DIY Paving vs Hiring a Professional Paver

Laying pavers looks simple. Level some sand, set the pavers, sweep in the joints. It’s easy to see why plenty of Perth homeowners think about doing it themselves.

We lay pavers for a living, so we’ll be upfront about our bias. We’ll also be honest: some small jobs are within reach for a handy homeowner. Most of what makes paving last happens below the surface, though, and that’s where DIY jobs tend to come unstuck. Here’s how to tell which is which.

What a good paving job actually involves

The pavers are the part everyone sees, but they’re the last step. A paving job that lasts is built in layers, and each one has to be right before the next goes on.

• Excavation to the right depth. Paths and pedestrian areas need excavating to at least 150 to 200mm and filling with compacted road base. Driveways need more again.
• Compaction in layers. Every layer of base material has to be compacted before the next is added.
• A drainage fall. The surface needs to slope away from the house and other structures, towards a drain, planting bed or channel. The fall is built into the base, not fixed afterwards.
• Edge restraints. These run around the whole perimeter, sit on the compacted base and hold everything in.
• A consistent bedding layer. Screeded evenly and not compacted before the pavers go down. Crusher dust is not a substitute for proper bedding sand.
• The right gaps. Most pavers need a 2 to 4mm gap. Too tight and the edges chip under load. Too wide and you get weeds and less interlock.
• Expansion joints on larger areas. At changes in direction, every 3 to 3.5 metres on large areas, and wherever the paving meets a wall or building.

None of these steps is complicated on its own. The skill is doing all of them properly, on your particular ground, every time.

Why Perth ground makes it harder

Perth’s sandy soil feels stable, but it doesn’t bind or compact like clay, and it can shift under load or when wet. Our dry sand can also repel water, which then tracks along the sub-base and washes out the bedding. Clay-heavy ground in the hills and outer corridors has the opposite problem, shrinking and swelling with the seasons.

That’s why the same method doesn’t suit every block. Driveways laid straight onto sand without a proper road base will shift. Clay sites can need a deeper sub-base or extra drainage. Reading the ground correctly is a big part of what you pay a professional for.

Where DIY paving usually goes wrong

We see the same problems again and again when we’re asked to fix paving. Our guide to common paving mistakes covers them in detail, but the short version is:

• A base that’s too shallow or not compacted properly, so pavers dip and rock.
• No fall, so water pools on the surface or sits underneath and softens the bedding.
• No edge restraints, so the outer pavers spread and the bedding sand washes out.
• Bedding that’s too thick or uneven, which settles unevenly over time.
• Pavers laid too tight, which chip at the edges.
• Ordering short on natural stone, then finding a second order doesn’t match the first because of batch variation.

These problems rarely show up on day one. They creep in over months, as shifting, cracking, pooling water and crumbling edges reveal what went wrong underneath.

Materials and patterns that need a professional

Some materials are far less forgiving than others.

Porcelain needs a clean, stable adhesive bed rather than a sand-set base, wet saw cutting to avoid chipped edges, and correct joint spacing for thermal movement. Done properly, it lasts decades. Done badly, it shows fast, which is why the installer matters more with porcelain than any other material.

Travertine laid on a dry sand bed rather than a full mortar bed can move, chip and sound hollow within a few years.

French pattern is the most labour-intensive of the common patterns. It needs careful planning at the design stage and all four paver sizes in stock at once.

Crazy paving means assessing, positioning and cutting every piece to fit its neighbours. That judgement is what separates a well-fitted job from one where the gaps are inconsistent and the surface looks haphazard.

DIY or professional: a quick guide

If you’re weighing up whether to fix what you’ve got, our article on repairing or replacing paving explains how we decide.

What you get when we do the job

We handle the full project in-house, from site preparation and excavation through to base compaction, paver installation and clean-up. Nothing gets passed to another crew. Mike quotes every job personally after a free on-site measure, so the ground, access and drainage are assessed before you get a price.

As preferred installers for Freo Stone, Eco Stone and Remastone, we have direct access to Perth’s main paver suppliers, and we can advise on the right material and thickness for how the area will be used. We supply the pavers, and they’re included in the quoted price. Most residential jobs take 1 to 3 days. You get a written quote upfront, and the price we quote is the price you pay. See the full range on our paving page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lay pavers straight onto sand?

We don’t recommend it. Perth sand doesn’t bind, so pavers need a compacted road base underneath. Driveways laid directly on sand without a proper road base will shift.

My DIY paving has started sinking. Can you fix it?

Often, yes. If the problem is in one area and the base is sound, a repair may be enough. If the base itself has failed or there’s no drainage, relaying is usually the better long-term fix. We’ll tell you which it is after we’ve looked.

How can I tell if paving was installed properly?

Pavers that sound hollow when tapped, rock underfoot or hold water after rain are all signs of a problem underneath. Correctly installed paving shouldn’t need structural attention for at least a decade.

Do you do small jobs?

Yes. We take on jobs of all sizes, from small courtyards and pathways through to large pool surrounds and driveways.

If you’re deciding between doing it yourself and getting it done, get in touch. We’ll come out for a free on-site measure, give you an honest view of what the job needs and provide a written quote.

Mike Tuhaka

Mike Tuhaka runs Perth Landscape Guys. He and his team design and build outdoor spaces right across Perth, from Currambine down to Mandurah, including paving, decking, retaining walls, artificial grass, lawn and reticulation. They are preferred installers for Freo Stone, Eco Stone and Remastone, and have worked on commercial projects for Murdoch University and Parsons Group. What customers mention most is Mike’s honest advice and the regular updates from the first plan to the final clean up.