally 100’s of different types of paving bricks/stones available and then there are a multitude of colours that most are available in as well. Even though paving has been around for 1000’s of years, it can still be a bit tricky ensuring that your hard earned cash becomes an investment when the paving types/style is selected. Your driveway and pathways might look good in a particular type of brick but you might find out later that the brick on the driveway is breaking up as it was not really designed to be laid as a driveway stone/brick.
Patio with style
In almost every case the brick used on your driveway should not be less than 50mm thick, there are very few exceptions to this rule. Another thing to consider regarding the look and feel of your driveway is the practicality of driving on the paving during a rain storm. Will the paving allow your tyres to grip or will they slip and slide? Obviously this will also depend on the gradient of your driveway.
Flagstones and clay combined
There are so many factors that come into play regarding your paving, but when looking to increase the investment return on your house, it is always worth the effort to ensure that you have made the right decision. Don’t get bullied by a salesman who is more concerned with his/her commission than your investment. Don’t also fall into the neighborhood syndrome where everyone is paving with a certain style or a specific brick and you feel compelled to comply and do the same. Often it pays to be a little different but obviously with some knowledge of what is the correct type of brick to be used at various places around the house.
Steps build with Corobrick nutmeg pavers.
Now that you are armed with some paving knowledge, you are bound to be a boss in your neighborhood and can expect people to ask your advise regarding their paving. Paving styles in South Africa are not very different to the styles around the world but there are styles which are unique to every country, do a little homework with Google and ensure that your paving turns out to be one of the best investments you make at your house.
Smartstone Cotswold
Get solid advice, phone Richard today on 011 867 2957 or 084 300 4220
Aztec Paving 