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Paving the Way, Brick by Brick
FAQ when selecting a paver contractor
Just knowing something about a contractor isn’t enough. In order to ensure a quality installation, you should ask questions of the contractor like:
· How long have they been installing pavers?
While Southern Interlocking Pavers (SIP) is a relatively new company, all the principals involved have years of experience with other installation companies in the area.
· Does the installation company have a business address (e.g. other than a business P.O. box)?
Many installation companies operate out of their truck and do not maintain an actual business location; SIP a real business location, an office where you can meet our friendly and helpful staff, and we also have a large showroom and outdoor display area for you to see your options in blends, shapes and patterns. (Our hours are Monday - Friday, 1:00 P.m. to 5:00 p.m. and all other times we will gladly set an appointment!)
· If county and/or municipality licensing is required, do they have the proper licensing and can they provide a copy to you?
Southern Interlocking Pavers has a license (C-10276) with the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board (PCCLB), along with Occupational licenses with most of the municipalities in the bay area; if one is required that we do not currently hold, we will apply for the license prior to the start of the project and can provide a copy of it to you upon request.
· Are they members of the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute (ICPI) and/or other associations?
SIP is a member of the ICPI, and a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of West Florida.
· Have they been trained by a manufacturer or by the ICPI? Do they have written certificate of completion?
SIP holds several Certified Concrete Paver Installation certificates from ICPI.
· What percentage of their total business consists installing concrete pavers?
SIP is a concrete and brick paver installation company -- it is what we do; occasionally we will expand slightly outside this domain, but only in context to the final hardscape project.
· Do they provide a written, itemized proposal outlining the scope of work and terms of payment?
It should include details of the project quoted, demolition and excavation details, pavers, base materials, and taxes. With rare exceptions, when we leave your appointment our estimator will have gone over the drawing made on-site with you and you will have a copy of our estimate in your hands.
· Will they provide you with references, not only recent ones, but from past jobs?
References are always available upon request and we can provide a list of our installations in your area (with a map, if you need it) so you can drive by to take a look at our work -- or, perhaps, a particular style, pattern or blend of pavers.
· Do they have a portfolio of photos to qualify themselves?
In our showroom, we have a slide show running where you can see examples of our work in numerous applications; the photos are SIP projects, not stock photos or pulled out of paver manufacturers’ promotional materials.
· Are they in good credit standing?
SIP has credit accounts in good standing with all our major manufacturers and suppliers; if we need something from a new supplier or manufacturer, more often than not we just establish a credit account with them (you never know when the specialized need may be required on another project).
· Do they have a current liability insurance certificate? While the contractor is on your property, they should be insured for any damage and injuries that may occur. Check your homeowner’s insurance policy for coverage of the contractor while on your property.
SIP carries a $2,000,000.00 general (aggregate) liability policy (a copy can be provided upon request).
· Can the contractor provide proof of current Worker Compensation Insurance and that the Worker Comp covers all of the job?
SIP is covered by Florida State Workman’s Compensation insurance as required by Florida law.
· Do they guarantee their work for at least one year? Will they return in a year to inspect it at your request?
SIP provides a two year warranty on our labor and the manufacturers warranties vary from 10-20 years (depending on the individual manufacturer, although with just normal wear & tear and a little maintenance, the pavers should last for years longer…).
When looking for estimates on a project, watch out for these CONTRACTOR types:
The Wanderer
This type of installation company (often) does not have an actual office location, pays subcontractors and employees "under the table," subs its work to subcontractors that may not be legal business entities in the State of Florida and does not pay payroll taxes, workers' compensation or liability insurance.
They skimp on the installation (e.g., little or no base material) and often use "B-grade" (or worse) pavers that were rejected as not up to standards by the manufacturer (no manufacturer warranty available).
By cutting corners, these companies can charge less and still make money, but put their customers, employees (if they even have any) and the people who hire them in legal danger.
Worker's comp can be up to 20% of payroll, but it is also protection for the homeowner against lawsuits from injuries on-the-job.
Often, their warranty is useless, because they have moved on and cannot be tracked down easily.
The Low-Bid Specialist
Low-Bid Specialists (LBS) are the guys who work cheap because they do not know the cost of doing business --- or worse, do not care. And, just like "The Wanderer", LBS' often use low-grade pavers purchased cheap from the manufacturers' "seconds" yard.
They do not understand the basic business concept of cash flow, cannot establish (or hold on to) credit accounts with manufacturers (cash-basis only), and tend to pay themselves before anyone else. This can leave the homeowner with either an unfinished project (when the subs refuse to work until paid) and/or open to the potential for liens from subcontractors that have not been paid. A year or two like this and the cash crunch (continually "robbing Peter to pay Paul") and legal troubles force them to go out of business, usually via the bankruptcy route.
Often, the same people will open back up under a new Florida Corporation and repeat the process, continuing the cycle for many years.
Change Order Shuffler
This type of contractor slides in as the lowest bidder (but not unbelieveably low), then, once the project is under way, hits the homeowner with a number of changes orders -- thus making up for the low initial bid.
(This is not to say that there should never be change orders on a project; issues pop up unexpectedly on installations, but 3 or 5 or 20 contractor-generated change orders seems out-of-control!)
Ultimately, their estimates are not apple-to-apple comparisons and they leave much out, hoping the homeowner does not notice. Often a good clue is that the estimate does not contain square footage or does not detail what is provided in the estimate.
Some things to expect as your pavers are being produced and installed:
Your pavers are being specially made for you to your specifications.
The manufacturer has lead times and can usually give us an approximate time frame of when they will be making your brick. Please be patient with this time frame. We are at the mercy of the manufacturer and cannot speed up the process. If you become frustrated, our recommendation is to stick with your original choice and wait for the product. You picked it for a reason and to change your order will only reset the clock on the original estimated lead time or it may limit you to something you are not as enamored with. We suggest you never compromise or settle on your paver choice. The extra time you may have to wait will be a “blip on the radar screen” in the long run and you will be happy you waited.
If you are having a driveway installed, a permit is required in most municipalities. Some, but very few areas, require a permit for new patios and walkways in the front or back of your property. For an administrative fee plus cost of the permit we will obtain the permit for you. We will need a copy of your survey and a filled out Notice of Commencement form that we have here at our office. As an alternative, you may pull the permit yourself and save the administrative fee. We have much of the paperwork that you will need and can guide you through the process and we have a notary to help make the process easier. Your contract should show who will pull the permit if it is required.
If you live in a deed restricted community, some homeowners associations require approval prior to work being done. This is separate from a municipality permit. Please make sure you have the proper approvals.
As your production date gets closer, please do not fret that your pavers will arrive unannounced. We will contact you with the estimated date of arrival and when our crew will install. Depending on your job, you will be receiving base material or sand or both. The pavers may have to be placed in your grass and the base/sand on your driveway. Most municipalities frown on any materials being placed in the street for safety reasons. Please be careful backing out of your driveway!!!! Most of this material will damage vehicles if you hit it! If you have specific areas that you would like this material be placed, please place signs or inform our Project Coordinator. We will instruct the drivers. Please be aware that these drivers are not our employees or necessarily the employees of the manufacturer (many of the manufacturers use subcontractors for delivery) and sometimes do not do as instructed.
You may receive a Notice to Owner. This is a notice allowed by the Florida construction lien laws from the manufacturer of your pavers. This is intended to let you know that the manufacturers can expect payment directly from you if they do not receive payment from us. We have credit accounts with all of our manufacturers and we have 30 day terms from date of shipment to your jobsite. If you receive a Notice to Owner (usually arriving by certified mail), do not panic. This is not a lien on your property. After completion of the installation and we have received your final payment, we will send you what is called a “final release” that releases you from responsibility for payment of these pavers. You should attach this with the Notice to Owner and keep it with your house files.
If excavation is required, you will be notified in advance as to the approximate time a bobcat will arrive and remove the material prior to our installation. We try to schedule this excavation the day before the installation begins so as to reduce your downtime of this area (typically driveways). We contact Sunshine State One Call utility location services (“No Cuts”) so that your utilities will be marked to the excavation. “No Cuts” marks mainly in your right-of-way.
Please keep in mind that we cannot see pipes, sprinklers, wires, etc. that are underground. If you are aware of where sprinkler lines, etc. are PLEASE mark them for us. We are not responsible for broken sprinkler pipes, cable lines, etc. beyond the easement. Often times, a break can be fixed very easily by us for no charge, but on occasion they are too tricky for us. Keep your landscaper’s number, etc. handy if it is beyond our capabilities. Alternatively, we can contract an experienced irrigation specialist for an additional charge for the work if you so desire.
Your project will be a construction site. Things will get messy, noisy and dusty. There will be dirt, bricks, base, sand etc. at the end of the job. You are not responsible for cleaning up the leftover debris. We will send out a cleanup crew for the large debris and will also hose down the areas where we were working. There will be dust. Keep all doors and windows closed during the installation. If you are planning on having your windows or cars washed, please schedule for after the installation. Also, it is a good idea to inform your immediate neighbors so they can plan accordingly as well. As you know, water will make its way into anything. It is a good idea to place towels inside at the base of doors and any other place where water will penetrate and ruin your things.
If you are having your pool deck remodeled and coping is being installed, sometimes it is necessary to remove the cap tile around the edge of your pool. We will strive to remove the cap tile with care, however, there exists a chance that the waterline may be chipped or cracked in the process. While we are not responsible should this occur, we will work with one of our pool contractors to assist you in finding a possible solution.
You should arrange cleaning by a professional licensed pool cleaner prior to work beginning for a post-installation cleaning. We take great care when grouting the coping, using techniques such as “bubblewrapping” to lessen the chance of grout getting in your pool. Despite these precautions, you should expect some sand or other small debris in your pool. This may stress your cleaning and filter systems. Professional cleaning before running your system is highly recommended.
When sand is washed into the joints of the pavers to achieve the interlock, the sand becomes “clearish” and starts to float. After the water dries, some sand will settle on top of the pavers. You may remove it with a blower or sweep it. When blowing, please aim at a shallow angle so as not to blow out the sand from the joints. If you are experiencing any movement or clacking of the pavers within the first month after installation, please call us. We will re-sand to ensure a better interlock. After that time, all you need to do is sweep in a little sand yourself. You can obtain the sand by simply buying a bag of Play Sand from your local hardware store.
Sand not filled to the top of the joints is completely normal. All that is required to maintain the interlock is sand halfway to three-quarters of the way up the joint. It does not need to be re-filled to the top. It will only cause your installation to continue to be gritty and sandy on the surface and you will bring it into the house. In addition, sand retains moisture which can lead to mildewing in shady areas.
We will leave you extra pieces of each style and blend of paver installed for replacement should a problem develop with a paver. Please have a spot pre-determined for storage of the spares. While your quote was for the square footage to be installed plus a percentage for “waste” (cuts, bad pavers, extras, whole cube orders where partial cubes cannot be ordered, etc.), we routinely order above that amount to ensure we have enough and do not run short on your installation, creating unnecessary delay. The remaining pavers will be removed from the site within a few days.
Your concrete or clay pavers are not tile. Tile is typically ceramic or porcelain and has a very smooth surface. In tile applications, the tile is thin-set to the ground and grout is placed in the joints. This hides many imperfections of the sides of the tile and the cuts. Pavers are concrete with pigment added; sand is used to fill the joints. The sand is not meant to look like grout. There will be imperfections in the pavers and color dye lots will vary. The textures and colors of the pavers are achieved by the raw materials used to produce the pavers. Heavier aggregate surfaces, color variations, scuffs, chips, minor cracks, etc. do not mean the pavers are defective or damaged. Color and texture differences between thicks and thins will also occur. Efflorescence naturally occurs in all concrete products where a whitish film develops randomly on the pavers. Just as it appears naturally, it will eventually disappear.
To seal or not to seal. Sealant on your pavers is a personal preference. It is not a service that we provide, but we can recommend some contractors. It also can be a good do-it-yourself project if you’re feeling adventurous. Sealant should not be applied until at least 60 days after installation to allow your pavers to fully cure and breathe. Sealant typically lasts anywhere from 4 months to 3 years depending on the quality and solids content of the sealer. If weeds or ants are a concern, sealant will deter for a short period of time, but eventually nature will win.
Interlocking concrete pavers create a beautiful and durable pavement which should last a minimum of 15 years (depending on conditions) when installed correctly. Other pavements such as asphalt or poured concrete experience a shorter life.
Payment is due upon completion of your job. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. We strive to be better than our competition in every way possible and it is important to us that you were happy with the entire process. Occasionally, there are minor corrections and changes – referred to as “punches”. Our goal is to complete the punch list within just a few days. If there are punches to complete, you may withhold (no more than) 5% from the final payment due until the punches are completed. The remainder is due upon completion of the punch list. Please remember that with pavers, corrections are usually simple adjustments, the odd bad or chipped paver can be popped out and replaced; little is beyond a fix.
OUR GOAL IS YOUR COMPLETE SATISFACTION AND WE WANT YOU TO FEEL CONFIDENT WHEN YOU REFER US TO OTHERS.
Thank you for choosing Southern Interlocking Pavers,
Your Key To A Beautiful Installation.
Serving the Tampa Bay area
Tel: 727-522-7800
Every photograph on this website is the work of Southern Interlocking Pavers.
We do not use "stock" photos or photos taken from the ICPI or manufacturers' websites and "claim" them as our work.
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