Latest Updates

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

Of all the available types, the standard gravel driveway is the least expensive and simplest. Regardless of their inherent simplicity gravel driveways can be an extremely attractive option, particularly in a rural setting. Gravel can be acquired in a wide array of shades and sizes, so you should have no trouble locating one that looks great in your garden. A effective gravel driveway will need a sturdy and clearly-defined edging, and a good solid layer of hardcore. If you apply three or four separate layers of shingle, each individual one rolled and left to settle, you'll get the finest gravel driveway. Irrespective of what size your driveway is, or if it's in your back or front garden, if it's built from gravel it will not need to apply for planning permission, because it will be SuDS compliant. (Tags: Shingle Driveways, Aggregate Driveways, Gravel Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

When you're looking for 'curb appeal' for your home in, an asphalt driveway, with its smooth uninterrupted surface, is a good choice. An experienced driveway company in will supply you with an asphalt drive that will give you years of good service, with minimal maintenance required. There are even permeable asphalt driveways whereby rain is allowed to soak away into a sub-grade reservoir, instead of running off into highway drainage systems, which can be attributed to localised flood risks.

Asphalt can easily withstand the freezing and thawing effects of TOWN winters, and is outstanding value for money when compared to certain other driveway options. It is also the easiest driveway material to repair or remove due to its manufacturing process. The fact is, asphalt can be recycled and used elsewhere, making this the most eco-friendly of the hard driveway materials.

Block Paved Driveways

Dozens of driveways have popped up in over the last few years, created using the block-paving process, which can be extremely effective when done correctly. These are crafted using purpose-made block-paving bricks which butt together forming eye-catching and interesting patterns. When the blocks have been laid and tamped down, the gaps are filled up using kiln-dried sand which is brushed into the exposed joints. To get the longest life and best performance out of your new block-paved driveway, you need to have it properly sealed after five or six months to stop weed growth. There are lots of designs in which block paving is laid, including stretcher bond, fan, basket weave and herringbone.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paving driveways can also be made compliant with SuDS, by simply leaving bigger than normal spaces between the bricks, which are then packed with very fine aggregate as opposed to the traditional kiln-dried sand. (Tags: Block Paving, Block Paved Driveways, Block Paving Driveways).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone is a driveway surface that never loses its wonderful appearance even as it grows older. The choice of natural stone will provide you with a robust, sturdy driveway, for any car or vehicle, and will look fantastic for the foreseeable future. It can provide your house with a driveway that, because of the unique colours and hues of each individual stone, is totally bespoke to you. When installed by an expert, a natural stone driveway has that all important curb appeal that complements any property.

Natural stone driveways don't just look good, but they are low maintenance and less at risk of being damaged than paving alternatives. The smooth, hard surface of the stones means that they're simple to keep clean, and unwanted weeds find it harder to take hold in the smaller joints of a natural stone driveway. A natural stone driveway from an experienced TOWN driveway company should be seen as a smart investment which will bump up the price of your property.

Driveway Cleaning

If you have already got a driveway, but it is beginning to look rather shabby, you might be able to make it look better by giving it a clean. Maintaining the cleanliness of a driveway isn't normally a priority for a lot of home owners. Nonetheless, cleaning your driveway is vital from both a maintenance and cosmetic viewpoint, and this should be performed on a regular basis. Your driveway's structure can be damaged as time passes, by unwanted weeds and plant growth. Existing fractures or cracks can be widened which might eventually trigger structural complications in your driveway.

The minute you notice weed growth, dirt or stains on your drive, it's better to remove them as quickly as possible. Even so, most property owners wait until the spring and summer months to power or pressure wash their drives, merely because moss and weeds are more obvious during these times. The appeal of your drive can really be ruined by oil, brake fluid and diesel spots from your vehicle. Thus it is vital to immediately get them cleaned to avoid the surface being stained too seriously.

To get your driveway totally clean you'll require the use of a pressure washer, and you will also need some other tools and equipment, for example a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent. If you don't have the correct gear, or aren't confident in cleaning it yourself, you can bring in a specialist driveway cleaning service, or ask your driveway company if they do it.

Tarmac Driveways

Tarmac provides both a durable and strong surface which makes it a great option for driveways. When professionally laid it looks amazing, does not need much maintenance and offers excellent weather resistant properties. Tarmac driveways can handle heavier vehicles, like camper vans, without damage to the surface or dimpling, and will remain looking pristine for many years.

It offers great value, and tarmac can be coloured to fit in with the surroundings or your home. You are able to custom-build a tarmac drive to complement your property or home, with a whole host of colours on offer. It is perfectly possible for an experienced driveway company to lay a new tarmac driveway in one day. Tarmac really is a perfect material for almost any driveway, because of its straightforward installation, durability and low maintenance properties.

Resin-Bound Driveways

Among the most attractive and flexible kinds of driveway that are available at this time, resin or resin-bound driveways are becoming increasingly more popular and are also SuDS compliant, if that is what you're looking for. Resin-bound driveways can be installed in a whole host of colours and designs that can be custom-made to your exact specifications. For less mess and hassle a new resin driveway can soon be laid over an existing asphalt or concrete surface. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a great alternative to asphalt, concrete, block paving or gravel. A resin-bound driveway will give years of good service, and when installed by an experienced specialist, come with an extended guarantee.

Concrete Driveways

Suitable for driveways, and a much favoured material for years, concrete has got the advantage of being strong, durable and relatively maintenance-free. An automatic choice for many home and business owners, concrete is less expensive than block paving or resin, but if installed correctly is stronger and harder wearing. For many householders, the downside of concrete is its rather boring and drab appearance, but this can be easily addressed by requesting a stamped or patterned finish. (Tags: Concreted Driveway, Concrete Driveway, Patterned Concrete Driveways).

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.

Enhancing the Outside Scenery of Your Residence

Curb appeal is what realtors are chatting about when they are thinking about boosting the appearance of a house that may go up for sale. Curb appeal is something to consider even if you have not made the decision to sell your home. Most of these projects are not big and are simple to upgrade, but they can make a huge positive change for the whole appearance of your home. As you read on you will be given a few recommendations that may be helpful with making your curb appeal more attractive.

Your lawn is one of the first things that contribute to your home's curb appeal. Your front lawn will definitely be quite a chore, especially if it is large and spacious. It is important that your lawn is mowed and manicured weekly so that it appears beautiful and pristine at all times. You need to trim your lawn along the edges and also water it so that it stays green and fresh. It is important to always water your lawn so the dry barren spots do not appear. If they do, applies sod accordingly. If you do not have the time to do this, hire a local maintenance company that will take care of your lawn. This includes watering and repairs. If you do have a few trees, they need to be properly pruned to keep them in tip top shape.

The roof of your home is one feature that's essential from both the standpoint of curb appeal and for the structure and security of your home. 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 can be made from a variety of materials, including synthetic slate, which is one of the newer varieties of attractive and very durable roofing materials now popular. This roofing product can emulate just about all of the conventional styles of design; so regardless of whether or not your roof needs attention, they would make your roof awesome.

As an alternative to painting the outer surface of an individuals residence, they might want to meditate on hanging siding instead. Many choices are out there for it, in addition it could produce a more modern looking home. It is a possibility that the value of your house is increased by this and the insulation is improved. You could give your dwelling the look of typical stone or stucco without the cost of it, with stone or stucco veneer. If something like stone veneer or new siding is under consideration, individuals would be wise to examine all of the various choices in order to choose what pleases you best.

Once you have finished reading this article, you should have several ideas on how to add curb appeal to your dwelling. Compared to many other home improvement projects, you can accomplish a great deal with a small budget and not much time. Many elements, from your driveway to your backyard to your front door has an impact on your home's curb appeal.

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.

Driveway Installer Services

Find Driveway Pavers in the UK Here

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