Prime
The pros and cons of paving your compound
A paved compound. Depending on one’s preference, paving stones can be a great addition or a deal breaker. Photo by Ismail Kezaala.
What you need to know:
Paving stones, also called pavers, add a decorative element to the landscape, lending a feeling of stability. However, pavers are not without disadvantages.
I accompanied a friend of mine on a house-hunting spree recently; together with Jose our guide better known as a house broker we visited three houses. Although all the houses were beautifully done, in a good neighbourhood and well secured by a perimeter wall, my friend rejected them. Why? Because their entire compounds were paved.
Not good for children
Jimmy Sembatya my friend said “I could not take any of the houses because I have children and with children around, the paved compound is dangerous for them, because as they play they keep falling down and could get hurt.” But why do people usually pave their compounds?
They keep the home clean
Stella Nakawombe a land lady says “pavers make the compound look beautiful and keep dust away”. “They also do not need full time attention like grass which you have to keep slashing” she says. “Cleaning pavers is easy, you just need to get a good broom and someone to sweep and may be once in a while someone to scrub the paves” Nakawombe adds.
She says she decided to use pavers for her apartments because she did not want her tenants to be disturbed by rats, insects, flies or snakes and other reptiles that live and hide in grass. “People who can afford to rent my apartments have cars so if they keep driving in and out of the compound especially in the rain season the ground on which the grass grows becomes soggy and muddy making the whole place ugly,” Nakawombe says.
They retain heat
But Vincent Semogerere a land lord and a construction engineer disagrees “pavers are good and beautiful but they retain a lot of heat especially during the dry season” he says. He adds that this heat is usually let off in the night when people are their houses which makes the house hotter.
They aid flooding
“They do not only let off heat but during the rain season if the house has not proper drainage the pavers may lead to a flood because the water does not sink into the ground but run off and if it does not have a proper way out it builds up and may either bring down the perimeter walls, weaken the house or fill the compound,” Semogerere says.
Could be dangerous
He adds that “some builders do not know how to lay the pavers and do not want to admit so they end up doing a shoddy job, that is why when you visit some places you find the pavers are undulating which is dangerous to people especially visitors who may fall down.” Eng. Semogerere says badly laid pavers also hold water which may be a source of bad smell, mosquitoes and fungi.
Where to lay pavers
It’s not doom and gloom for the pavers, Semogerere advises that pavers could be laid at the gate and along the drive way, he also says a fraction of the compound could be paved like the parking area if there is not garage, a place for sitting or holding parties and the other left green.
Expensive
Titus Walusimbi says he can not use pavers in his compound because they are very expensive.
Beautiful
Miriam Asimwe says pavers are very beautiful, easy to clean, easy to walk on and they last long, it’s a one off expense.
The prices vary according to manufacturer, quantity bought and quality.
At the end of the day, it depends on one’s tastes and preferences
