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If you do opt to proceed with having a driveway installed your next task will be to figure out what type of driveway you want. There are of course many different types of driveway available, as I am certain you will be aware, but these may not all be of interest to you. Your options could be limited to some extent if you're sticking to a tight spending budget. Your decision might also be affected by the dimensions and layout of your garden.

Whilst strolling around you'll probably have observed all the different designs of driveway. The chances are 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 your garden is suitable, 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?

Although you might feel that you can simply plonk a driveway anywhere you like on your property, this isn't necessarily the case. The legislation that pertain to driveways aren't only laid down by the local council, but are actually enforced by government law. These rules only affect driveways in FRONT gardens at this time. This legislation, which is known as the SuDS (Sustainable Drainage System) has been in force since 2008, when it was first announced.

The SuDS regulations apply to driveways installed in front gardens with an area of more than 5m2. This demands that your driveway is built from gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, so that excess water is able to drain away safely. You can have a look at the Sustainable Drainage Systems regulations here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

People who don't have an issue with a bit of hard graft and are fairly good at do-it-yourself, could be tempted to have a stab at installing a driveway on their own. With such a lot of work involved with driveways including carting materials, excavating and doing waste removal, no-one should assume that this is an easy undertaking. If you're in any doubt about this, it could be much better to call in an experienced driveway contractor to complete the work for you.

With this kind of project, you've got to be careful of exactly who you hire, seeing as you naturally need to find someone who knows what they're doing. You should watch out for cowboys and rogue traders who are renowned for targeting this sort of project, and can can soon catch you out if you aren't careful. Even if that means having to spend a little more on the project, you might as well get it done to a decent standard by a pro. Driveway contractors and landscape gardeners who've been working in and around your area for a number of years would be the smart choice.

When you're sifting through potential contractors to do your driveway you must 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).

Asking for this pertinent information should give you a sense of the sort of individual you're going to be dealing with, but it shouldn't be the Spanish Inquisition. It's pretty much safe to anticipate they are honest and reliable if they're perfectly happy to chat about all your concerns and answer all of these questions. If they act confrontational or uncertain when asked these sorts of questions, you can deduce that they're hiding something or being less than honest - so give them a wide berth.

If you choose your driveway company intelligently you'll find that they can provide you with a lot of useful advice and guidance in relation to the best materials to employ and the recommended type of driveway for your home. Before any actual work begins your driveway specialist will ensure that all the necessary preparation, planning and design work is looked after.

Gravel Driveways

The simplest and most economical of all the driveway alternatives is the ubiquitous gravel driveway. Gravel driveways are especially favoured in a rural location, and in spite of their inherent simplicity they can be really pleasing. Gravel can be found in a host of shades and sizes, so you should not have any trouble locating one that looks good in your garden. A good sturdy layer of hardcore is required for a gravel drive to be successful, combined with a well-bedded edging. The finest gravel driveways result from applying 3 or 4 layers of stones, with every layer rolled and tamped and then left to settle down before laying the subsequent layer. You will not need planning permission for a gravel driveway, as it will be SuDS compliant regardless of how big it is, or if it is in your back or front garden. (Tags: Aggregate Driveways, Shingle Driveways, Gravel Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

When you're looking for that extra touch of 'curb appeal' for your property or home in, an asphalt driveway, with its smooth continuous surface, is the perfect choice. For optimum results ensure you employ a reputable asphalt company who will provide you with a driveway that lasts for many years does not require much maintenance or after-care. In flood risk areas it might be required to have a porous driveway, and there's an asphalt type, with sub-base for rainwater drainage, which stops surplus water from over-filling road drainage systems.

Asphalt driveways are very well designed to hold up against anything the British winters can throw at them, and provide extremely good value for money. Asphalt is easy and cheap to maintain and repair, and is not too difficult to remove if circumstances change in the future. Actually, asphalt can be recycled for use elsewhere, making this the most eco-friendly of the solid driveway materials. (Tags: Asphalt Driveways, Asphalt Driveway, Asphalt Driveway Recycling).

Block Paved Driveways

Block-paved driveways are among the most frequently seen designs in right now, and scores of these seem to have emerged over the last few years. These are crafted using specially designed block-paving bricks which butt together forming attractive and elaborate patterns. As soon as the blocks have been put down and tamped down, the gaps are filled with kiln-dried sand which is then rigorously brushed into the joints. To get the best performance and longest life out of your block-paved driveway, you need to have it professionally sealed after 4 or 5 months to stop weed growth. There are several designs in which block paving is laid, including herringbone, basketweave, stretcher bond and fan.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: It's even possible to build a Compliant with SuDS block paved driveway in, if that is what you need. By simply leaving wider gaps between the bricks and filling them with a fine aggregate as opposed to the usual kiln-dried sand, you can create a porous surface that does not need planning permission. (Tags: Block Paved Driveway, Block Paving Driveway, Block Paving).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone is fabulous as a driveway material as it always improves with age. The natural stone option will provide you with a robust, stable driveway, for any vehicle, and will look amazing for many years to come. The natural colouring and depth of tone gives a quintessential appearance to a stone driveway, and provides a bespoke and individual look to any property. The natural stone gives a soft, warm look to any driveway, and adds to that all important WOW factor.

Natural stone driveways don't just look good, but they're virtually maintenance-free and less vulnerable to being damaged than some driveway alternatives. They're also far easier to clean, and with narrower joints in between the stones there is less possibility of seeds and weeds germinating on your new driveway. You should think of a professionally laid stone driveway as an investment on your home's overall value.

Driveway Cleaning

If your home has already got a driveway, and you are considering replacing it because it is starting to look tatty - why not clean it instead? For many people, it isn't normally a priority to keep their driveway clean. However, from both an aesthetic and maintenance perspective, cleaning your driveway is important, and this ought to be undertaken on a regular basis, not just now and again. Weeds and unwanted plant growth can weaken the structure of your driveway with time. Existing cracks and crevices can be enlarged which may ultimately trigger structural problems in your driveway.

It's preferable to remove weeds, stains or dirt from your drive as soon as possible after you discover them. However, most property owners wait for the spring or summer months to power or pressure wash their drives, merely because weed and moss growth is more noticeable at that time of year. Petrol, oil and brake fluid spills from your vehicle can impair the attractiveness of your drive. It's therefore crucial to clean them off promptly to avoid a permanent discolouration of your driveway's surface.

You will need a few tools such as a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent, in conjunction with a pressure washer, in order to get your driveway suitably clean. You can call in a professional driveway cleaning service, if you are not certain about doing it yourself, or you haven't got the correct equipment.

Tarmac Driveways

Tarmac is a much loved type of surface for driveways because of its strength and durability. When laid by a reliable driveway company it needs little maintenance, looks fantastic and is weatherproof. Tarmac's strength and durability means that it can handle larger vehicles, like motor-homes and vans, without damaging the surface.

If you wish to colour tarmac, it is incredibly easy to do so, and it offers exceptional value compared to alternative types of driveway. You're able to customise a tarmac drive to correspond to home, with lots of colours available. A tarmac drive is also one of the easiest to install, and a lot of driveway projects are finished in a day. Many householders choose tarmac over other driveway materials because of its durability, simple installation, surface finish and low maintenance requirements.

Resin-Bound Driveways

One of the most frequently seen kinds of driveway these days, resin-bound driveways are porous and compliant with SuDS. Available in an array of designs and colours, resin driveways can be tailor-made to your exact requirements, and installed to complement any theme or concept. For much less mess and hassle a new resin driveway can soon be laid over a current tarmac or concrete surface. Resin-bound driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a fantastic alternative to concrete, gravel, tarmac or block paving. Normally coming with a long warranty when laid by a reputable installer, a resin driveway should give you good service for years to come. (Tags: Resin Driveways, Resin-Bound Driveways, Resin-Bonded Driveways).

Concrete Driveways

Hard wearing, strong and requiring minimal maintenance, concrete is an ideal material for driveways. Being more expensive that tarmac or gravel, but significantly cheaper than some other options (i.e. resin or block paving), concrete is an automatic choice for many people. For many property owners, the downside of concrete is its rather boring and drab appearance, but this can be remedied by adding a patterned or stamped 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.

Maximizing the Curb Appeal of Your Home

If you don't know what curb appeal is, it is a simple way to make the value of your home increase dramatically by improving the way your house looks. This is simply how your home appears to anyone entering it or passing by. The reason this is important is that, if you are actually trying to sell your home, the first things that people notice when they see your house may actually cause them to buy it.

Contributing to the appeal of your homes curb, are how your windows appear. Certainly, the top priority is to ensure that the windows are immaculate. Filthy windows can minimize a home's appearance like little else. The exterior and interior of your home are impacted by this. Glass that is destroyed in the windows should be taken care of as soon as possible, no matter where they are located, even in the basement. By all means, windows are crucial for not only their appearance but for insulation also. It could be time to get new windows, assuming they are not energy efficient. Consider getting shutters, provided you do not own them, since this is one thing that could truly add character to the way your home looks, particularly if you paint them the color that is perfect.

You can use simple decorations to make the outside of your home seem festive and welcoming. There really is no need to spend a wad of cash on this idea; you simply need to put something up that looks nice and fun. Instead of having a bare front lawn, you should add a few plants, a couple flowers, and whatever else that will add noise to the front of your home. Of course, you should pick the best locations for your flowers and plants to make your home look lively and colorful once again. As for furniture, you should put some on the lawn - you might want to add wicker furniture which is very friendly. People that add lawn decorations typically overdo it, so keep that in mind as you plan your front lawn.

Hanging new siding may be something you want to contemplate, rather than putting paint on the exterior of your dwelling. It is possible to give your house a whole new look with this, and there are a lot of options available. This can make your insulation better and make your home more valuable as well. Other choices could be stucco or stone veneer, these could convey the look of a conventional stucco or stone dwelling but not burden you with the same expense that actual materials would cost. Assuming you would desire to put stone veneer on the exterior of your residence or new siding, you should examine the myriad of choices out there and make a determination regarding what you are drawn to.

Curb appeal is one aspect of home improvement that you shouldn't overlook, especially if you want to sell your home. This article has shown you a variety of ways to introduce curb appeal to your home, however, these improvements can simply be done to make you happier. 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

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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