Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about stone paving or flooring? You might just find the answer right here amongst our FAQs. However, if you can't find the solution to your query, feel free to drop us a message on our Live Chat!
Pre Purchase
Porcelain - This is a great option for low maintenance paving and flooring. The product is water resistant and extremely durable. Porcelain is made from a mixture of sand, clay and minerals heated to a temperature of 1400 degrees, producing a strong resilient material with a scratch free, non-slip surface that retains its colour. Porcelain is completely consistent in style and colour within each tile and from tile to tile so is ideal for those that prefer a uniform finish.
Concrete - This is a popular and often cheaper alternative to natural stone. A manmade product, the concrete is cast in moulds specially designed to be as natural as possible, producing top quality paving and flooring. These products are consistent in size and depth, making it very easy to lay. Reproduction paving comes in a large range of sizes, textures and colours to suit all design requirements. It is strong, durable and frost resistant.
Granite - This aesthetically pleasing natural material is one of the hardest substances in the world and makes it a great product for heavy traffic areas. Granite is resistant to scratching, chipping and staining. It is heat resistant so is ideal for use with a bbq or fire-pit. It also has a safe, slip resistant surface. We recommend a sealant is applied but otherwise maintenance is very low. Granite will give your garden a contemporary finish.
Natural Stone - Each natural stone product is unique, providing a wide variation in texture, size and tone from piece to piece. Natural stone is strong, durable and resistant to all weather conditions for a very natural looking finish. Natural stone will require some annual maintenance to keep it in tip top condition.
Limestone - This is one of the most eco-friendly/renewable products available, it is extremely diverse and offers a great choice of colours and styles for paving or flooring. Limestone is naturally non-slip so can be used in kitchens, bathrooms and wet areas within the garden such as ponds and swimming pools.
Sandstone - This is the perfect product if you like natural colour variations. Sandstone is one of the most common types of sedimentary rock and can be bought in smooth and riven variations. Sandstone provides an eye-catching natural effect but please be aware it can be slippery underfoot. As interior flooring sandstone requires sealing to prevent staining.
Slate - A popular choice for indoors and out, slate creates an attractive, unique finish that is low maintenance and naturally non-slip. Suitable for use with underfloor heating, slate requires a sealant to provide protection to interior flooring. Externally slate is durable and provides a contemporary edge.
Our paving products are designed for outdoors. Flooring products are perfect for use within your home. However, many of our paving products can be sealed to provide stunning interior flooring and are ideal for those planning an indoor/outdoor design perhaps for use with bi-fold or sliding doors.
We aim to represent each product as authentically as possible. However, if the product is wet or in different lighting, it can change the appearance in our imagery, different screens or devices can also impact how imagery appears. We have tried to provide images that are as close a representation as possible, however if you are unsure we recommend you order a sample before purchasing.
As natural stone products are quarried from the ground, they have natural variation which you’d expect to see from rock and stone that has formed over thousands of years. If you prefer more uniform colours, manmade concrete or porcelain products will be more suitable for your needs because these products are manufactured, so colour variations can be controlled and many of the manufacturers produce products which are very consistent in colour to meet the needs and wants of the marketplace.
Whilst we try to keep our stock levels managed as accurately as possible, we deal with hundreds of products from various suppliers. Sometimes stocks from suppliers can be depleted before we can update our system, if a product is ordered and it’s not immediately available we will call you with the options of a full refund, a suggestion for a similar product we can supply, or the option to wait with an extended lead time.
Please sign up to our ‘Email Me When Back in Stock’ option. You will get an automatic email notification when your product arrives back in stock.
As the products we sell at paving and flooring are from leading UK brands all of the products go through rigorous tensile, flexion and absorption tests to ensure they are fit for purpose and can withstand the elements they’ll be exposed to.
We always recommend that you allow 10% extra in case of breakages or damage whilst laying the product on site. It is normal to receive a couple of breakages in a pack and we suggest keeping these to one side to use for cuts. It is also normal to break the odd slab or tile whilst laying, or cutting one or two incorrectly.
We can offer split packs on some products from some of our manufacturers. However, not all of our suppliers offer this service. Please be aware that we don’t offer Returns on split packs as a split pack is produced to order.
The Ethical Trading Initiative is something we feel very strongly about at Paving + Flooring. We follow all of the base guidelines as listed below to ensure we are a diverse, fair and caring company.
ETI Base Code:
- Employment is freely chosen
- Freedom of association
- Working conditions are safe and hygienic
- Child labour shall not be used
- Living wages are paid
- Working hours are not excessive
- No discrimination is practiced
- Regular employment is provided
- No harsh or inhuman treatment is allowed
We make it our mission to only work with manufacturers who have the same strong ethical belief as us and follow strict guidelines set by The Ethical Trading Initiative.
We believe buying a branded paving product ensures the quality standard for installation in your home or garden. There are many unknown sourced paving and flooring products available at giveaway price but these often won’t withstand the harsh UK winters we experience due to high water absorption rates, which will cause lifting and cracking. All of our brands ensure replacements for defective product that can occasionally unknowingly be packed into the crates during manufacture.
Delivery
The price of delivery has been factored into the cost of the products listed throughout the website, delivery is therefore Free for most of mainland England except for some postcodes which cost more to deliver to due to their location. Details of postcodes with surcharges can be found on our delivery information page and will be automatically applied at the checkout
Most products are available on standard delivery which takes 3-5 working days, however in our present times of uncertainty these lead times may be extended. Once you have ordered, we will contact you confirming when your delivery is on its way.
If we have any issues with your order, or if for any reason there is an unforeseen delay, we will get in contact with you.
Your order will arrive between the hours of 8am - 6pm, unfortunately we cannot guarantee an exact time as it depends on the delivery schedule of our courier partners.
If you would like to book your delivery for a specific date or time, please see our Additional delivery costs for Saturday Deliveries, Express Deliveries and Timed Deliveries (AM or PM), at the checkout.
Details of these surcharges can also be found on our delivery information page.
We will endeavour to supply all of your order in one drop, however if you’ve ordered multiple products from different suppliers on our website they may be dropped separately, but we will try to ensure they arrive on the same day.
Typically deliveries will be made on 18 tonne tail lift vehicles, 7.5 tonne vehicles are available upon request in some areas. Below is an example of a typical 18 tonne vehicle (these can sometimes be slightly longer in length).
Please make us aware if lorry access to your property may be difficult i.e delivery point is on a hill or steep incline, tight access for vehicles, dead end road with no turning point etc.
As the delivery is a ‘kerbside’ delivery we would recommend ensuring that someone is on site to be able to take delivery of your order and move them to a suitable position on your property.
Courier drivers are not obliged to deliver into your property. Deliveries are made by a pallet carrier system and are known as ‘kerbside’ deliveries. If you are at the property when delivery takes place and are able to help or lend a hand, the drivers are usually quite helpful and may help you to pull the products closer to the property, but please be aware they are only obliged to deliver ‘kerbside’.
Returns
I don’t like my order, can I return it?
We offer a refund on Full Packs only. Returns must be in a saleable condition in the original packaging they were delivered in. Returns will be inspected for breakages and damage before a refund is offered.
All returns must be received within 14 days of the initial delivery date and you will be liable for any return delivery costs. Unfortunately we are unable to offer returns on split packs.
Please order a sample before ordering to ensure you are happy with the product. We encourage customers to do as much research as possible before ordering to ensure the product is correct.
If you require further assistance in making your selection, please contact us.
The product I have ordered is damaged, what can I do?
All breakages must be reported within 72 hours of receiving the goods accompanied by photographic evidence, a list of what is broken and the batch number from the crate or pallet.
We will send out replacements for the broken products, although our innovative stacking system ensures this happens very rarely.
Samples
Samples can be ordered online for £2.99. Just head over to the product you’re interested in and click the ‘Order Sample’ button to proceed.
We charge just £2.99 for samples, we all tend to get carried away when things are free so we’ve applied this charge in hope that our customers will narrow their sample requests down to a few they really like rather than a dozen.
Samples are non-refundable. The reason we recommend buying a sample is for the exact reason that you may decide the product is not for you and want to choose another. However, if in the unlikely event your sample arrives damaged please get in touch including a photograph of your sample order and we can send out a single replacement.
Payment & Prices
Our website defaults to display prices including VAT, you can toggle to see the prices excluding VAT in the top left corner of the website.
We love helping to support our trade customers and offer the following incentives to work with us:
- Bulk discounts (on orders over 100m2)
- Dedicated help and advice
- Quick delivery timescales
- 30-day payment terms upon application
- Social media support, Case Studies and Blogs
Unfortunately, we cannot offer trade discounts as we aim to keep our prices low for everyone
We accept the following:
- Card payment via Stripe
- Buy now pay later and slice it in 3 by Klarna
- Classic retail finance from Divido
For details about our finance options please see our retail finance page.