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So, you have made a decision to to go ahead, but what style of driveway will be best for your needs? You'll undoubtedly already be aware that there are lots of different driveway options available and not all of these will be of interest to you. If you are on a tight spending budget your options may be limited to some extent. The design and makeup of your driveway might additionally be impacted by the configuration and size of your garden.

If you have a quick walk around, you'll get an appreciation of all the different styles of driveway that other folks have installed, and perhaps get a bit of inspiration for your own driveway. You will be able to choose from stone resin driveways, concrete driveways, patterned concrete driveways, tarmac driveways, natural flagstone driveways, permeable driveways, asphalt driveways, aggregate driveways, pebble driveways, block paved driveways, though not all of these will automatically be suitable for your garden geography and layout.

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 may think that a driveway would not be a concern to the local council, and would not be affected by planning permission requirements, but that notion would in many cases be wrong. The regulations that cover driveways are not just laid down by your local council, but are in fact enforced by government guidelines. At the moment these only apply to front gardens. Since 2008 driveway installations in front gardens in Great Britain have been covered by the SuDS (Sustainable Drainage System), which was brought in by the government of the day.

A driveway of more than 5 square metres, which is being installed in a front garden will be subject to the SuDS legislation. You will not need to stress about this if you make your driveway from a porous (permeable) material such as gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, which permit the water to soak through and drain away naturally. Check here - SuDS - if you are worried that the SuDS legislation might affect your planned driveway in TOWN.

Property owners who enjoy a bit of hard graft and are reasonably good at do-it-yourself, could be tempted to lay their own driveway. But, don't be fooled, there's a great deal of hard work associated with building a driveway, in particular the preparatory work, which involves excavation, humping heavy materials and garden clearance. In most situations it is wiser to contact a professional driveway contractor, who'll have all the equipment, manpower and knowledge to complete the task properly.

With this type of work, you have to be wary of who you employ, as you naturally need someone who knows precisely what they are doing. You should be on the lookout for cowboys and rogue traders who are renowned for targeting this kind of project, and can easily catch you with your guard down. It's worth paying out a bit more money to get a proper job done, rather than take a chance on using a low quality worker just to save a couple of pounds. The best option will generally be a driveway and patio paver who's been been offering their services in the area for a good few years, and who has a strong track record locally.

When you're sifting through potential paving 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).

It is not necessary to be excessively pushy or aggressive with these questions, because what you're really endeavouring to achieve is get a perception of the type of tradesman you're dealing with. You can safely consider that they're trustworthy, if they're happy to answer all these questions. You can presume that they are less than honest or hiding something if they act uncertain or hostile when asked these types of questions. If that is what happens you'd be wise to steer clear and try another company.

As soon as you've discovered a decent driveway specialist, you can ask their advice about all of the potential driveway options including the best location, materials and style. Having a professional at hand means that all the planning, preparation and design is in hand before any real physical work commences.

Gravel Driveways

Of all the driveway methods, the standard gravel driveway is the easiest and cheapest. In spite of their simplicity gravel driveways can be a really eye-catching option, particularly in rural locations. You should not have any problem locating a type of gravel that looks good in your garden, since there are a variety of sizes and colours available. A good sturdy base layer of hardcore is required for a gravel drive to be successful, in conjunction with a well-bedded edging. If you apply 3 or 4 separate layers of shingle, each individual one tamped and left to settle down, you will get the most effective gravel driveway. No matter what size your driveway is, or whether it is in your back or front garden, if it's constructed from gravel it will not need to apply for planning permission, because it will automatically be SuDS compliant.

Asphalt Driveways

An asphalt driveway, with its smooth, uninterrupted appearance gives immediate "curb appeal" to any property in. When laid by a skilled contractor, an asphalt driveway will provide many years of good use with very little maintenance. In high flood risk areas it might be necessary to have a porous driveway, and there is an asphalt type, with sub-layer for rainwater drainage, which prevents surplus water from filling up highway drainage systems.

Asphalt driveways are exceptionally smartly designed to successfully withstand anything the British winters can chuck at them, and offer outstanding value. Asphalt is also the simplest driveway material to remove or repair due to its manufacturing process. The fact is, asphalt can be recycled and used elsewhere, and can this be called the most environmentally friendly of hard driveway products. (Tags: Asphalt Driveways, Asphalt Driveway Recycling, Asphalt Driveway).

Block Paved Driveways

Scores of driveways have appeared in over the last few years, created using the block-paving technique, which can be extremely effective when carried out properly. Forming a robust and hard wearing driveway, many hundreds of purpose-made block paving bricks are butted together in attractive and elaborate patterns which can be customized to your own specifications. After the blocks have been laid, they're firmly tamped down, and special kiln-dried sand is brushed into the exposed joints. It is recommended to have your block-paved driveway sealed after five or six months with Rycal sealant or something similar. This is essential to stop weed growth. There are a lot of patterns in which block paving is laid, including fan, herringbone, basket weave and stretcher bond.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paved driveways can even be made SuDS compliant, by simply leaving bigger than normal gaps between the blockwork, which are then filled with fine shingle rather than the usual kiln-dried sand. (Tags: Block Paving, Block Paved Driveway, Block Paving Driveways).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone is great as a driveway material since it always improves with age. Deciding on a natural stone finish on your driveway will provide you with a lifetime of use for any motor vehicle and will look amazing from the first day until fifty years in the future. Thanks to the individual depth of tone and colours in the stone, you will finish up with a driveway that's entirely bespoke to your property. It gives that all important wow factor and curb appeal that every home owner yearns for.

A natural stone driveway is also easier to maintain, and is less prone to damage and cracking from weather than concrete materials. The smooth surface of the natural stones means that they're far easier to keep clean, and weeds are less likely to take root in the smaller gaps of a stone driveway. You should think of an expertly installed natural stone driveway as an investment on your home's value.

Driveway Cleaning

If you've already got a driveway, but it's beginning to look rather scruffy, you might manage to boost it's appearance by cleaning it. Keeping a driveway clean isn't a top priority for a lot of people. However, for reasons of both maintenance and looks, cleaning a driveway on a regular basis is very important. Over time, the structure of your driveway can be damaged by weeds, roots and other organic plant growth. A widening of existing cracks or crevices could ensue, and structural issues may arise if such harmful growth isn't eliminated.

If stains, dirt or weeds appear on your driveway, removing them as quickly as possible is recommended. However, the spring and summer months is when you are most likely to notice the appearance of weeds and moss, you shouldn't wait till them to jet wash your drive. Diesel, brake fluid and oil spots from your vehicle can spoil the look of your drive. You should clean these off promptly, so that any unsightly discolouration of your driveway's surface is prevented.

If you are cleaning the driveway yourself, you will need access to a power washer, and to accomplish it properly you will also need some other equipment and tools, for example a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent. If you haven't got the correct equipment, or are not confident in doing it yourself, you could bring in a professional driveway cleaning service, or ask your local driveway company if they do it.

Tarmac Driveways

Because of its durability and strength, tarmac is a perfect choice for driveway surfaces. When laid by a professional driveway company it requires very little maintenance, offers superb weather resistant properties and looks terrific. The durability of a tarmac driveway means that it can withstand the daily use of larger and heavier vehicles, like camper vans, with no damage or ridges being inflicted on the surface.

Tarmac is also excellent value and comes in a wide range of colours to match your home and surrounding areas. You don't have to have a boring, conventional looking driveway; you can customise your drive to the colour of your choice. A tarmac drive is also one of the most straightforward to lay, and the majority of driveway projects are completed in a single day. This straightforward installation, along with its high strength and simple maintenance makes a tarmac driveway an ideal choice for just about any property.

Resin-Bound Driveways

One of the most popular sorts of driveway in recent times, resin driveways are porous and SuDS compliant. Resin driveways come in an array of colours and designs that can be custom-made to your specifications. For faster, and easier installation resin-bound driveways can be laid on top of an existing tarmac or concrete base with much less hassle and mess. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and an awesome substitute for gravel, block paving, concrete or asphalt. When installed by an approved contractor, a resin driveway should come with a long guarantee and give years of excellent service. (Tags: Resin-Bound Driveways, Resin Driveways, Resin-Bonded Driveways).

Concrete Driveways

A much favoured material for driveways, concrete is hard wearing, strong and doesn't need much maintenance. Being more costly that tarmac or gravel, but substantially cheaper than some other options (i.e. block paving or resin), concrete is an easy choice for many folks. For many folks, the downside of concrete is its rather uninspiring and drab appearance, but this can be overcome by requesting a patterned or imprinted 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.

Suggestions on Ways to Give Your Home a Better Curb Look

The curb appeal of your home is very important, especially when you're trying to increase its overall market value. Basically, anyone going by your house is going to perceive it in a certain way. 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.

The threshold to a residence is of extreme priority as you think about how your home looks on the outside. Included in this is your front porch, the trail that leads to the door and the door itself. One of the easiest ways to upgrade the front of your home is to replace the front door. Numerous options are out there, including old-fashioned or ultra modern designs depending on the design of your house. The above mentioned is frequently the number one thing that possible buyers or visitors will pay attention to, therefore you will want to create the greatest impression that you can. A beautiful and intriguing door buzzer or knocker could be an attractive embellishment as well. Aside from your door, consider elements such as the address or name if it's attached to the front of your home. It could create a huge distinction if you replace the ones that are shabby and it isn't an expensive replacement.

One facet of you home that demands the most attention is your roof; it will be the part of the home that is critical to curb appeal as well as creating a safe and secure home for your family. Your roof should take precedence over all of your other home development plans. You could use architectural roofing shingles to give your roof that extra pizzazz. These trendy roofing shingles are long lasting and nice looking; with the latest being made of synthetic slate. Regardless of the state of your roof; you could use this new roofing material and can have it look like many of the standard styles and your house will be that much smarter and unique.

It's possible that you will need to get acquaintances opinions, in order to make a complete job of enhancing your curb appeal. Ask any friends or relatives whose opinions you respect for any honest criticism of how your home looks. In addition, you could try the ploy of going around your abode and snapping some quality photos. When you are done, view the images in such a way that the home belongs to someone else and figure out what augmentations you would perform. To completely estimate how to elevate your abodes curb appeal, there might be the necessity to view it in a new way.

Laboring to enhance your landscape can be incredibly gratifying. Everything you do, whether it is improving the entrance to your home, painting the deck or mowing the lawn shall make a more beautiful and estimable house. However, each move you make, from the budget friendly and easy modifications to the major improvements, all steps will be an addition to the look 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