Fixing up outdoor pavers and installing outdoor lights

Question

I'm looking at a project which may or may not be doable for someone who isn't a licensed electrician.

Due to movement in the house (before we moved in) pavers outside have moved and cracked. The water issue which caused the movement has been rectified, but the last pavers are now raised in this area, and some have cracked.

I was thinking of having the last portion of pavers closest to the grass replaced with concrete. This would need to be approximately 6 metres long, 30 centimetres wide, and approximately 2 cm deep. I've attached a picture of the area, including what it looks like with one of the pavers raised.

Additionally, I'd like 5 lights installed in the concrete, facing the grass. This is mainly for aesthetic reasons. There is a power supply close to the pavers. I would assume I would need to take some of the pavers up and create a channel through this.

I'm also about to fix up my alfresco deck and was hoping to install similar lights facing out of them - that is, horizontally.

Should I get an electrician to create a dedicated switch and help in installing any of these lights? Or is this something I can do myself?

Also - with the concreting, is this something which can be done myself, or is it better to have someone do this properly for me?

Any assistance would be welcome. Thanks.

CSParnell · Answer

@Benny3

Hey mate if you are installing Extra Low Voltage which I 100% advise you do like Holman outdoor lights the. You do not need a licensed electrician.

If you do not want to change that outdoor power point over then you can get Wifi or Bluetooth control boxes for them that will allow you to set timers on On/Off of the lights.

If you need an extra power point then yes a licensed electrical contractor needs to swap that over from a single to double outlet

https://www.bunnings.com.au/brands/h/holman

What I would advise is use conduit under the concrete to each recessed light and even use a conduit elbow the correct size so that the recessed light sits in it, this is future proofing if a single light fails you can remove and pull the new cable in. Let me know if you need to explain this further.

J-P · Answer

@Benny3 - my personal preference would be shave off few mm of the existing pavers and put them back. Concreting might have to finish clean to sit plush with the pavers. Lighting as Jacob can be done with DIY options - Holmans deck lights are best DIY choice. I have them in my front stairs/retaining wall and they look gorgeous

JacobZ · Answer

Hi @Benny3,

It’s definitely a doable project overall, but there are a couple of issues.

First, 2 cm of concrete is very thin. At that depth it’s quite likely to crack over time, especially in an area that has already experienced movement. Normally you’d want a thicker pour with a properly prepared base to give it some longevity. You could reduce the possibility of cracking by installing reinforcement and tying it into the existing concrete, however this would cause issues with the lighting.

On the lighting side, there are 12V outdoor lighting systems available, which are more DIY friendly. However, most in ground or recessed lights are deeper than 2 cm, so they won’t sit flush in that slab as is. You’d need to recess the concrete below the surface level to accommodate the fittings, which adds complexity.

Even though there’s a nearby power source, I’d strongly recommend getting an electrician involved for the lighting. They can set up a proper dedicated circuit or transformer, ensure everything is compliant, and install it safely, taking into account the clearance issues I mentioned above.

As for the concreting, it’s something you could do yourself, but given the shallow depth and the prep required to avoid cracking, it may not last very long if not done properly. A concreter would be able to advise on a better thickness or alternative approach that holds up over time.

Realistically, I don't think it would be the best approach with things in their current state, so I think we need to reevaluate a little bit. I note that the image with the lifted paver shows soil at the back of the paver, so the concrete at the front is only relatively narrow. If you were to cut out and remove that concrete, then replace it with a thicker concrete strip up to the desired height, it would be much more durable long-term.

Looking at the patio, do you think this might be possible?

Allow me to tag @Nailbag, @TedBear, @CSParnell and @J-P to see if they have any thoughts.

Jacob