Tired patio joints repointed instead of the slabs being ripped up

The job

What needed doing

The mortar between the patio slabs had started crumbling and washing out, and a few block-paved edges had gone loose underfoot. The customer had been quoted for a full new patio elsewhere and wanted an honest view on whether the existing slabs were actually sound. They were happy to restore rather than replace if the base was still solid.

The patio looked tidy again and the joints were solid underfoot, and the customer avoided the cost and upheaval of lifting slabs that were still perfectly good. They were told which spots to keep an eye on over the next year.