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I think a few guys have experienced this, possibly ground heave. I've had a Patio I laid 6 years ago do a similar thing. It's a difficult one, because if you followed all the correct guidelines for your install, what do you do?
After an incredibly wet winter and now a very hot summer, the ground has moved about. It's a natural occurrence, but if it continues, where do we stand with clients?
You got membrane under the hardcore?
I wouldn't put any less than 150mm to 200mm hardcore under on clay.
I've heard this is a problem this year. I haven't seen any effect sofar.
I've only done one patio with a step this year the sucker hasn't moved. Membrane 150mm hardcore, steps on 150mm concrete slab. Always best to over engineer in my opinion.
Not the patio, but the ground where I work has changed shape and developed dips and bumps across all the lawns. It's quite strange to walk on and not what I've been used to for the last 12 years.
The other issue this summer has been the surrounding fields - because of the ground drying out gaps are being created under fences which is allowing sheep in those fields to escape. Obviously it would make more sense to have decent hedges and lay them properly, but that hasn't happened so we've got regular sheep escapes instead.
This is in the high Cotswolds which has horrible soil, a thin layer of clay over limestone rubble. In a wet winter you could make plates with the stuff but it dries out at the drop of a hat.
A good idea to have a "Force Majeure" clause in your contract for such work. Just as nobody would expect a patio to withstand an earth quake of significant magnitude, nor a sink hole opening up beneath it, less exciting than such unexpected events, but the dry weather has caused enough movement in the earth's crust to damage the patios despite adequate preparation and foundations. Nobody's fault just a low level natural disaster
Happened this year on a patio I installed 4 years ago. Lifted two porcelain slabs 10mm but were still stuck solid to mortar and the mot stone base. The base was 200mm and rolled with a sit on bomag roller with Terram membrane underneath the mot. 500sqm patio hence the roller, client took a interest in everything that was done at the time so when he called me he started the conversation off saying he knew it couldn't be a fault with our workmanship
Some Huge conifers are very close by as well which obviously wouldn't have helped. We are on clay here as well
Nothing here, liability wise will simply come down to what is stated on your invoice/quote, I always put any problems must be notified within 2 months of completion, if you don't have anything like that it's a bit of an open goal I'm afraid. There will probably be legislation if you have a look online