How long does it take to install paving? The Paving Company (Essex) Ltd are paving specialists working throughout Southend and Essex. This article explains how long it takes to install a paver driveway and factors that effect the time it takes to complete a paving installation.

How Long Will It Take To Install My Paver Driveway?

You can successfully complete a paver driveway or patio project through DIY or hire a professional contractor to lay these installations for you. 

Regardless of the option you choose, you'll be curious to know how long the process will take and what aspects will affect the duration of the project. We aim to provide readers with a few examples so that they can get the gist.

When it comes to building a patio space for your household, the easiest part of the process is laying paving slabs. At the same time, other factors like prepping the site by digging soil, laying sub-bases and mortar, and creating efficient slopes are where the job becomes much more challenging, even for professionals. 

Professionals can lay around 20-25 square metres of patio in the timeframe of a single day, typically taking at least eight hours. So, with this in mind, an 80-square-metre patio will take approximately 3-4 days to be entirely laid down. However, you must keep in mind that this is only the estimation for prepping the foundational layer and base, so other factors could mean it takes many more hours or days. 

The size of your patio is one of the most significant factors determining how long the job takes and its eventual costs. Other aspects that impact the duration could be the number or size of equipment and tools brought to the construction site, such as diggers and plate compactors.

Should your patio base be relatively big or of great thickness, you may get several diggers to assist your project, making it faster and more straightforward to complete. However, if it is a small patio, they may only get one, or perhaps even none at all, meaning the digging involved in the project will have to be carried out manually. 

If the surface job is performed manually, this will typically add multiple hours to the duration and labour costs. We also recommend considering your equipment's access to the property, as this may mean it takes longer. 

How Do I Choose Patio Paving Slabs

Factors that affect the length of time it takes to complete the installation. 

Numerous factors will affect the installation and the time your landscape professional takes to complete the job. Paving stone is a somewhat low-maintenance installation; however, the duration may be impacted by the design requirements, weather conditions, size, and various other aspects. 

Project Scope

We recommend considering a few factors before ploughing ahead with your project or contacting landscaping services. Ask yourself how big your paving, retaining wall, garden, or driveway area is; is your driveway long, expansive, or short? How wide would you like your new patio walkway to be, or if you have a pond or pool in your backyard, how big is your pool deck? 

The size of your paving stone installation is such a significant factor in the construction project, as it allows you to decipher the duration and part of the cost. For those intending to have pavers installed onto your smooth small patio, this may only take your contractors one day to complete. On the other hand, if you have a larger installation or wish to install paving stone patterns across numerous paved areas of your domestic or commercial landscape, it may take multiple days to finish the project. 

Paving Materials

Before heading into the construction period, you must be wary of the type of material or pattern you select. Plenty of materials are available for your paving or driveway, such as concrete, tile, stone, granite, brick, compacted gravel, flagstone, etc. 

The material you desire to install will typically impact the length of time it takes to complete the job. For example, if you opt for paving stones, they can often be installed into complex patterns, so this will require close attention to detail from your contractor, meaning it will take much longer to finish the pavers. 

Weather

Many areas across England and the UK are most known for their ever-changing bad weather that oscillates between warm and cold, dry and damp, without warning. The weather can lead to several hiccups throughout the day, and a landscape design project with plenty of planning, risk assessments, materials and schedules can suffer from the same. Many landscape contractors from landscaping businesses will do their utmost to continue with your installation project, ensuring it is completed as efficiently and promptly as possible if bad weather occurs.

However, if the rainfall becomes torrential or it starts to snow, be wary that your installation team may have to pack up and recuperate and proceed with the project on a brighter or clearer day. Delays are always imminent for homeowners in harsh weather circumstances, so please keep this in mind. You may want to put off such projects until mid-summer time to ensure your workers have a better chance of completing the installation. 

Existing base

Prior to your landscape contractor preparing a thorough schedule for workers to follow during the paving stone installation, they will begin with a survey of the area. They'll be eager to review the conditions of your property and the surrounding land in search of settling or sinking areas. Should they uncover such issues, it will mean that your existing driveway base needs to be completely removed so that a new base with more structure and durability can be laid. If contractors notice that your whole patio, driveway or pathway is made primarily of asphalt that has begun cracking from the constant foot or vehicle traffic. In this case, the asphalt will need to be pulled from the ground, as it is no longer durable, and professionals will compact your existing base. 

What Can I Expect When Installing A Paver Driveway? 

Often professionals are asked such questions all the time, as the process can be different each time. When you choose to install brand-new paver driveways into your domestic home or commercial property, it's vital that professionals give the project as much time and attention to detail as possible. You can expect a delicate and perhaps long process; we understand that installing such driveways can be overwhelming, especially if you've never had one before.

Unfortunately, it is a process that you'll find interrupts plenty of your daily activities due to the influx of landscapers, contractors, and temporary parking methods utilised during construction hours. However, all professionals at trusted landscaping companies will do their utmost to ensure they provide you with precise installation timeframes and deadlines, enabling you to get back to your everyday life. Once all is finished and set in place, you can enjoy your brand-new driveway! Your professionals may provide information on how to maintain your surface so that you can enjoy a long lifespan. 

Are you considering driveway installation services in Southend and Essex? Contact our block paving specialists today.