A drive fit for a Cali

[Keith Smith]

As a tradesman myself I always take a 50% deposit before I start work, this balances the risk on both sides in that the customer has to trust that I do the work and I have to trust that they will pay the final 50% on completion. This seems perfectly reasonable to me and I have never had any objections from customers old or new.

As for the drive, i would investigate hiring a vibrating roller and seeing if you could compact the hardcore down further. Then apply as much MOT as will fit and roll it down, again with the vibrating roller. This would be a lot less work and infinitely cheaper than trying to dig out the hardcore and may well work better than just MOT whacked down with a plate vibrator.

 

[Velma's Dad]

As a tradesman myself I always take a 50% deposit before I start work, this balances the risk on both sides in that the customer has to trust that I do the work and I have to trust that they will pay the final 50% on completion. This seems perfectly reasonable to me and I have never had any objections from customers old or new.

I guess that's not uncommon in some trades, although I've never agreed to pay up-front for building work. On a larger building project however (we've had a couple), I'd certainly expect to make stage payments for work part-completed, and to keep a retention for a defects period after practical completion. Naturally, the payment schedule needs to be 100% agreed before work begins.

Not really the way things happen on smaller jobs though, to be honest.

 

[andyinluton]

I think if the original builder has given you a refund of the money he had left over you've probably got the best possible outcome. Draw a line under it & now move forward.

I agree with the previous suggestion, get someone with a proper whacker like this -

To bash down whats already down then roll it & then put type1 on top - you may have to raise the overall levels slightly to accommodate this. You don't want to be digging out again.

At least theres a receipt for crushed concrete going in - Im currently excavating flowerbeds that were filled with a soil/asbestos mix in the 1990's

 

[B J G]

Might be a good time to put 2 high security posts on the drive to make theft a bit more difficult. Various types on the market , drop down, folding etc.
just a thought.

 

[Amarillo]

I think if the original builder has given you a refund of the money he had left over you've probably got the best possible outcome. Draw a line under it & now move forward.

Yes - that is sound advice, and what I am most likely to do. Taking a hit for the purchase and then disposal of the crushed rubble is a relatively small price to pay for my incompetence in this matter.

I agree with the previous suggestion, get someone with a proper whacker like this -

To bash down whats already down then roll it & then put type1 on top - you may have to raise the overall levels slightly to accommodate this. You don't want to be digging out again.

Interesting suggestion - and broadly in line with the compromise the builder was offering when I caught his deception. He offered to lay 2x50mm of Type 1 on top of the crushed rubble. Unfortunately I fear the levels are too high to be whacked down sufficiently, the whacker they were using was bigger than the one you show. However, over the past few days of rain the crushed rubble has further compacted on its own, and the surface has become rather lumpy. This leads me to fear that there are larger chunks of my original broken up driveway buried below the crushed rubble, creating voids which will take a while to fully fill and settle.

My builder friend who came to confirm the deception seemed to think that I'd need to remove ~100mm to lay 100mm of proper foundation, 40mm sharp sand and 60mm blocks. The driveway will be 65m^2 so that would be 6.5m^3 of crushed rubble to dispose of.

I have a couple of driveway specialists coming on Monday so I can seek their advice, and if it matches the advice you and Keith have offered I will know it must be the right thing to do.

 

[Amarillo]

Hope your sister-in-law comes through things okay. Sounds an awful accident.

It was about as bad as accidents get, and until she fully comes out of the coma it is hard to know if there is any lasting damage. However, it has been confirmed that her ribs will not need to be pinned, her collapsed lung is not now an issue and the ICU brain monitor has been turned off because the consultant is no longer concerned about pressure inside her head. Her Glasgow Coma Score has risen from 3 to 8 and she will still need surgery to rebuild her cheek.

 

[John.s]

Just been reading your thread with interest, I'm in the process of putting in a driveway for our Cali. Unlike you I'm doing the work myself it may be slower but at least I'll know it's done to my spec. Last weeks rain didn't help but all good at the moment just hoping my back will hold out!!
Best wishes to your sis-in-law.

 

[Skylark2.0]

That's not a garage, it's a bike shed:
View attachment 17293
View attachment 17294 View attachment 17295

And yes, there is about 40cm of wasted space down the side. There is also an enclosed courtyard, the only access being through the door at the back of the bike shed.

Great for all the stuff for when it's being a daily drive and not a campervan.

 

[GrannyJen]

@Crispin Family

Tom,

I'm a bit late catching up with this thread but I do hope things improve for you x

It's bad enough having all that hassle and stress with the driveway, the accident to your Sister in law sounds horrendous. I wish her a full recovery, and my thoughts to you and your family, how awful.

As for the drive, it's not just the money, the stress and disruption that comes with this hassle is dreadful. I hope you soon start to see daylight at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Amarillo]

@Crispin Family

Tom,

I'm a bit late catching up with this thread but I do hope things improve for you x

It's bad enough having all that hassle and stress with the driveway, the accident to your Sister in law sounds horrendous. I wish her a full recovery, and my thoughts to you and your family, how awful.

As for the drive, it's not just the money, the stress and disruption that comes with this hassle is dreadful. I hope you soon start to see daylight at the end of the tunnel.

G is doing well - she came out of her coma on Saturday, after a full week. She's been moved from intensive care to a ward. I didn't know this earlier, but the Somerset and Dorset air ambulance was called, but there was nowhere nearby for it to land and then accept G, however, they were able to get a doctor to her.

I had two builders around to see my driveway yesterday. Both said that for them to warranty the job the crushed rubble will need to be removed. They were also surprised to see what a strong and solid retaining wall had been built - so my money is not completely wasted. I am perhaps £900 out of pocket. But you are right, it is the hassle which is causing me most grief.

 

[Keith Smith]

I imagine, like me, you are someone who likes to get a job right first time and are therefore going to remove the offending compacted rubble. However one of the advantages of paviors is that if you ever get any settlement you can take up a section and make repairs very easily, that is once you get the first one out (make sure you get them to leave you a few spares just in case).

 

[Amarillo]

Great for all the stuff for when it's being a daily drive and not a campervan.

The whole idea of the new driveway is to be able to have the Beach and a smaller car side by side, and be able to access the road with either car without having to move the other. When not a campervan, the Beach will be a family MPV, and the smaller car for local journeys. Living in Inner London, we both feel that it would be selfish and unnecessary to use the Beach for short local trips; it will also reduce the number of rows we have over who can use the car and when. My business is such that I need to do a large number of local journeys of under 2 miles with a very large and heavy bag. I do use my Brompton and trailer from time to time, but a car is easier.

 

[Amarillo]

I imagine, like me, you are someone who likes to get a job right first time and are therefore going to remove the offending compacted rubble. However one of the advantages of paviors is that if you ever get any settlement you can take up a section and make repairs very easily, that is once you get the first one out (make sure you get them to leave you a few spares just in case).

All the advice I have received from professionals who have seen the job is that the crushed rubble needs to go. I also have a fear that larger chunks of hardcore rubble from my broken up concrete driveway has been laid below the crushed rubble, leaving great voids which will settle over time. Among the crushed rubble is brick which will fill with water and freeze during the winter causing further damage above.

 

[Amarillo]

Before:

After:

Still a little work remaining, but now our driveway is substantially complete. Plenty of space for a VW California Beach next to our Peugeot 5008, which is due to be sold and replaced with a smaller vehicle.

 

[Meoncoast]

Got there in the end

 

[Amarillo]

Got there in the end

A bit of an epic - and cost me £400 more than expected, but overall a good result.

 

[T6 CFO]

Nice one. Money well spent and you put the cost on the house anyway. Result


Mike

 

[Hotel California]

I don't see a Cali yet...

 

[Rich20]

Glad you are pleased after such an ordeal.

 

[jts46]

Good job done

 

[GillianC]

Looks very smart....and will look even smarter with the Cali on it

 

[Digger]

Looks good and worth the grief.

 

[Amarillo]

Another view...

 

[Fast Freddie]

Nice - but would look better with your Cali on it!

 

[Jonathan Duke]

How does @Amarillo look, sitting proud on its swanky new driveway?