When an overlay is the right call
- The existing base is intact, firm and well compacted.
- There is no pattern of movement or cracking that keeps coming back.
- The falls still work and the surface still sits below the property's damp-proof course.
- There is enough height at the edges and thresholds for the new build-up.
- Drainage at the boundary is not made worse by the new level.
When it isn't
- Sunken or soft areas, or patch repairs that have failed more than once.
- Cracking that keeps reappearing in the same place.
- Levels that already run towards the house or garage.
- No real edge restraint holding the existing build-up.
- Ground that is soft, made up or contaminated.
Why we don't decide from a photograph
A surface can look fine and sit on a base that has already started to move. We check edges, tap and inspect for hollows, look at how water drains off and look at the thresholds. Only then can we say whether an overlay is honest, or whether a full reconstruction is the option that will still be right in ten years.
What it means for your price
Where an overlay is suitable it is the cheaper route, because excavation and new sub-base come out of the scope. If the assessment says otherwise, we tell you before you commit and price the reconstruction properly — we won't quote an overlay we wouldn't stand behind.