Driveway Installers

If you do choose to proceed with having a driveway installed your next thing will be to figure out what kind of driveway you want. Driveways come in all sizes and styles and can be made out of a range of different materials, some might be more suitable than others. Your choices could be limited to some degree if you happen to be working to a tight budget. The dimensions and configuration of your available space could also have an impact on your decision.

If you take a quick walk around the streets of, you will see all the different styles of driveway that other folks have installed, and maybe get a few good ideas for your own driveway. Contingent on the terrain and layout of your garden you should be able to choose between stone resin driveways, concrete driveways, patterned concrete driveways, tarmac driveways, natural flagstone driveways, permeable driveways, asphalt driveways, aggregate driveways, pebble driveways, block paved driveways.

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?

Though you may believe that you can simply stick a driveway anywhere you like on your land, this is not always the case. There are UK-wide regulations covering the laying of driveways, not just local ones. As we speak these only affect driveways in FRONT gardens. Since 2008 driveway installations in front gardens in the UK have to abide by the SuDS (Sustainable Drainage System), which was brought in by the government at the time.

The SuDS legislation applies to driveways in front gardens with an area of over 5m². You don't need to stress about this if you build your driveway from a porous (permeable) substance such as gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, which permit the rainwater to soak through and drain away naturally. You are able to have a look at the Sustainable Drainage Systems regulations here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

Some householders might be tempted to have a crack at laying their own driveway, especially if they don't have an issue with a bit of hard graft and are good at DIY. However don't imagine that installing a driveway is a simple task, seeing that apart from actually laying the driveway there's a whole lot of lugging materials, digging out and rubbish removal associated with this sort of endeavour. In most instances it would be much more sensible to hire an experienced driveway contractor, who will have all the manpower, knowledge and equipment to carry out the task effectively.

Genuine tradespeople are often not that easy to track down in relation to conducting this kind of task, so you need to be mindful in choosing the right person or contractor. You'll want to be on the lookout for cowboys and rogue traders who are renowned for targeting this sort of project, and can soon catch you unawares. If you're going to commit to a driveway you might as well have it done properly, even if it means spending a little more on the enterprise. Patio and driveway pavers who've been offering their services in and around your area for several years would be the best option.

When assessing these tradespeople, you should at least 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).

It's not necessary to be too pushy or aggressive with these questions, seeing as what you're really endeavouring to do is get a notion of what type of individual that you're potentially going to work with. If they are happy to answer all of your questions, you can safely assume that they are fairly reliable. If questions of this sort produce a hesitant or hostile response, then you should have concerns about their trustworthiness, and perhaps look at some alternative providers.

As soon as you have discovered a good driveway company, you can ask their advice about all the potential driveway choices including things like the best materials, location and style. Having a professional at hand means that all the design, planning and preparation is taken care of before any real work begins.

Gravel Driveways

The simplest and cheapest of all the driveway styles is the gravel driveway. In a rural location, gravel driveways are particularly popular and can be extremely attractive despite their simplicity. Since there is such a wide range of gravel shades and sizes, you should have no issues locating one that you're satisfied with. A sturdy layer of hardcore is essential for a gravel drive to be effective, coupled with a firmly-bedded edging. If you put down 3 or 4 separate layers of aggregate, each individual one tamped and left to settle down, you'll get the very best gravel driveway. You'll not need planning permission with a gravel driveway, since it will be SuDS compliant regardless of how big it is, or whether it's in your front or back garden.

Asphalt Driveways

Any property in will benefit from the "curb appeal" of the smooth, continuous appearance of an asphalt driveway. When installed by an experienced company, an asphalt driveway will provide many years of good use with very little maintenance. If your local authority imposes regulations that bar non-permeable materials being used, so as to stop localised flooding, a unique porous asphalt substrate allows rainwater to drain into a sub-layer.

Asphalt driveways offer excellent value for money and asphalt is a strong, durable material that's designed to withstand freezing and thawing effects of a typical British winter. Asphalt is simple to repair and maintain, and isn't too difficult to remove should your circumstances change in the future. Actually, asphalt can even be recycled and used elsewhere, and can this be called the most environmentally friendly of hard driveway products.

Block Paving Driveways

Dozens of driveways have sprung up in in recent times, constructed using the block-paved process, which can be extremely effective when carried out properly. Forming attractive and sometimes intricate patterns, many hundreds of purpose-made block paving bricks are butted together to create a hard-wearing, durable driveway. Once the blocks are put down and firmly tamped down, the gaps are filled using kiln-dried sand which is brushed into the exposed joints. After five or six months it is preferable to get your block-paved driveway sealed with a good quality sealant (such as Thompsons), this helps to stop weed growth. There are a lot of designs in which block paving is laid, including herringbone, fan, basket weave and stretcher bond.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paving driveways can even be made to comply with SuDS, by simply leaving wider than normal spaces between the blockwork, which are then filled with very fine shingle instead of the traditional kiln-dried sand. (Tags: Block Paving, Block Paving Driveways, Block Paved Driveway).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone, as a driveway material, never loses its splendid appearance even as it grows older. Looking amazing from the first day until 50 years down the line, a driveway built from natural stone will provide you with a lifetime of serviceable use for any car or vehicle. Due to the individual depth of tone and colours in the stone, you will have a driveway that is entirely bespoke to your property. It provides that that crucial curb appeal and WOW factor that every property owner longs for.

Unlike concrete paving alternatives, driveways made from natural stone are less at risk of damage and are much easier to maintain. The smaller gaps in between the stones means that there is significantly less chance of weed growth, and the smooth, solid surface is far easier to clean. You must look at a professionally prepared and installed natural stone driveway as an investment on your property's value.

Driveway Cleaning

If you do not currently have a driveway in your garden, then clearly cleaning won't be needed, however this is certainly something you'll have to think about in the coming years. The process of keeping a driveway clean, is something that lots of property owners postpone, or forget about entirely. Nevertheless, from both an aesthetic and maintenance perspective, cleaning a driveway is essential, and this should be done with a fair degree of regularity, not just every now and then. As time passes, your driveway's structure can be damaged by weeds, roots and other pernicious plant growth. If your drive has existing cracks or holes, these can be widened which could eventually trigger structural problems.

The instant you notice stains, dirt or weeds on your drive, it's advisable to get rid of them as soon as possible. Although, the springtime and summer is when you most notice the growth of weeds and moss, you ought not wait till them to power wash your driveway. Spills from your car such as oil, brake fluid and diesel can really blight the appeal of your drive. It's therefore essential to get them cleaned quickly to prevent unsightly stains on your driveway's surface.

In addition to a power washing machine, you'll 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 correctly. A specialist driveway cleaning service may be necessary if you haven't got the correct gear, or are not clear about cleaning it yourself. You might even learn that your driveway company will offer this service.

Tarmac Driveways

Because of its strength and durability, tarmac is an ideal choice for driveway surfaces. When laid by an experienced driveway company it looks terrific, needs very little maintenance and is weatherproof. Tarmac driveways can handle larger vehicles, such as motor-homes and trucks, without damage to the surface or dimpling, and should look pristine for many years to come.

If want a coloured tarmac, that's also possible, and it offers fantastic value in comparison to other driveway materials. Tarmac makes it easy to deviate from a dull black surface and colour it to complement your home. Tarmac driveways are among the easiest to install, and most driveway projects are finished in one day. Many homeowners choose tarmac over other materials for their driveway because of its robustness, rapid installation, finish and low maintenance demands.

Resin-Bound Driveways

Among the most flexible and attractive types of driveway that are available today, resin-bound driveways are becoming ever more favoured and also comply with SuDS, if that's what you are interested in. Available in a wide variety of colours and patterns, resin-bound driveways can be customized to your specifications, and installed to match any concept or theme. For faster, and simpler installation resin driveways can be laid on top of a pre-existing asphalt or concrete base with much less hassle and mess. Resin-bound driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and an effective substitute for concrete, asphalt, gravel or block paving. When installed by an authorised professional, a resin driveway should come with an extended warranty and give years of reliable service.

Concrete Driveways

Well suited for driveways, and a much favoured material for many years, concrete has got the advantage of being hard wearing, strong and largely maintenance-free. When it comes to cost, concrete is about middling for driveway construction, being costlier than gravel or tarmac, but less expensive than resin or block paving. Many would agree that concrete driveways in general are somewhat boring and dreary. However this does not have to be a problem, since it's possible to finish off the surface with a patterned or imprinted design. (Tags: Concrete Driveway, Concreted Driveways, Imprinted Concrete Driveways).

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

Plenty of ideas are available to boost the appeal your curb has to offer when you give it some attention. Those that own their own home could misjudge the importance of this due to the fact it is simply a surface problem. Yet, if you want to sell your home, or even if you just want to make it more attractive and inviting, these apparently minor details can be very significant. If your dwelling has a curb that is alluring, it is suggestive that the owner is meticulous and considerate.

Any house that has a front lawn can actually utilize this green real estate to make their house have almost instant curb appeal. Your front lawn will definitely be quite a chore, especially if it is large and spacious. Every lawn, regardless of the size, needs to look cared for and neat so that the curb appeal will be very high. Your job is to make sure that the lawn is always green and well trimmed for people going by. It is important to always water your lawn so the dry barren spots do not appear. If they do, applies sod accordingly. Whatever you do, make sure that your lawn is always cared for, which means you might have to hire a lawn maintenance company to take care of it. If you do have a few trees, they need to be properly pruned to keep them in tip top shape.

Take a good look at your front and back yards. Are they neat and inviting, or are they cluttered with toys, tools and random objects? As it pertains to curb appeal, your yards appearance is an enormous component. Assuming backyard or front yard is cluttered, the endeavor to clean it up will be worthwhile. Take away everything that is in your way as you meander through the yards. Provided you need to weed or have bushes that need to be cared for, these issues need to be taken care of. Instill knowledge in your children to put away their playthings when they are done in the yard, provided they like to leave them lying around.

If you have a long walkway, or even a short one, it should look appealing to those passing by. Options include adding colorful flowers on either side that people will see as they walk toward your home. If you have the money, you might want to pave your driveway giving it that brand-new appearance. Also, the driveway should be very spacious, yet also add an air of security and safety when people drive in. 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. And when visitors come, just make them feel at home especially when they arrive in the driveway.

Anyone that is trying to update the outward appearance of their home in an enticing manner should definitely consider the aspects of curb appeal. Visitors will definitely be impressed with the appearance of your property if you utilize any of the suggestions outlined in this article. Curb appeal is all about the outward look of your home, and how others will perceive it once all of the modifications have been done.

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