Jigsaws aren't everyone's cup of tea, but supposing all the parts are numbered and laid out on a plan and all you have to do is fit it together? That's essentially what one of our clients recently did after we laser templated his entire build in a small London garden.

Laser templated garden

Our Project Estimators are a key part of many builds, and it's rather like having your own dedicated Project Manager at London Stone, especially where your project involves considerable intricacy. Our Estimators will follow your design from the moment you send in your drawings and instructions, and are quite likely to visit your site more-than once, making drawings, taking photos, measuring and, where required, laser templating.

Laser templating in action, London Stone 1

The client in this case, an artist and photographer, knew exactly what he wanted for this not-quite-square plot. Ryan Burge, part of our Estimating team says, “We produced everything; every single paver was cut, steps, side walls, on the higher patio. The client said he wanted lines that flowed throughout, so after laser templating I worked on the CAD drawings to ensure that happened.”

Using his specified Darleymoor Buff Yorkstone, we cut pieces to fit notches in the substrate that were already in place and also to fit with the drainage design. The client wanted paving slabs to be as large as possible, so we were able to advise him on optimum sizing to allow him to handle the pieces safely without damage to himself or the slabs.

All the client had to do on delivery was lay all the pieces together according to the numbering and the plan we sent him. No jigsaw has been easier to solve.

Laser templating in action, London Stone 2

Whilst having an entire project laser templated is fairly unusual, it is ideal where exact measurements are important throughout, and the speed of build is of the essence.

You can see the results of expert laser templating in the top picture, but it's not just useful for a complete build. Where curves, awkward corners or difficult level changes are involved, laser templating takes the anxiety out of getting it right, as we'll take full design responsibility for ensuring everything fits together as intended.

What surprises some is that laser templating can also save time and money over sending us plywood templates. The laser tends to be much more accurate over wood that's been shaped with a Stanley knife where a steady hand is needed. On top of this, because we use water when we cut the stone, wooden templates create difficulties with water absorption which distorts the shape, so we often laser template a wooden template in-house. “For the most part,” explains Ryan, “it's cheaper to go to the site and infinitely more accurate to use a laser template.”

If you'd like more information about our laser templating service, please get in touch via the Live Chat icon at the top of the page, phoning between 8.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, or by emailing info@londonstone.co.uk.