Amidst the rise of landscaping ‘influencers’, Gareth Wilson fears a dip in standards is on the horizon
Moving on from last month’s article but keeping the same theme, it’s been noted over the festive period and beyond, that so-called influencers, who think they are well versed in paving and landscaping installation, are urging paviors and landscapers to go with their instincts and use their experience when laying paving instead of going with British Standards and manufacturers’ specifications…
Well, my thoughts on this are as you would expect: what a load of rubbish!
Firstly, this not only shows a lack of knowledge but is also completely irresponsible behaviour – knowingly leading contractors down a path that could result in expensive, stressful ramifications, as they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in court should they find themselves with a client complaint, and then the court.
Bad advice taken on board by contractors that goes against British Standards and manufacturers’ specifications is potentially harmful to a business’s reputation.
Many clients are very much on the ball these days, too. With a click of a button, they can easily view manufacturers’ specifications themselves or ask a responsible expert.
Of course, this type of disinformation encourages the race to the bottom, or more impressionable paviors and landscapers to believe that standards and specifications shouldn’t be followed and aren’t necessary, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
Apologies to rake over old ground but undermining professional standards devalues skilled workmanship and creates mistrust when clients expect “TikTok–Facebook results” instead of durable, lasting and safe construction.
It is abundantly clear that these influencer types have no more than a basic knowledge of paving and landscaping; they either think they are bigger than the industry, or they’re trying to cover their own failings.
Either way, leading contractors down a potentially costly and hazardous path is irresponsible and harms the industry at a time when it needs a boost.
Of course, much of this again also boils down to views, likes, and analytics for social media, so I urge tool and product manufacturers / sponsors to choose carefully and responsibly who they work with.
It’s a nailed-on fact that certain products that were put in the wrong hands years ago still come under constant fire in 2026.
To summarise, ignoring standards and specifications will eventually catch up with you. Giving helpful hints and tips is one thing, but openly telling contractors to ignore standards and specifications shows not only a lack of knowledge but also irresponsibility and should be called out.
Think very carefully about who you put your faith in as a contractor.
Gareth Wilson
Gareth Wilson is a leading paving installation expert in the UK. He has won 14 RHS Gold medals and five Best in Show & six Best Construction Awards, and he is a member of multiple professional bodies.
He provides technical advice to large companies, and he mentors and trains contractors and garden designers in landscape construction and on show garden logistics.
He also provides on-site training, expert witness reports and mediation services. He is a B/507 modular paving committee member, BS7533:102 panellist, and an industry awards judge.
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