What are the two options in one sentence each?
Labour only means we lay and finish the pavers, while the materials and the base come from you or another trade. Turnkey means we supply the materials and build the full structure, from the compacted aggregate to the sanded joints, including kerbs. The first is a service; the second is a finished surface.
In numbers, labour only is 16 € per m² plus IVA and covers laying, levelling, jointing and compaction; kerbs are priced separately. Turnkey is 84 € per m² plus IVA up to 150 m² and includes zahorra, soil-cement, 10×20×6 cm concrete pavers, gravel bed, kerbs and documentation. Both are explained on block paving cost per m². The rest of this article is about which one fits your case.
Situation one: a new-build villa with a prepared base?
Here labour only is usually the natural choice. When a builder has finished a new house, the ground around it is often already excavated, filled and compacted as part of the main construction, sometimes with a concrete slab in place. If that base is at the right level and has the falls needed for water, paying for it again would be wasteful.
The key is to confirm that the base really is ready. We check level, compaction and falls before laying. If a corner is soft or the falls lead water towards the house, that is pointed out and priced as a separate correction. The owner or the builder then decides whether to fix it or have us do it.
If the pavers have already been bought by the builder or the owner, labour only becomes even more logical. Make sure the quantity includes a margin for cuts, and that kerbs have been ordered too, because without them the edges cannot be closed.
Situation two: a holiday home managed from abroad?
Turnkey is almost always simpler. An owner who spends a few months a year on the coast cannot easily receive a lorry of pavers, check the delivery note, count pallets and store material safely. With turnkey, ordering and receiving materials is part of our job, and you deal with one quote and one invoice.
It also removes the question of responsibility. If supplied material is short or inconsistent, a labour-only job can stall while someone sorts it out, and nobody is quite sure who should. With turnkey, the contractor answers for both the material and the work. Photo updates during the job let you follow progress without being there.
Most holiday homes with an old gravel drive or a cracked concrete parking area also need the existing surface removed and a new base built. That is turnkey territory by definition, plus separate lines for demolition and rubble, as explained in what pushes the price up.
Situation three: extending an existing paved area?
This one depends on whether you still have matching pavers. Owners sometimes keep pallets left over from the original job, or find that the original model is still available. In that case labour only plus the base work for the new area is a sensible combination, because the visual match matters more than the price difference.
If no matching pavers are available, turnkey with the standard block may give a visible contrast between old and new. Some owners accept that, or deliberately choose a contrasting border. Others decide to renovate the whole surface afterwards so the colour is uniform; a surface renovation is priced at 15 € per m² plus IVA on the restoration cost page.
Whichever route you take, mark on a sketch where the old surface ends and the new one begins. The joint between the two is where levels most often disagree, and it deserves a line of its own in the quote.
Situation four: a community of owners?
Communities can go either way. A large community that has negotiated a bulk purchase of material, or whose architect specifies a particular product, may prefer labour only. A community that simply wants a car park or shared path repaved will usually find turnkey easier to approve, because the owners' meeting votes on one complete figure.
In both cases, work on common elements needs a resolution of the owners' meeting under the Horizontal Property Law, and the community administrator is the person to confirm which majority a given job requires. Above 150 m², which is common for community areas, the turnkey rate is studied individually for a discount without a fixed published figure.
Which questions decide it for me?
Four questions settle most cases. Answer them honestly and the right rate usually becomes obvious; if the answers are mixed, a quote can combine both, for example labour only on a prepared area and turnkey on a new extension. Few cases need more than these.
- Is there already a sound, compacted base at the right level, with falls for water?
- Do you already own the pavers and kerbs, or have a strong reason to choose them yourself?
- Can someone you trust receive, check and store material deliveries on site?
- Do you want one contractor to answer for both material and workmanship?
Three yes answers to the first three questions point to labour only. A yes to the last question, or a no to the first, points to turnkey. The guide labour only or turnkey in detail adds worked examples for different areas.
How do I get both options priced?
Ask for both in the same quote. With photos and the approximate area, we can price the labour-only version with the base and materials listed as separate lines, and the turnkey version as a single rate per m² with its own extras. Seeing them side by side, with IVA shown separately, usually makes the decision easy. You can also enter your area into the paving calculator for a rounded band before asking. When you are ready, send us a photo and the approximate m² – free, no-obligation quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is labour only cheaper than turnkey?
The labour line is lower, at 16 € per m² plus IVA against 84 € for turnkey, but labour only excludes the pavers, base layers and kerbs. Once you add those costs, plus transport and storage, the difference narrows considerably.
Can I mix labour only and turnkey in one job?
Yes. A quote can price a prepared area on labour only and a new area on turnkey, each with its own lines. This is common when extending an existing drive or when part of a new build already has a finished base.
Who checks the base on a labour-only job?
We check level, compaction and falls before laying. If anything is wrong, it is pointed out and priced as a separate correction. The decision to fix it, and by whom, is then yours or your builder's.
Is turnkey better for owners who live abroad?
Usually yes, because it removes the need for someone to receive and check material deliveries. One contractor handles ordering, delivery, layers, kerbs and laying, and photo updates keep you informed while the work is in progress.
What if my builder already bought the pavers?
Then labour only is the logical option, provided the base is ready and kerbs are available. Check that the quantity of pavers includes a margin for cuts, so work does not stop for a top-up order of a different batch.
Does turnkey include removing my old driveway?
The turnkey rate covers the new layers, materials and kerbs. Lifting or breaking up the existing surface and disposing of the rubble are separate lines, because they depend on what is there now and how it can be removed.
Can a community choose labour only?
Yes, for example when material has been bought in bulk or specified by an architect. The work still needs approval by the owners' meeting under the Horizontal Property Law, with the majority confirmed by the community administrator.
Is there a discount on turnkey for community car parks?
Above 150 m², the turnkey rate is studied individually and a discount can apply. There is no fixed published percentage, so the figure appears in the written quote once the area, access and conditions are known.
Which option gives the better finish?
The laying itself is the same in both. The final result depends on the base and the material. With turnkey, both are under the contractor's control; with labour only, they depend on what was supplied and prepared before laying.
Can you price both options for comparison?
Yes. Send photos and the approximate area and ask for both versions. The quote lists labour only with the missing items as separate lines and turnkey as a full rate, each with IVA shown separately.