Sunken pavers, tree-root lifting, trip hazards and broken pavers fixed properly. We find the cause, rebuild the base and re-lay your existing pavers wherever they can be saved.
Reply the same day (Mon–Sat) · Free site visit · Written fixed price
Most calls we get about old paving come down to the same handful of problems. A section has sunk and holds water after rain. A path has been pushed up by a tree root and someone has tripped on it. The driveway has a dip where the car turns every day. A few pavers are cracked, the joints are full of weeds, or the edges are slowly spreading into the garden. The good news is that most of this can be repaired without ripping out the whole area — as long as the cause underneath is fixed too.
Pavers sink when the ground underneath moves or washes away. The usual reasons are a thin or poorly compacted base, water getting in from a downpipe, tap or cracked pipe, or reactive clay soil shrinking in a dry summer and swelling in a wet winter. We lift the sunken section, dig out the soft material, rebuild the base with compacted crushed rock and screed new bedding to the right level. Then the same pavers go back down in the original pattern, are compacted and re-sanded. If water caused the problem, we fix the water first — otherwise the dip simply comes back.
Roots lift paving slowly until a path becomes a trip hazard or a driveway edge starts to crack. Before cutting anything we check the tree: how big the root is, how close it is to the trunk and whether the tree is protected by your council. Removing a large root can harm or kill a tree, and some councils need a permit first. Depending on the tree, the fix may be pruning a smaller root, adding a root barrier, re-routing the path slightly, or re-laying the pavers on a deeper base so they sit level again. If a tree will keep lifting the paving whatever we do, we'll tell you honestly and give you options.
A lip of a centimetre or two is enough to catch a foot, especially for kids and older family members. On front paths, entries and steps we re-level the whole run so every paver sits flush with its neighbours and the path has a gentle fall to drain. Where a path meets a step, a garage slab or a driveway, we match the levels so there's no edge to trip on. For landlords and property managers, fixing trip hazards early is cheaper than dealing with an injury claim.
A few broken pavers can usually be swapped out without touching the rest. We cut out the damaged pavers, check the bedding underneath, and fit replacements. Where your pavers are still made we match them exactly; where they're discontinued we find the closest new or recycled paver, or borrow matching pavers from a hidden spot — under a water tank or behind a shed — and put the new ones there instead. If many pavers are cracking across the whole area, that points to a base problem, and re-laying is the better repair.
Joints hold the pavers together. When the jointing sand washes out, weeds and ants move in and the pavers start to rock and shift. We clean out the joints, treat the weeds, sweep in fresh jointing sand and compact the surface so the pavers lock together again. On patios and courtyards, a polymeric jointing sand that sets firm can help keep weeds and ants out for longer. Re-sanding is often done together with a clean and seal of the paving.
Water is behind most failed paving. A downpipe that empties onto the pavers, a driveway that falls toward the garage, or a courtyard with nowhere for rain to go will keep undermining the base. As part of a repair we can reset the falls so water runs away from the house, add a grated strip drain across a garage entry or a pit in a low courtyard, and redirect downpipes. Connections to the stormwater system are regulated plumbing work in Victoria, so they're completed by a registered plumber.
See our drainage and stormwater page for more detail.
Usually not. If the pavers themselves are sound, re-laying them on a new base is the best value, because you're only paying for labour and base materials, not new pavers. It also keeps the look of your house and garden. Replacing everything makes more sense when most of the pavers are cracked, badly worn or discontinued, when the whole area has failed, or when you want a new look anyway. On the site visit we'll show you both options and tell you which one we'd choose if it were our own house.
Driveways take the most punishment: cars turning on the same spot, trailers on the edges and water running down from the street or the garage. Dips usually appear where tyres turn or where the original base was too thin. We rebuild those sections with a deeper, vehicle-rated base and firm edge restraints, then re-lay the pavers so the repair blends in with the rest of the driveway.
| Item | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Re-laying existing pavers on a rebuilt base | $90–$150/m² |
| New pavers where needed | From $140/m² |
| Removing old pavers or asphalt | $20–$45/m² |
| Joint re-sanding and weed treatment | Quoted per job |
| Drainage fixes during the repair | Quote after site visit |
| Minimum job | $1,000 |
Prices include GST and are a guide based on recent Melbourne jobs. Final price depends on access, excavation, drainage and material. Every job gets a free written fixed-price quote after a site visit — or send photos to 0406 170 544 for a quick estimate.
See the full price list for new paving, or compare with brick paving and driveway paving.
Keep the joints topped up with paving sand, send downpipes into a drain rather than onto the pavers, and deal with weeds early. On driveways, avoid parking heavy trailers on the edges. If you see a small dip starting, get it looked at early — a small repair costs far less than a large one.
We repair paving across Melbourne's east, inner east, south-east and bayside — including Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley, Oakleigh, Box Hill, Kew, Camberwell, Brighton and Hampton. Antonio quotes, plans and manages every job and checks the work on site; the work is done by his trusted team of experienced tradespeople. Every repair comes with a 1-year workmanship warranty.
It depends on the job. Stone laid on a mortar bed — crazy paving, and bluestone or travertine around pools and patios — usually gets grouted joints, which are firm and easy to keep clean. Pavers laid on a compacted sand and crushed-rock base, like brick and concrete pavers on driveways and paths, get polymeric sand, which sets firm, stays slightly flexible and helps keep weeds and ants out. We recommend the right one for your area on the site visit.
Re-laying existing pavers on a rebuilt base costs about $90–$150/m² including GST, depending on access, how deep the base needs to go and whether drainage needs fixing. Our minimum job is $1,000. Text photos to 0406 170 544 for a quick price range.
Usually because the base underneath was too thin or poorly compacted, water is getting in from a downpipe, tap or broken pipe, or reactive clay soil is moving. Tree roots and missing edge restraints also let pavers move. We fix the cause, not just the surface.
Yes. We check the tree first — some trees are protected and large roots can't be cut without harming the tree or getting a council permit. Then we prune smaller roots, add a root barrier or re-route the path, and re-lay the pavers on a deeper base.
Usually not. If the pavers are sound we lift and re-lay them on a new base, which costs much less than new paving and keeps the original look. Replacement only makes sense when most pavers are cracked, worn or discontinued.
From our base in Notting Hill we work across Melbourne's east, inner east, south-east & bayside.
⭐ 5.0 Google · 70 reviews · $20M insured · 1‑year workmanship warranty
Antonio completed our bluestone paving in Hampton and the result is outstanding. The levels, drainage and finishing details are flawless. Highly recommended for high-end paving.
We had a fairly complicated drainage issue on the site, but Antonio came up with a solution and executed it perfectly. The workmanship was top quality, and there were no unexpected surprises along the way.
Antonio runs a very professional small business. Friendly, punctual and hard working. Built 2 retaining walls and remodelled our driveway paving. Would use Antonio's service again.
Antonio and his colleague did a great job with our backyard brick laying. Easy to deal with, on time and professional.
Antonio just completed some brick paving alongside our front fence. The paving looks fabulous and was completed in 2 days. He was reliable and the work was completed to a high standard.
Antonio cleared out our small backyard, laid some pavers and built a step around our existing deck. He was quick to respond, well priced, and was happy to change and vary the scope of works as needed.
Send a few details and photos — Antonio will reply the same day (Mon–Sat).
