
Paving in Sydney
Paths that have lifted, pavers that rock underfoot, edges that have spread. Paving repairs and small new areas.
Quotes are free, in writing / 7am to 5pm
Why pavers move, and what makes the repair last
Pavers that rock, lift or have sunk
A paver that rocks is a bedding problem, not a paver problem. Sand washes out from underneath, usually because the edge restraint has gone or water is running the wrong way, and the pavers around it start moving next.
- Affected pavers lifted and set aside for re-use
- Bedding sand re-screeded, meaning levelled and compacted properly
- Cause dealt with, whether that is drainage or a failed edge
- Re-laid, joints sanded and the area compacted
Pavers sunk and proud, the bedding sand washed outEdges that have spread and let the path go
Paving holds together because the edge holds it in. Once the restraint on one side gives way the whole field creeps, the joints open and grass and weed take the gaps. Fixing the edge is what makes the repair last.
- Edge restraint reinstated in brick, concrete haunch, meaning a concrete or brick edge, or garden edging
- Paving pulled back to line before it is re-laid
- Joints re-sanded so they lock up again
- Levels checked so water still runs off the path
A path edge let go, the outer pavers out of lineNew paths, landings and small patios
A path to the shed, a landing at a back door, a small patio for a table. Small paved areas where getting the fall and the base right is most of the work and laying the pavers is the last hour of it.
- Base excavated, roadbase laid and compacted in layers
- Fall set so water runs away from the building
- Pavers cut in at the edges rather than gapped and filled
- Materials delivered and barrowed in where access is tight

Four steps, no surprises
Photograph the area
A wide shot along the path shows the lift and the fall.
We check the base
Whether it is bedding, edge or drainage decides the repair.
We lift and re-lay
Existing pavers re-used wherever they are sound.
Sand and compact
Joints sanded, area compacted, and swept clean.
The jobs a builder will not take are the jobs we are built for.
- The small jobs are the whole business. A door, a fence panel, a list of five things. That is the work we are set up for, not the leftovers between big jobs.
- You get the price before we start. Quotes are free and in writing, itemised, valid 30 days, and the quote says what is not included. Nothing is due on labour up front, and you can cancel at no cost before materials are ordered.
- We say no when it is not our job. Not driveways. Driveway paving carries vehicle loads and needs a different base build up, so that is a paving contractor’s job and worth quoting as one.
- Up to 5 years on our workmanship. 5 years on what we build new, 3 years on repairs to what was already there. On top of your rights under the Australian Consumer Law, which no warranty can take away.
What people ask about paving
Almost always, and it is the cheaper and better looking option because weathered pavers never match new ones. We usually lose a few to breakage on the lift, so if you have spares in the yard bring them out before we start.
Something is moving underneath, and it is normally water. A downpipe discharging onto the paving, a failed edge letting the bedding sand escape, or a base that was never compacted. Re-laying without fixing that gets you the same dip in a year.
No. Driveway paving carries vehicle loads and needs a different base build up. This is path, landing and small patio work. For a driveway you want a paving contractor who does them regularly.
Some will, in any paving. Properly sanded joints with a compacted lock up slow it right down, and polymeric jointing sand slows it further. Nothing stops it completely, and anyone who says otherwise has not maintained paving.
A repair to a few square metres is usually a day. A new path is often two, because the base gets built and compacted first and cutting in at the edges takes longer than people expect.
Send a photo. Get a straight answer.
Most jobs can be priced from two or three photos, so you do not have to wait around for someone to come and look at a door.
Or just ring
0451 110 154Get your free quote today!
Got it, thanks.
We will come back to you with a price or a question. If it is urgent, ring 0451 110 154 rather than waiting.
Other things we get asked to do on the same visit
Most of the cost of a small repair is getting there, so anything else on this list can go on the same quote and the same day.
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