paver patio collapse

21 years ago

We just had a 785 square foot paver patio, 2 tiered, installed last week. Last night we were hit with heavy rains. Well, apparently the workers only set the pavers on dirt because the sand washed out and 2 of my retaining wall steps collapsed. Also on the first level, the pavers at the edge and about 2 feet in have no sand under them. I called the company owner and he was calm and said they'd have to come back and fix it with concrete gravel. How? Just around the edges or should they take it all apart and start over with the correct base? Since it's so large (22x34) we can't see under the center sections. How will I know if sand is still under there supporting the pavers? This is in the middle of the the lot being graded and readied for landscaping and sprinklers. What should I expect him to do to make the patio secure?

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Comments (3)

siouxsee
21 years ago
We had a similar patio installed in our back yard this Spring. I would suggest they rip out your ENTIRE patio and steps and re-do completely, with the concrete gravel base. Sand should be used on top of that base (to level the pavers) and swept and tamped down in-between the pavers. The concrete gravel base should be fairly thick and installed in layers, with a machine that tamps it down in between layers making the base hard as concrete. The concrete gravel base of our patio was even extended at least a foot outside of the patio pavers and an edging was used around the patio shape with large iron "nails" pounded into that base to hold the edge shape. We now have grass growing over that extended base. Sounds like your patio and steps were not installed correctly at all.
Good luck!
ohforpetesake
21 years ago
I agree that they should redo the entire thing, and I would not settle for any less than that. The installation was obviously faulty, and they should either start over or give you your money back so that you can find another contractor to do the work. I would watch them like a hawk if you do let them perform the work. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could drop kick one of them.
joed
21 years ago
Ther are ways to pull single paver in the midle of the job if you want to check what is under them. Generally I think you are supposed to have 10-12 inches of compacted screenigs under the pavers. Screenings are very fine crushed stone.