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Driveways UK: In these days of congested roads and restricted parking, more and more people are opting to get a driveway built on their property in the UK. Being certain to always have a dedicated parking place is a huge benefit, although it's reliant on whether you have ample room to spare in your garden. Of course it's not merely the case that you'll always be able to get your car parked without any problem, but additionally that it's going to be more secure, especially if you've also got a driveway gate installed.

So, you've made the decision to to go ahead, but what style of driveway is going to be the best for you? There are many different kinds of driveway available in the UK, 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 are working to a tight budget. Your decision might also be impacted by the dimensions and layout of your garden.

You might just feel "a driveway is a driveway", but that's simply not the truth, because there are lots of different types and designs of driveway, and if you were to take a wander around UK, you'll soon realise what I mean. You will be able to see natural flagstone driveways, block paved driveways, asphalt driveways, grass driveways, patterned concrete driveways, tarmac driveways, gravel driveways, concrete driveways, stone resin driveways and cobbled driveways, in different forms, however this will still give you an understanding of all the possible options.

What Type is Best? Before deciding on what kind of driveway is right for your property, there are one or two matters that you will have to consider. A few points that you'd be advised to think about - 1. Planning permission - is planning permission necessary for your driveway? 2. How your land lies - is the area level or sloped? 3. How successfully does your garden drain - does water accumulate where you are hoping to build your driveway?

You may feel that planning permission is only necessary for large initiatives like extensions and loft conversions, but that is not necessarily true. There are UK-wide regulations addressing the laying of driveways in the UK, not merely local ones. These rules only affect driveways in front gardens at this time. The law that we are talking about here is the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which was introduced by the UK government in 2008.

The SuDS regulations apply to driveways in front gardens with an area of more than 5 sq metres. Materials like permeable concrete block paving, porous tarmac, aggregate (gravel), resin or monoblock (grass) are compliant with SuDS, and allow the surface water to soak through without any issues. Therefore, if you are making your driveway from one of these materials, you'll not need to fret. If you suspect that the Sustainable Drainage Systems legislation might affect your planned driveway in the UK, you can see more information by clicking here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

Obviously it is quite feasible to build your own driveway in the UK, if you're reasonably good at DIY and don't mind a bit of hard work. However nobody should think of this as a simple task, since there's a lot of groundwork involved apart from actually laying the driveway, including doing waste removal, manhandling materials and digging out. If you're in any doubt about your ability to tackle a project such as this, it might be a good idea to call in a professional driveway installer.

With this sort of task, you have to be cautious about exactly who you hire, because you clearly need to find someone who knows precisely what they're doing. There are a lot of rogue traders and cowboys out there who will gladly take your cash and do an inferior job. If you're going to commit to a driveway you might as well get it done to a decent standard, even if that means shelling out a little more on the enterprise. It is wise to seek out locally based UK driveway contractors and landscape gardeners who've been serving customers in the area for several years.

When vetting these tradesmen, you should at the very least ask to look at a portfolio of previous work, determine how long they have been in business, check that they have got public liability insurance coverage, ask if they're a member of an official trade body such as ANTSCA, ask for a few references from previous clients and ask what guarantees they offer on their work.

Asking for this germane information will give you a perception of the kind of tradesperson that you're going to be working with, but it doesn't have to be done in an aggressive way. You can safely consider that they are trustworthy, if they are willing to answer all of your questions. If they act in a confrontational or uncertain way when asked such questions, you can deduce that they're hiding something or being less than honest - so steer clear.

If you pick your driveway company wisely you will find that they can provide you with all sorts of practical advice and guidance in relation to the best materials to use and the most suitable type of driveway for your property. They'll also help you with the design, preparation and planning, so everything is addressed prior to any actual work commencing on your driveway.

Concrete Driveways UK

Well suited for building driveways in the UK, and a much favoured material for a long time, concrete has the advantage of being strong, hard wearing and relatively maintenance-free. With regards to the cost, concrete is about middling for driveways, being costlier than asphalt or gravel, but less costly than resin or block paving. Most would agree that concrete driveways in general are somewhat boring and drab. However this doesn't have to be the case, seeing as it's possible to finish the surface off with a patterned or imprinted design which can be quite attractive.

Block Paved Driveways UK

Scores of driveways have sprung up in the UK over the last few years, constructed using the block-paving technique, which can be extremely successful when done properly. These are fashioned using specially designed block-paving bricks which are butted together to form attractive and sometimes intricate designs. Once the blocks are put down and tamped down, the gaps are filled with kiln-dried sand which is brushed into the exposed joints. To get the best service and longest life out of your block-paved driveway, it is best to have it professionally sealed after five or six months to reduce the chances of staining, reduce weeds, enhance the colour of the blocks, stop algae growth, keep out the elements and extend the potential lifespan of your drive. Block paving can be made very attractive and can be laid a lot of different designs, including stretcher bond, basket weave, fan and herringbone.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paved driveways can even be made SuDS compliant, by simply leaving bigger than normal spaces between the blocks, which can then be filled with a fine aggregate rather than the traditional kiln-dried sand.

Resin-Bound Driveways UK

Among the most attractive and flexible styles of driveway that are available in the UK right now, resin-bound driveways are becoming ever more popular and are also SuDS compliant, if that's what you're interested in. Available in a whole host of colours and designs, resin-bound driveways can be customized to your precise requirements, and installed to match any theme or concept. For faster, and simpler installation resin-bound driveways can be laid on top of an existing asphalt or concrete base with less mess and hassle. Resin driveways are maintenance-free, durable, easy to clean and permeable, and a brilliant substitute for block paving, tarmac, concrete or gravel. A resin driveway should give you many years of excellent service, and when laid by an authorised installer, come with an extended guarantee.

UK Driveway Tasks

You'll find that there are many jobs that the majority of driveway pavers will be happy to handle in the UK, UK and examples include: the maintenance of flagstone driveways, commercial driveway installation in the UK, driveway cleaning, bonded gravel driveways in the UK, driveway resurfacing, printed concrete driveways, tarmac driveway installation, concrete driveway repair UK, the laying of gravel driveways in the UK, cheap driveway ideas in the UK, residential driveway installation, driveway estimates, monoblock driveways UK, the design of brick driveways, driveway planning permission applications in the UK, driveway light installation, aggregate driveway installations, permeable driveway installation UK, grey Indian stone driveways, concrete driveways, driveway repair UK, driveway restoration, grass driveways, granite block driveways, driveway sealing, driveway design and planning, coloured tarmac driveways UK, and many more not listed above.