[Rex Mann]

Anyone out there have to bid against Home Depot-well their authorized installers- on any jobs. If you did what was your experience?

Out here the HD puts in a ton of pavers. And, they are priced much higher than the rest of the competition. They are about $2.50 a sf higher. They even use base. Two inches under walkways and patios and 4 under driveways.

Peace,

Rex

[Lanelle]

What's the amount of base that you normally use? Here, that wouldn't be enough.

[Rex Mann]

We use 4 inches under driveways, walkways and patios. Most companies out here DO NOT USE ANDY BASE. They just throw sand down, compact that, then add more sand. That's why they can charge $2.90 a sf.

Peace,

Rex

[Stonehenge]

Goodness.

Driveways here we use 10-12", or more on occasion.

But HD does not have any installers for this kind of work in our area.

I'm not sure we'd want to be HD installers - or if we were we'd want to cover the signage on our trucks.

[diginahole]

Funny you should mention Home Depot doing interlock, I just noticed yesterday that the local HD is offering installation. I am not aware of any jobs that have been completed so far though. I'll be keeping my eye out for them.

[Tim]

Just curious Rex, in your area, do you have as serious of an expansion and contraction problem with your sub grades as they have in Albuquerque? I could not get over that problem out there. Would a deeper base, or shallower base be more apt to solve that problem out there? Thanks! Tim

[Rex Mann]

Tim,

Areas of the valley are or can be prone to expansive soils. Those areas more base and a geo-textile would help ensure a better finished project.

Peace,

Rex

[Tim]

Thanks Rex. What do you prefer for a Geo-Textile? S.H., I have heard mention of a 20" base being used before. Isn't that pretty much over kill for even the coldest areas? Tim

[Stonehenge]

Depends on the soil. If we go down 12-14" and hit clay soil that is pumping, we keep digging. We've gone as far as 2' for a couple projects. I wasn't too happy about those....

[Rex Mann]

Jeff,

Did you get more money on those?

I have never used 20 inches of base before. Mostly container ports and the like you'll find not only those amounts of base but many different layers of "stuff" to keep the pavers where they are supposed to be.

Peace,

Rex

[jwholden]

My first post, the inset steps with landing I went a little base crazy on. The builder used spongy soil with no rocks as backfill. I dug down a good 1 1/2 to 2' looking for some kind of better soil and got nothing. I put the fabric in the hole and then kept filling. I used over 80 yards of 3/4 - on that one. Got more money but you can never get enough.

If we are installing pavers that are a 'floating' pavement shouldn't I be sticking to the specs 4" of base + 1" of sand on good soil, 6" of base + 1" of sand on clay. I try to dig down to the subsoil, where the soil goes from black to a lighter color or a ton of rocks start to show up. Often I'll end up going machine crazy and dig a few to six inches too deep and find myself telling the guys that my grandchildrens children will come and visit this walk.