Did you ever use the poly?

it dries like concrete, if it washed out there was likely sand in those joints.

when done correctly it forms a solid surface with the pavers.

Doing so the underlying sand can't wash out.

A lot of guys that do this work are perhaps not that skilled.

If you know what your doing it works great, I've used it.

just my opinion?

What happens to the thin layer of sand when these torrential rains come thru our neck of the woods? It washes away. If you want a good job that lasts and doesn't become a nightmare down the road trust the advice I gave above. I have over 25 years in the Concrete Supplier and Masonry Supply business.

Ask the contractor if "Stone Dust" is available in Florida. It is the byproduct whey a stone quarry makes a stone, essentially it is dust and locks like concrete as a great base for the pavers to be placed upon. PM if needed.

The Cement value that is used in a skinny paver is just that...skinny. Use the deeper thicker pavers.

i am looking at the brochure I got from home depot and it shows patios and driveways.......thanks for the info....

i look at pictures before i read. what can I say...

You are absolutely correct. And the poly sand is not fool proof, and even when applied as directed, it can develop openings and allow water, dirt, and everything else to penetrate. Stone dust is available, and the more reputable landscape companies use it as a base for stone walls. Much more durable than anything else, which results in walls which don't shift and sag over time.

Paver Company
 

OP,
If you are open to options, I would go around my neighborhood look at various driveways, and ask about maintenance and cost if they are willing. As has been pointed about above, you are going to get good and bad for probably every way of finishing your driveway.
This is what we did, and found a great person to paint the driveway. I have met a few people who cringe when I saw we had it painted because they had very bad experiences, wrong paint was used (it peeled), wrong paint used (it was very slippery), wrong paint used, and it could not be repainted with out having the original finish ground off ($$$$). As I mentioned before, I have heard good things and bad things about pavers, and there have been good and bad reports about sprayed on concrete finishes and epoxy coatings.
If you are in a newer neighborhood, see if you have any friends in older neighborhoods that could help with you quest. In any case, we spent 2-3 months investigating before we made our move.
Hope this helps. Send a PM if you want to talk over the phone.