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Your next step, if you do elect to forge ahead with installing a driveway will be make a choice about what type of driveway is going to be most suitable for your circumstances. There are many different types of driveway available, as I'm sure you will be aware, but these may not all be right for you. If you're on a tight spending budget you could be to some degree limited in your choices. The configuration and dimensions of your property's garden may also affect your final decision.

You might say "a driveway is just a driveway", however that simply isn't true, given that there are many different designs and types of driveway, and if you were to take a walk around your town, you will see what I mean. You should see shingle driveways, grass driveways, block paved driveways, tarmac driveways, resin bound driveways, asphalt driveways, concrete driveways, cobbled driveways, patterned concrete driveways and natural stone driveways, in various forms, however this will give you a perception of all the potential alternatives.

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 may think that you can just stick a driveway anywhere you like on your land, this is not automatically true. The legislation that pertain to driveways aren't just laid down by the local authority, but are in reality enforced by government law. However, at this moment in time, these laws only affect driveways being laid in front gardens. This legislation, which is known as the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) has been in force since October 2008, when it was first brought in.

If you are aiming to build a driveway having an area of more than 5m² and it's in your front garden, you are going to be affected by these SuDS legislation. You won't have to stress about this if you build your driveway from a porous (permeable) substance like shingle, permeable concrete block, porous asphalt, monoblock (grass) or resin, which will allow the water to pass through and naturally drain away. If you believe that the SuDS legislation will affect your planned driveway in the UK, you can see detailed information here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

Naturally it is quite feasible for you to build your own driveway in the UK, if you are fairly good at do-it-yourself and are not fazed by a touch of hard work. However no-one should think of this as an easy process, as there is a great deal of preparation work involved apart from actually laying the driveway, including doing waste removal, lugging materials and excavating. If you've got any concerns about whether you would be able to tackle a project such as this, it might be a good idea to hire an experienced driveway specialist.

With this kind of project, you've got to be wary about exactly who you pick, seeing as you clearly need somebody who knows precisely what they are up to. There are plenty of cowboys and rogue traders out there who will soon pocket your cash and do a lousy job. It's worth shelling out a bit more money to get a proper job done, instead of taking a risk with a substandard worker just to save yourself a couple of quid. Driveway and patio contractors who have been offering their services in and around the UK for a number of years would be the smartest choice.

When assessing these paving contractors, you should at the very least ask for some references from satisfied clientele, ask what warranties they offer on their workmanship, ascertain how long they've been in business, check that they have got insurance protection, ask if they are a member of a trade association such as ANTSCA (the surfacing trade association) and ask to look at a portfolio of past projects.

This doesn't have to be an inquisition, but asking these germane questions should give you an inkling of the sort of individual that you are going to be dealing with. If they are relaxed about answering all of these questions, you can assume that they are fairly genuine. You can deem that they're hiding something or being less than honest if they're confrontational or hesitant when asked such questions. If that occurs you would be wise to avoid them like the plague and try another tradesman.

If you are wary and pick a really good driveway paver, they will help you make all the most important decisions with regards to your project, including the recommended driveway technique, the favoured location and the best materials. And that is not the end of it, because they'll also take care of all the design, preparation and planning that's required for your new driveway installation to go like clockwork.

Gravel Driveways

When looking at the various different kinds of driveway you might choose to favour the ubiquitous simplest and cheapest, which is gravel. Gravel driveways are especially favoured in a rural setting, and regardless of their simplicity they can be exceptionally pleasing. You should not have any problem finding a type of gravel that looks amazing in your garden, given that there are a wide array of shades and sizes on the market. A substantial base of hardcore is required for a gravel drive to be successful, coupled with a well-bedded edging. The best quality gravel driveways are the result of applying three or four layers of stones, with each and every layer tamped and left to settle down before laying the next. Irrespective of what size your driveway is, or if it is in your back or front garden, if it's constructed from gravel it won't require planning permission, because it will be SuDS compliant. (Tags: Gravel Driveways, Aggregate Driveways, Shingle Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

When you're looking for that extra bit of 'curb appeal' for your house in, an asphalt driveway, with its smooth continuous surface, is an ideal choice. For the optimal results ensure that you hire a professional asphalt company that will provide you with a driveway that lasts for many years and requires very little maintenance and after care. If your local authority has regulations that prevent non-porous materials being used, so as to prevent local flooding, a special permeable asphalt substrate allows rainwater to soak into a sub-grade reservoir.

Asphalt driveways offer very good value for money and asphalt is a strong, durable material that is perfect for tolerating freezing and thawing effects of a typical winter. It is also the easiest driveway material to remove or repair because of its manufacturing process. It can be seen to be the most environmentally friendly of hard driveway surfaces since it's even possible for an asphalt drive to be recycled and used in another location. (Tags: Asphalt Driveways, Asphalt Driveway, Asphalt Driveway Recycling).

Block Paved Driveways

Block-paving driveways are among the most frequently seen styles in right now, and scores of these seem to have emerged in recent times. These are built using hundreds of specially designed block-paving bricks which butt together forming eye-catching and sometimes intricate designs. After the blocks are put in place and firmly tamped down, the gaps are filled with kiln-dried sand which is then rigorously brushed into the joints. After 5 or 6 months it is preferable to get your block paving driveway sealed with a good quality sealant (like Thompsons), this helps to stop weed growth. Block paving can be laid in lots of designs, including fan, basketweave, stretcher bond and herringbone.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paved driveways can even be made compliant with SuDS, by simply leaving wider than standard spaces between the blockwork, which are then packed with very fine shingle in place of the traditional kiln-dried sand. (Tags: Block Paving Driveways, Block Paving, Block Paved Driveway).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone is a material that always improves with age. Deciding on a natural stone finish on your driveway will give you a lifetime of serviceable use for any vehicle and will look the business from the first day until fifty years in the future. It can provide your garden with a driveway that, owing to the unique colours and hues of each individual stone, is wholly bespoke to you. The natural stone gives a warm, soft edge to any driveway, and adds to that all important curb appeal.

A driveway made from natural stone is also far easier to maintain, and is less susceptible to cracking and damage from weather than concrete based materials. The smooth surface of the natural stones means that they are much easier to keep clean, and unwanted weeds are less likely to take root in the smaller gaps of a natural stone driveway. You must consider an expertly laid natural stone driveway as an investment on your home's overall value.

Driveway Cleaning

If you already have a driveway, but it's beginning to look a bit tatty, you may be able to improve it's appearance by cleaning it. The process of cleaning a driveway, is something that many householders put off, or neglect entirely. Nonetheless, cleaning a driveway is vital from both an aesthetic and maintenance perspective, and this should really be completed fairly regularly. Your driveway's structure can be weakened as time passes, by weeds and other organic plant growth. If there are existing cracks and fractures, these can be enlarged which might ultimately lead to structural issues.

It's recommended that you remove weed growth, dirt or stains from your driveway the instant you notice them. However, weeds and moss are more obvious on your driveway during the spring and summertime, you ought not wait till then pressure wash it. If diesel, brake fluid and oil is spilt from your car, the appearance of your drive can really be blighted. It's therefore essential to clean them off promptly to avoid unsightly stains on your driveway's surface.

As well as a power washing machine, you will also need a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent, and also some other tools if you want to clean your driveway effectively. If you're not confident in cleaning it yourself, or you don't have the correct gear, you should ask your driveway company if they are able to do this, or get in touch with a specialist driveway cleaning service.

Tarmac Driveways

Tarmac provides a strong and durable surface making it a really good choice for a driveway. When installed by a reliable driveway company, tarmac offers superb weather resistant properties, looks good and doesn't need much maintenance. Tarmac's durability and strength means that it can contend with larger and heavier vehicles, such as motor-homes and lorries, without damaging the surface.

If you wish to colour tarmac, it is incredibly easy to do so, and it offers excellent value in comparison to other kinds of driveway. You do not need to have a boring, conventional looking driveway; you are able to customise your drive to the colour of your choice. It's perfectly possible for a skilled driveway company to put in a brand new tarmac driveway in less than a day. This simplicity of installation, coupled with its high strength and simple maintenance makes a tarmac driveway an ideal option for just about any home or property.

Resin Driveways

Among the most attractive and flexible sorts of driveway that are available today, resin driveways (or resin-bound driveways) are becoming more and more favoured and are also SuDS compliant, if that's what you are looking for. Available in a host of colours and designs, resin-bound driveways can be customized to your requirements, and installed to complement any concept or theme. For faster, and simpler installation resin-bound driveways can be laid on top of a pre-existing asphalt or concrete base with far less mess and hassle. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a brilliant substitute for asphalt, gravel, block paving or concrete. A resin driveway should give you many years of reliable service, and when laid by an authorised installer, come with a long warranty. (Tags: Resin-Bound Driveways, Resin-Bonded Driveways, Resin Driveways).

Concrete Driveways

A much favoured material for driveways, concrete is hard wearing, strong and requires very little maintenance. An automatic choice for many property owners, concrete can be considerably cheaper than resin or block paving, but if installed correctly is stronger. Many would concur that concrete driveways in general are quite boring and drab. Yet this doesn't have to be the case, seeing that it's quite possible to finish off the surface with a patterned or stamped design which can be highly attractive.

Driveway Tasks

If you pick your driveway company carefully they will have the skills necessary to help with painted driveways, tar driveways, the maintenance of gravel driveways, coloured tarmac driveways, monoblock driveway installations in the UK, the design of asphalt driveways, permeable driveway installations, the repair of aggregate driveways, bonded gravel driveways, resin driveway installations, driveways with pavers, paving a driveway, cheap driveway ideas, commercial driveway installation, driveway resurfacing, asphalt driveway recycling, driveway cleaning, driveway installation estimates, driveway drainage, driveway replacement, grass driveway installation, driveway culverts, the construction of flagstone driveways, the repair of concrete driveways, driveway markers, gated driveways, granite block driveways, pebble driveways, domestic driveway installations, stone resin driveways and any one of innumerable additional driveway related services in the UK. Listed are just a handful of the duties that are conducted by people specialising in driveways. Driveway providers will be happy to inform you of their whole range of services

More Advice and Guidance

By taking a look at YouTube videos you are able to discover how to put in a resin bound driveway. Social media is clearly the place where the majority of homeowners in the UK head these days when they are searching for ideas and images for products and services. If that is what you love to do and you're presently searching for information on driveway installation check this out. You should pay a visit to Rated People or the government backed Trustmark website, if you want to conduct a search for licensed local driveway contractors in the UK. The dedicated Wikipedia "driveways" page is the place to head over to for details of the purposes of driveways, the different sorts of driveways, the local legislation regarding driveways and the materials used for driveways. To read a useful article about how to choose a driveway check this out.

Driveway Questions

Over the last few weeks I have been looking through the questions homeowners in the UK ask regarding driveways. A number of our visitors have submitted justifiable questions that are relevant to this article. The ones I picked out were, "Where can I buy driveway gravel?" "When should you seal your driveway?" "Should a concrete driveway have rebar?" "How do driveway drains work?" "What happens if driveway sealer freezes?" "How much does the average driveway cost?" I hope nearly all of those questions have been dealt with on this page, and if some remain unanswered a driveway "Q&A" feature will be introduced in the near future. My gratitude goes out to the following homeowners in the UK for making the effort to pose their excellent questions; Kaiden Clarkson, Sarah Crawford, Tony Mcdonald and Jane Mcgrady. It was also fantastic to get offerings from Noah Weston in Newlands, Aaliyah Cowell in Hadleigh and Isaac Friend in Fobbing.

Skip Hire for Driveways

When you're carrying out a driveway installation project in the UK, or any other kind of home or garden revamp, it's likely that a certain volume of rubbish and waste will be generated that can't be disposed of in your regular household wheelie bins. Actually, in most regions, construction or garden materials must be disposed of in a controlled and eco-friendly way, in accordance with local authority legislation. Consequently if you are to stay safely within the law, you'll have to transport your waste materials to a recognised disposal and recycling site, generally a council tip. If you do not want to be carting waste materials back and forth to your nearby Domestic Recycling Centre, it may be better to look for skip hire in your area.

By using an established skip hire contractor, you'll be given assurances that all of your waste will be driven to an authorised site, and will be disposed of correctly and safely. Even so, it's crucial to establish the form of waste materials that will be generated by the driveway project, and you can go through this with your chosen contractor and the skip hire provider concerned. If there's a chance that asbestos containing materials might be involved, the skip hire company will need to divide the dangerous waste into a totally separate disposal system for health and safety reasons. Hazardous waste is best left to the professionals, and strict regulations cover it's safe disposal. To make sure all guidelines and regulations are addressed appropriately, both your driveway installer and the skip hire firm will work together.

The perfect solution is if you happen to have a space when a skip can be sited on your garden or drive. On the reverse side of the coin, if you do not have a suitable area, and you park your vehicle on the main road, you might need to seek the help of your neighbours, and see whether they can leave a space for your skip someplace close to the work area. A skip which is placed on a driveway or private land doesn't need a permit, but if it has to go on a public highway in the UK it will definitely need a temporary local authority skip permit, get hold of them to see whether you need one. This will guarantee there are no problems with regards to siting your skip.

Skip hire providers offer skips of all shapes and sizes, and you can rent anything from skip bags and mini-skips right up to builders skips and gigantic roll-on roll-off monstrosities. To hire a skip for your project in the UK, CLICK HERE for a quote.

Easy Ways To Impress People Using Your Home's Curb Appeal

There are countless ways to give your home more curb appeal when you start giving the matter some thought. Some homeowners make the mistake of thinking that this isn't very important, as it only has to do with superficial issues. But, if selling your home is the goal, or if all you want to do is make it more welcoming and attractive, in all likelihood, what appears to be insignificant can be tremendously monumental. When your home has curb appeal, it suggests that you're a conscientious and caring homeowner.

The initial thought when you are thinking about improving your curb appeal is to give it a paint job. You have to start somewhere, but take the time to make sure you will need to go to that extreme. If you like the color of your home's exterior and the paint isn't too old or chipped, you might want to consider power washing it. This is a lot easier and less expensive than a paint job, and the results can be almost as impressive. When the grime builds up as slow as it does, it is hard to imagine it until you see the difference after washing. You can find people that will do the job for you for a reasonable amount, or you can really save and do the job yourself by renting the unit. You need to be meticulous and not leave any washable service untouched.

Possibly individuals may enhance their residence curb appeal in the manner of creating some advancements that they didn't truly realize were essential. Sometimes when you look at something every day for years, you don't even realize how it looks to others. For instance, look intently at your garage door. Until it breaks, the majority of people do not consider replacing it. Yet if it has an old and worn out look, replacing it with a nice new modern one would make a big difference. Similarly, another thing that is frequently forgotten is the box where you receive your mail. If the postal box you presently have is rusty and broken down, when you put in a new mailbox you will feel quite a bit better.

To endeavor to do a comprehensive job of escalating the curb appeal a dwelling, one may have to seek out the assessment of others. 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. After taking them, look them over just as though you were viewing pictures of someone else's abode and ask yourself what you would do to make improvements. It's possible that you will be forced to view your residence in a new manner to honestly understand how to enhance the curb appeal of your home.

Your home could look more interesting by taking on any number of home face lifts. The exterior of your home deserves as much recognition as the interior. You should be well armed to at least make a start to capitalize on curb appeal; although if you take a stroll around your residence, you will surely find a lot of things you could do to improve.

Doing a Search Online

It is considerably simpler to look for a tradesman or service right now than it was in the past, given that we've got the advantage of technology and can just do a search on the web. Immediate and pertinent results are the reward of searching with Bing, Google or Yahoo, which were created for this exact role. One drawback can be that the first page results displayed by the major search engines might not be exactly the ones you were after. Typing in "UK driveways", "driveways in the UK", "driveway installers near me" or "driveways" will normally be the process to use when looking for a driveway specialist in the UK. You need to know that the 4 top results are often PPC advertisements (which may or may not be on-topic), and lots of the remaining page one listings will likely be from large trade portals like Checkatrade, My Hammer, Rated People, My Builder, TrustaTrader or Bark or web directories such as Gumtree, Yelp, Scoot or Yell. Odd job men usually don't have substantial budgets to push their websites to the uppermost rankings, so you're liable to find these out-of-the-way lower down the listings perhaps on the second or third pages. Approved tradesmen websites like Rated People or Checkatrade are still handy though, and you will be able to make full use of their informative services to examine customers appraisals, obtain free quotes and read through reviews, since there are local driveway pavers on there who do not even have a website.

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Find Driveway Pavers in the UK Here

• Block Paving Driveways
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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.

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