Buyer protection

How to avoid cowboy paving installers

The driveway and patio trade attracts its share of poor-quality operators — not always deliberately dishonest, but often undertrained or under-equipped. The problem is that a cowboy job and a quality job look almost identical on day one. The difference shows two winters later, when surfaces crack, edges peel or the whole thing sinks. These eleven warning signs let you spot the difference before you sign anything.

This applies to any installer, including us. Use this list every time you compare quotes — and download the checklist below to take to every site visit.

1. 1

   No written specification

   If a quote contains no itemised spec — no materials, no depths, no drainage — you have no way to compare it with any other quote, and nothing to hold the installer to if the finished job falls short. 'We'll sort it' in conversation is worthless once they've been paid.

2. 2

   No excavation depth stated

   Excavation depth isn't a guess — it depends on your ground type, existing sub-base condition and whether the drive will take vehicle loads. An installer who can't or won't state a depth doesn't yet know how to do the job properly, or plans to cut it short.

3. 3

   Unsuitable or unspecified sub-base

   MOT Type 1 crushed stone, compacted in layers, is the industry standard. Sharp sand, recycled hardcore of unknown origin, or soil left in place will compact unevenly under wheel loads and cause the surface above to sink, crack or ripple — often within the first winter.

4. 4

   Resin laid directly over unstable paving

   Resin can be overlaid onto sound, stable concrete or tarmac — a genuine cost saving when the base is solid. But if the existing surface is cracked, hollow, soft or loose, any movement carries straight through. The resin separates, bubbles or fractures, and the only real fix is to start again.

5. 5

   No drainage consideration

   Water is the main thing that destroys driveways. A quote that says nothing about where surface water goes — no mention of falls, ACO channels, gullies or soakaways — is a quote from someone not thinking past day one. Standing water softens bases, forces joints apart in frost, and erodes edges.

6. 6

   Non-UV resin

   Standard (non-UV-stable) resin ambers and yellows when exposed to sunlight — sometimes within one to two years. The effect is irreversible without resurfacing. UV-stable resin costs a little more per square metre and holds its colour for the life of the installation. Any quote that doesn't specify 'UV-stable' should prompt the question.

7. 7

   No forced-action mixer

   Resin bound aggregate must be mixed under shear — in a forced-action or pan mixer — until every piece of stone is fully and evenly coated. Drum mixers and hand-mixing in barrows don't achieve this. Poorly mixed resin produces a weak, patchy surface that loses aggregate, goes powdery or fails to bond within months.

8. 8

   Incorrect resin-to-aggregate ratio

   Too much resin and the surface bleeds in hot weather, leaves resin marks, and picks up dirt permanently. Too little and the aggregate isn't fully coated — it's loose, weak and starts washing out at the first rainfall. The correct ratio is set by the resin manufacturer for your specific aggregate size and grading, and should be followed precisely.

9. 9

   No edge detail

   Resin bound surface has no structural strength at a free edge — it needs something to finish against and be retained by. Without a concrete upstand, soldier-course block, kerb or bespoke aluminium edging channel, the resin peels, crumbles and lifts from the outside in. Once it starts, it doesn't stop.

10. 10

    Very large deposit requests

    A deposit of 10–25% is normal and reasonable — it confirms the booking and covers initial material orders. Anything above 50% shifts almost all financial risk to you before a single shovel goes in. If an installer disappears, goes bust or simply does a poor job, recovering a large upfront payment is extremely difficult.

11. 11

    No company details

    A legitimate paving company will give you their registered company name and company number without hesitation. If all you have is a mobile number and a first name, there is no legal entity to pursue if the work fails, causes damage or is never finished. Cash-only jobs with no paperwork leave you with no comeback at all.