Driveway Installers

If you feel a driveway is just the ticket for you, and you have ample space to put one, you will now have to decide what kind of driveway you're going to build. For various reasons, not every type of driveway will be right for you, and there are naturally plenty to choose from. If you're working to a tight spending budget your options may be to some degree limited. The layout and size of your property might also have an impact on your decision.

While walking around you will probably have observed all the various sorts of driveway. There's a fair chance that on your travels you will notice stone resin driveways, concrete driveways, patterned concrete driveways, tarmac driveways, natural flagstone driveways, permeable driveways, asphalt driveways, aggregate driveways, pebble driveways, block paved driveways, and if suited to your garden, you ought to be able to choose from just about any of these.

What Type of Driveway is Best? Before deciding what type of driveway is right for your property, there are a few things that you will have to take into account. A few details that you would be sensible to think about - 1. Local authority planning permission - is planning permission needed for your driveway? 2. How the land lies - is the area level or sloped? 3. How successfully does your garden drain - does water collect where you're wanting to build your driveway?

You might believe that planning permission is only necessary for significant ventures like extensions and loft conversions, but that isn't necessarily the case. Driveways are actually covered by a raft of rules and regulations, and these are applicable on a national basis rather than just being locally binding. These rules only affect FRONT gardens at this time. Since 2008 driveway installations in the UK have come under the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which was introduced by the government of the day.

Driveways being installed in front gardens that have an area higher than 5m² are impacted by the SuDS regulations. This demands that your driveway is made out of gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, so that surface water can readily soak away safely. Check here - Sustainable Drainage Systems - if you think that the SuDS regulations might affect your new driveway in TOWN.

To some property owners, building a driveway might seem to be a pretty straightforward task, and for somebody who's adept at do-it-yourself, it is not at all impossible. But no-one should consider this as an easy process, as there's a whole lot of preparation work involved aside from the actual laying of the driveway, including humping materials, excavating and doing waste removal. If you have any doubts about your ability to complete a project such as this, it might be much better to retain the services of a professional driveway contractor instead.

With this sort of project, you have to be mindful of exactly who you hire, since you clearly need somebody who knows precisely what they are doing. There are lots of rogue traders and cowboys out there who'll happily take your money and do an poor job. If you want your driveway to endure, and to look good for years to come, you might just as well have it done to a decent standard and by someone with some experience. If a locally based driveway installer has been advertising and working in and around your area for the last few years, you can usually take it that they will be reasonably reliable, and a good choice for your installation project.

When searching for suitable contractors, it is wise to ask to see a portfolio of earlier projects, ask for some references from previous clients, check that they've got adequate insurance, ascertain how long they've been in business, find out what warranties they offer on their workmanship, ask if they are affiliated with a trade association like ANTSCA (the surfacing trade association).

There is no need to be too aggressive or pushy with this questioning, as what you are really trying to do is get an inkling of what type of tradesman that you're potentially going to work with. Anyone who is ready to respond to all your questions, and put your mind at rest about the calibre of work they do, will likely also be genuine and reliable. You can deem that they are less than honest or hiding something if they are uncertain or confrontational when asked these types of questions. If that transpires you would be wise to give them a wide berth and try somebody else.

As soon as you have identified a good driveway paver, you can pick their brains about all of the possible driveway options including the most appropriate style, location and materials. They will also help you with the design, preparation and planning, so everything is in hand prior to any actual work commencing on your driveway.

Gravel Driveways

The easiest and cheapest of all the available styles is the ubiquitous gravel driveway. In rural settings, gravel driveways are particularly favoured and can be extremely attractive regardless of their simplicity. Given that there's such a wide range of gravel sizes and shades, you should have no problems finding one that you're satisfied with. A good solid base layer of hardcore is required for a gravel drive to be effective, along with a well-bedded edging. If you want to finish up with a really top notch gravel driveway, you must make sure that 3 or 4 separate layers are applied, with each one individually tamped and left to settle for a day or two before the next is laid. Irrespective of what size your driveway is, or whether it's in your back or front garden, if it is constructed from gravel it will not need to apply for planning permission, since it will be SuDS compliant. (Tags: Aggregate Driveways, Gravel Driveways, Shingle Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

When you are looking for that extra touch of 'curb appeal' for your home in, an asphalt driveway, with its smooth consistent surface, is a good choice. A proficient driveway company in will provide you with an asphalt driveway that will give you years of good service, with virtually no maintenance required. If your local authority imposes restrictions that prevent non-permeable materials being used on driveways, in order to preclude local flooding, a special porous asphalt substrate enables rain to soak into a sub-layer.

Asphalt driveways are very well designed to hold up against anything the British winters can toss at them, and offer outstanding value for money. Asphalt is also the easiest driveway substance to remove or repair because of the process by which it is manufactured. If you are concerned about the ecological impact of your driveway, you might be interested to learn that asphalt can be taken out and recycled for other uses. (Tags: Asphalt Driveways, Asphalt Driveway Recycling, Asphalt Driveway).

Block Paving Driveways

Over the past few years scores of driveways in have sprung up using the block-paving process. Forming attractive and elaborate designs, hundreds of purpose-made block paving bricks are butted together to create a robust, hard-wearing driveway. The gaps that are left between the blocks are filled with kiln-dried sand which is rigorously brushed into the exposed joints, resulting in a pleasing finish. After 4 or 5 months a good idea is to get your block paving driveway sealed with a good quality sealant (such as Rycal), this helps to stop weed growth. Block paving can be laid in many different patterns, including basketweave, herringbone, stretcher bond and fan.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Compliant with SuDS block paving driveways are perfectly possible by slightly adjusting the normal methodology. Wider gaps than normal are allowed between the blocks and rather than the standard kiln-dried sand, these are then filled with a fine shingle material.

Natural Stone Driveways

The features of natural stone means it continually improves with age. Choosing a natural stone finish on your driveway will give you a whole lifetime of serviceable use for any vehicle and will look fantastic from the first day until fifty years in the future. It provides your house with a driveway that, due to the unique colours and hues of the individual stones, is completely bespoke to you. The natural stone gives a warm, soft look to any driveway, and is part of that crucial WOW factor.

Natural stone driveways don't just look breathtaking, but they are low maintenance and less susceptible to damage than some driveway alternatives. The smaller gaps in between the stones means there's considerably less chance of unwanted weed growth, and the smooth surface is simple to clean. A natural stone driveway installed by a professional TOWN driveway company should be thought of as an investment which will add value to your home.

Driveway Cleaning

If your home already has a drive, and you're considering changing it because it is starting to look scruffy - why not give it a clean instead? Maintaining the cleanliness of a driveway isn't a top priority for a lot of TOWN property owners. However, for reasons of both maintenance and aesthetics, cleaning a driveway on a regular basis is very important. Your driveway's structure can be damaged over the years, by weeds and unwanted plant growth. An enlargement of existing holes or cracks can ensue, and structural complications can occur if this growth isn't eradicated.

The instant you discover stains, dirt or weeds on your drive, it's preferable to remove them at the earliest opportunity. Even so, most home owners wait around for the spring or summertime to jet wash their drives, mainly because weeds and moss are more apparent at this time of year. Spillages from your car such as oil, brake fluid and diesel can spoil the look of your driveway. Hence it is essential to immediately remove them to prevent your driveway's surface being stained too seriously.

As well as a jet washer, you will also need a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent, and also some other tools if you wish to clean your driveway thoroughly. You could call on a specialist driveway cleaning service, if you're not clear about cleaning it yourself, or you haven't got the proper equipment.

Tarmac Driveways

On account of its strength and durability, tarmac is an ideal choice for the surface of a driveway. It is weatherproof, looks superb and needs little maintenance, when laid by a competent driveway company. Tarmac's strength and durability means it can contend with heavier vehicles, such as carvans and camper vans, without damaging the surface.

It offers fantastic value, and tarmac can be coloured to suit the surroundings or your requirements. You're able to customise a tarmac driveway to complement your property, with lots of colours available. It's entirely possible for a professional driveway contractor to lay a brand new tarmac driveway in less than a day. Many property owners choose tarmac over other driveway materials because of its finish, low maintenance demands, strength and simple installation.

Resin-Bound Driveways

One of the most frequently seen sorts of driveway in recent years, resin or resin-bound driveways are porous (permeable) and compliant with SuDS. Available in a host of designs and colours, resin-bound driveways can be custom-made to your precise requirements, and installed to match any theme or concept. For quicker, and easier installation resin-bound driveways can be laid over a current asphalt or concrete base with much less hassle and mess. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a terrific substitute for asphalt, gravel, block paving or concrete. A resin-bound driveway will give you many years of good service, and when laid by a reputable installer, come with an extended guarantee.

Concrete Driveways

Strong, hard wearing and needing little maintenance, concrete is an excellent material for building driveways. Being more pricey that gravel or tarmac, but considerably cheaper than some other alternatives (i.e. block paving or resin), concrete is an automatic choice for many householders. For many householders, the negative aspect of concrete is its rather dreary and boring appearance, but this can easily be remedied by asking for a stamped or patterned surface finish.

Driveway Tasks

Local driveway installers will likely help with the maintenance of concrete driveways, stone resin driveway installation, the repair of gravel driveways, cheap driveway ideas, grass driveway installation, driveway repair, driveway ideas, driveway replacement, garden patio installations, the building of flagstone driveways, Indian stone driveways, the building of brick driveways, bonded gravel driveways, driveway removal, coloured tarmac driveways, concrete driveway repairs, tar driveways, driveway sealing, shingle driveways, driveway lights, driveway bollards, gated driveways, the laying of aggregate driveways, gravel driveway laying, the maintenance of block paving driveways, driveway maintenance, the laying of concrete driveways, cobbled driveways, stone driveway installation, driveway resurfacing. Driveway providers will be happy to inform you of their whole range of services

Driveway Questions

In the past week or so I've been having a close look at the popular questions folks ask in relation to driveways in Gillingham. Quite a few of our visitors posted some noteworthy enquiries which are relevant to this discussion. The ones I picked out were, "How much weight can driveway hold?" "Does driveway sealer go bad?" "Where can I buy driveway gravel?" "What are driveway markers used for?" "How much does a driveway cost?" "What are the benefits of a concrete driveway?" The majority of these questions will have hopefully been answered on this page, if there are any left to be answered we'll be including a driveway "Q&A" section before long. Our gratitude goes out to Nolan Macdonald, Caroline Welsh, Oliver Beattie and Sheila Southern from Gillingham, for taking time out to send in these questions. It was also awesome to get offerings from Sawyer Tucker in Wouldham, April Exley in Rainham and Reginald Dwyer in Frindsbury.

Easy Ways To Enhance Your Home's Curb Appeal

What is curb appeal? It is the way you can increase your home's value by making it look outstanding to any passersby. Anyone walking by, that actually looks over at your home, their first impression is what we call curb appeal. Curb appeal is something that may be important to you, or something that you simply want to do so that people passing by will look at your home and be impressed with what they see.

People that have a home with a front lawn can improve the curb appeal of their home with the green grass. Anyone with a lawn understands that the bigger it is, more work it will be. Yet, whether you do this yourself or hire a lawn service, it's something that should be done on a regular basis. This includes watering it regularly and making sure that the weeds do not overrun the grass. New sod must be added to areas that are dry or barren to ensure that the consistency remains intact. If your lawn has problem areas, and you do not have time to fix them, it is essential that a lawn maintenance company or landscaper comes in to fix this. If you do have a few trees, they need to be properly pruned to keep them in tip top shape.

Your yards need to be looked at carefully. Are children's toys, tools and hit-or-miss items all over the yards, or do they appear clean and alluring? The way your home appeals to people is greatly affected by the presentation of your yard or yards. Assuming backyard or front yard is cluttered, the endeavor to clean it up will be worthwhile. Eliminate each barrier that makes walking in your yard challenging. Tackle issues such as growing weeds and bush overgrowth, assuming you have these. When your kids play with their toys in the yard and then depart, advise them to place them in their proper places when they have completed their play time.

A very easy improvement that you can make to the front of your home is to make the walkway look more inviting, right up to your front door, so people can knock without fear. Your walkway should definitely have a friendly appearance which may include adding plants, flowers, and other ornamental objects on either side. You might even want to put in a new driveway which is always an eye-catching feature. The driveway should not only be visually appealing, but give people the feeling that they are safe when they park there. So if your driveway is full of potholes, clutter that belongs in your garage or even things like leaves or branches, do everything you can to clean it up and make it more welcoming. Guests should always feel important. This includes people that drive into your driveway or those that walk to your house for a social visit.

So if you want to sell your home, curb appeal is something that you need to focus on to move your house on the market. Aside from this, the type of improvements discussed in this article will give you and anyone who visits a better feeling about your household. The steps you take to improve curb appeal show the world that you really care about the condition and appearance of your home.

Searching Online For a Driveway Installer

When looking for any kind of tradesmen these days, the vast majority of householders are inclined to head straight online to simply "Google it". Logic would say that you're seeing this webpage at this moment after you pinpointed it by typing a search phrase into Google, Yahoo or Bing and it appeared on the first page. From time to time the page 1 listings provided aren't exactly what you'd expected when making use of these particular search engines. The majority of householders, when trying to find a driveway expert will visit Google or bing and type "driveways", "Gillingham driveways", "driveway pavers near me" or "driveways". Nevertheless, most of the resulting page one listings on these search engines, as you will shortly discover, are either going to be "pay per click" results or listings for major lead creation sites like TrustaTrader, My Hammer, Checkatrade, Rated People, My Builder or Bark or directories such as Yell, Gumtree, Yelp or Hotfrog. You'll very likely discover the sites of bona fide driveway pavers hidden on page 2 or 3 of the results, outsmarted by the wealthier corporations who can more easily afford SEO. When you are endeavouring to find the most effective person to complete your driveway installation work, it's sensible to explore every technique open to you, so everything supplied by the search process should be reviewed so that you will be able to uncover the ideal driveway installer.

Driveway Installer Services

Find Driveway Pavers in the UK Here

• Driveway Services
• Gravel Driveways
• Driveway Pavers
• Driveway Estimates
• Concrete Driveways
• Tarmac Driveways
• Commercial Driveway Installation
• Driveways
• Asphalt Driveways
• Brick Driveways
• Driveway Installation
• Stone Driveways
• Block Paving Driveways
• Resin Driveways

More Tradespeople: Whilst you may just be looking for someone who can do driveway installation in the UK, you can also find garden clearance in the UK, a builder in the UK, a landscape gardener in the UK, a bricklayer in the UK, SKIP HIRE in the UK, a decking specialist in the UK, a garden designer in the UK, pressure washing in the UK, a fencing contractor in the UK, a gardener in the UK, an electrician in the UK, a carpenter in the UK, driveway cleaning in the UK, a tiler in the UK, a lawn care specialist in the UK, patio laying in the UK, waste removal in the UK, property extension in the UK.

Resin Driveways - Gravel Driveways - Residential Driveway Installation - Cheap Driveways - Concrete Driveways - Commercial Driveway Installation - Driveway Pavers - Driveway Services - Tarmac Driveways