Moving our Operation

It’s out with the old and in with the new here at London Stone Paving Ltd.  We have outgrown our current location, and are in the process of packing up our things and moving on.  The new site is four miles away, and is a larger and much more useful space.  We also have more covered storage, and are currently constructing the saw sheds for our masons. The new site will bring massive efficiency savings through the improved site layout, and will result in a safer, cleaner and more pleasant working environment for our employees. We also envisage the relocation will contribute to the continual improvement of the business, including our customer service levels and the quality of products supplied.  We are also investing in some new machinery to cope with increasing demand for our busy stone masonry department and in particular the demand for yorkstone paving we are experiencing.

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Seeking people with experience of natural stone paving

London Stone Paving Ltd is on the lookout for some new staff to help support our fast growing business.  We currently have 20 employees and are looking for some additional people with specific experience of the industry to bolster our workforce, and deal with increasing demand.  The following positions are available to begin work in late March.

Sales Advisor:  The candidate should have a proven track record in Hard Landscaping, with extensive experience of installation of natural stone paving.  We believe it essential for all employees to have the knowledge to answer any questions our customers may have.   This helps to maintain high customer service levels and certainly adds a great deal of value to the service we provide.

Estimator:  The main role of the estimator will be the management of large projects featuring bespoke stone for our prestigious clients.  In depth knowledge of both interior and exterior stones will be required, along with a high level of technical and installation experience.

Stone Mason/fabricator:  To join our busy masonry department, experience with bridge saws, edge polishers and CNC machinery would be advantageous.  Main duties will be cutting paving stones, bespoke step treads and risers along with producing a variety of coping stones and pier caps.

Outgoing Sales:  To drive new business, create and manage leads and manage existing leads.  Correct candidate will have appropriate industry experience and contacts and also be highly motivated and target driven.  Will need to be able to work under own initiative.

If you are interested in any of the above positions please contact gavin@londonstone.com and include a CV and covering letter, clearly stating which position you are interested in applying for.

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Yorkstone Paving is still a firm favourite

Over time as tastes change fashions come and go.  This is also true of exterior design style and paving choice.  I remember the concrete flags, commonly known as council flags.  Big grey heavy things, which were back breakers, I should know as I have laid a few in my time; though my back survived.  Then there was the imitation natural stone paving made from concrete moulds.  What people really wanted was the natural stone paving the slabs were based on, however high costs ensured these products were the preserve of the wealthy.  As globalisation reduced the cost of the imported natural sandstone paving, the popularity of these products grew from strength to strength, and reigned supreme for a good ten years.  The must have products of the moment, which have come on strongly in the last five years are sawn paving products, which perfectly complement the clean contemporary designs which are popular at the moment.   One product which has seen all these styles come and go is Yorkstone Paving.  Available in both natural split and sawn finishes, the strong demand we experience for these products is testament to their staying power.  Reclaimed Yorkstone Paving is also a great seller.  This can be very tricky to lay, due to the varying thickness of the stones, but a great finish can be achieved by using a good contractor.

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The benefits of Slate Paving

If you are looking for a low maintenance patio, Slate paving is a really good choice.  Due to the low porosity of the stone you will not have too much trouble keeping the slate looking like new.  Most dirt will simply wash off in the rain, but should you require anything harsher a light jet wash will normally do the trick.  The slate supplied by London Stone Paving Ltd is high quality, as with all our stones.  We never source our materials based on price, quality can vary significantly from quarry to quarry and like most things in life, you get what you pay for.  Another positive regarding slate is its versatility.  Slate will look at home in a super contemporary garden and is also comfortable in a more traditional design setting.  The riven surface will lend itself to traditional whereas the sawn edges will deliver when a contemporary feel is required.  If you are looking for a natural stone you will not have to be too precious about, you could do a lot worse than slate.

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Price freeze on all paving slabs

London Stone Paving Ltd is pleased to announce there will be a freeze on prices of our paving slabs for 2012.  We are committed to providing high quality products at competitive prices to our valued customers.  As part of that commitment, our aim is to keep prices as low as possible without affecting the quality of goods and service standards.  We would also like to wish all existing and new customers a happy and prosperous new year.  Throughout 2012 we will continue to increase the range of products on offer, as always seeking new and exciting products to keep our business relevant.  Popular again this year will be large format rectangles in sawn limestone and sandstone as the clean lines are still in high demand.  I would also predict an increase in demand for mid-range products, such as the new hand cut sandstone paving with sawn edges, Crema sandstone, and tumbled sandstone pavers, and of course bespoke stone products, such as step treads and coping stones, which can make the difference between a good finish and a great finish.

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Recycling Waste Material

Here at London Stone we are concerned with the environment, and our impact on the environment.  As part of our latest commitment to operating in a responsible manner we have recently purchased a concrete crushing machine.  The Bespoke Stone aspect of our business is rapidly expanding and creates a large amount of off cuts and stone waste.  Until now this has been removed from site in skips, potentially ending up in landfill sites.  In future all of our waste stone will be crushed to create sub base material which we will supply to customers for use in building up levels, patio bases and back fill.

Other measures used by London Stone to keep use of resources as low as possible are the recycling of all cutting water used in our stone masonry department, recycling of all office waste, email invoicing, and also high levels of good quality insulation in our office and showroom.

Soon to be implemented will be hand held devices for all staff, to vastly reduce paper printed such as pick notes and advice notes, rain water collection and re-use at our depot and the use of modern energy efficient machines and delivery vehicles.  London Stone are fiercely committed to the future of the environment.

Other measures used by London Stone to keep use of resources as low as possible are the recyling of all cutting water used in our stone masonry department, recycling of all office waste, email invoicing, and also high levels of good quality insulation in our office and showroom.

Soon to be implemented will be hand held devices for all staff, to vastly reduce paper printed such as pick notes and advice notes, rain water collection and re-use at our depot and the use of modern energy efficient machines and delivery vehicles.  London Stone are fiercly commited to the future of the environment.

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Sealing stone in bad weather

As the cold nights draw in and damp winter conditions take hold one persistent problem I used to experience in my contracting days was the sealing of sawn paving.  We would complete a project with only the sealing of the paving remaining before we leave site, and get paid for the work carried out.   Ok, all we need now is for the paving to dry out…..  The only problem was, in some gardens (especially north facing) this was not likely to happen until the following spring.  Following manufacturer’s guidelines, stone paving should be bone dry prior to application of sealants and furthermore be likely to stay dry for up to 24 hours, depending upon the brand used.  I would always recommend pre warning customers that sealing may not be possible until the following spring.  With most materials this will not pose a problem as the correct cleaning products will normally result in bringing paving back to pristine condition.  Lithofin produce a number of good cleaners which can vary a variety of stains and deal with problems such as algae, remember to seek expert guidance prior to using any chemicals with natural stone, and please please please NEVER use any acid based cleaners with limestone, it simply will not be pretty.

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Crema Sandstone COMING SOON!!

We have now ordered our first batch of crema sandstone paving.  This is a new product for 2012 and we are not aware of anybody else in the UK who currently stocks this product.  It is expected to be a very popular addition to the range.  The CREMA sandstone will be a very light sandstone paver, natural split but very flat for a riven sandstone, and come with sawn edges.  The paving will be calibrated to 25mm, not 21mm like some of our competitors!!

This will fill a gap in our range and will nestle in between the ultra contemporary six side sawn paving products and the traditional hand cut sandstone paving, slate paving and limestone paving we are currently supplying.  The pricing will also be somewhere in the middle of the two.  We also expect this to be a popular product with garden designers, who are always on the lookout for new and fresh products to incorporate in their designs.

London Stone Paving Ltd has also begun our first newsletter; this includes special offers, product reviews, news events and a chance to win some prizes.  If you would like to subscribe please email duncan@londonstonepaving.co.uk

 

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Bespoke Stone

Despite the general doom and gloom in the economy London Stone have experienced an eighty percent increase in sales this year, and have seen significant increases in the bespoke stone revenue and interior stone tiles revenue.  As part of our commitment to the continued improvement of the quality of work produced, we have recently employed a production manager.

With the bespoke stone element there are potential pitfalls and problems which can arise without the correct management, one potential pitfall being stone selection.  Stone selection is important for two reasons, the primary reason would be for quality.  For example, when producing paving stones from Yorkstone Paving it would be generally acceptable to have more variation between the different stones, and also more veining and iron deposits etc.  When selecting stones for Yorkstone step treads, care has to be taken to ensure all the treads will tie in and are as close in colour to each other as possible.  If a job consisted of five step treads and risers, if one of the step treads does not complement the remaining stones the whole job would be spoilt.

The other consideration is to maximise the number of pieces of stones cut from the scant.  Scant is the form in which we receive the stone.  To simplify, boulders are quarried and then sliced on a gang saw.  The result is a stack of scant, which is sheets of stone with irregular edges, shapes and sizes.  We will need to get as much product as possible, if poor selection is made, the end result will be low volumes of finished paving stones, step treads or risers, and large amounts of waste.

Although natural stone and bespoke stone can be problematic, as long as the correct procedures are followed, and the right people are employed, the problems can be navigated, and the end results can be simply stunning.

 

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New Tumbled Products

Due to the popularity of the tumbled raj green sandstone paving and the tumbled mint sandstone paving, London Stone Paving Ltd have decided to increase the range of tumbled sandstones on offer.  London Stone Paving Ltd will be taking delivery of the new products in 2-4 weeks and will soon be adding those to the showroom display in Staines.  The new colours will be tumbled kandla grey, which is the tumbled version of the currently stocked handcut kandla grey sandstone paving, and tumbled black sandstone.  Both products have been vibrated to give the aged and worn look which is known as tumbling.  The products will be available in project packs only, unlike the rest of the whole range offered; we simply don’t have the space to store the stock of the individual sizes.  We also have some more fresh and new products coming to bolster the already extensive exterior range including sawn English limestone, white sandstone and some other TBC products.  Keep checking the blog for further updates.

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