Driveway options - Resin, block, tarmac?

[soulstyledevon]

Cotswold chippings (on a plastic grid if you have a slope), or, self binding limestone hoggin.

Whatever you go for make sure you get a decent base laid.

Cotswold chipping looks great when first laid, but I’ve often wondered how it looks after a couple of autumns leaf droppings. It must be impossible to clear it completely.
We have inherited a block paved drive, not my first choice, but in all fairness it’s solid and easily swept. Just needs weeding a couple of times a year...

 

[Karlos]

It was I think 1961 gray and white.

Would have been a 948cc i think.

 

[Wildcamper]

Cotswold chipping looks great when first laid, but I’ve often wondered how it looks after a couple of autumns leaf droppings. It must be impossible to clear it completely.
We have inherited a block paved drive, not my first choice, but in all fairness it’s solid and easily swept. Just needs weeding a couple of times a year...

We have had our Cotswold gravel down for 4 years, still looks great. Just next to the drive are a large apple tree and even bigger ash. When the leaves drop the wind blow the leaves onto the grass and we rake them up. If the leaves are wet we just leave them and they blow onto the grass when they dry out. Would never go back to blocks, resin or tarmack. Very easy to maintain and just buy some bags of gravel if it needs a repair. Very happy.

 

[Jester]

Would have been a 948cc i think.

Think it was 1147cc

 

[reserves]

My 50 year old concrete drive is slowly breaking up. So I’ve replaced a section with gravel, with a good MOT base and a weed suppressing membrane. As you say it’s relatively cheap .... my drive Is big so would cost a fortune to do any other way. Also it’s a pretty easy diy job.

Looks like we might go Cotswold / Gravel.

Also might have to be a DIY job. Do you have details of the steps involved?

 

[reserves]

Thanks for all the replies by the way, very helpful!

 

[Claremacrob]

We have had our Cotswold gravel down for 4 years, still looks great. Just next to the drive are a large apple tree and even bigger ash. When the leaves drop the wind blow the leaves onto the grass and we rake them up. If the leaves are wet we just leave them and they blow onto the grass when they dry out. Would never go back to blocks, resin or tarmack. Very easy to maintain and just buy some bags of gravel if it needs a repair. Very happy.

Our cotswold gravel drive is >15 years old and still looks good IMO. We have a beach hedge which covers the drive in leaves every winter, but nature (wind/rain/decay) takes care of them. We probably have to do a little bit more weed killing as the years go by, but no big deal. It's noisy, which is good for hearing people coming, and therefore not so good for hide & seek!

 

[Wildcamper]

Thanks for all the replies by the way, very helpful!

Looks like we might go Cotswold / Gravel.

Also might have to be a DIY job. Do you have details of the steps involved?

This our drive after 4 years. Have not raked leaves, they are wind blown onto the grass. Where they have collected we use a wide pronged leaf rake to collect them up.

 

[B16 JOG]

Looks like we might go Cotswold / Gravel.

Also might have to be a DIY job. Do you have details of the steps involved?

It’s ALL about the base. Everything else is top-dressing whether gravel, block, resin etc. If you’re dressing with gravel and you’ve got the base correct, you’ll only need 50mm depth (which is also the approximate depth of a block paver.) At 50mm, there are no issues with wheelie bins, driving or walking. Beyond 50mm, the going gets harder.
The biggest mistake is when people try to disguise dips/errors in the base by simply throwing down more gravel. This creates a “gravel trap” - like the run-offs you see on racing tracks!

 

[reserves]

It’s ALL about the base. Everything else is top-dressing whether gravel, block, resin etc. If you’re dressing with gravel and you’ve got the base correct, you’ll only need 50mm depth (which is also the approximate depth of a block paver.) At 50mm, there are no issues with wheelie bins, driving or walking. Beyond 50mm, the going gets harder.
The biggest mistake is when people try to disguise dips/errors in the base by simply throwing down more gravel. This creates a “gravel trap” - like the run-offs you see on racing tracks!

Thank you.

Do you recommend the gravel grid systems like this that holds the gravel in?

Gravel Driveways | X-Grid Driveway Grid

Shop our X-Grid range to create attractive, strong, durable, permeable, simple-to-install & low-maintenance gravel driveways

www.matsgrids.co.uk

 

[ArunAlec]

When I was looking at gravel/chipping I came to the decision that gravel was the best. From my understanding chippings tend to crumble and pack down when driven on, over a period of time. I use a Cotswold gravel which is bigger than pea gravel. It is more angular in shape so firms up nicely resisting any tendency to move when in use.

 

[B16 JOG]

Thank you.

Do you recommend the gravel grid systems like this that holds the gravel in?

Gravel Driveways | X-Grid Driveway Grid

Shop our X-Grid range to create attractive, strong, durable, permeable, simple-to-install & low-maintenance gravel driveways

www.matsgrids.co.uk

If your drive has a steep gradient, yes!

 

[B16 JOG]

We went for a good solid base then 100mm of 20mm Cotswold gravel. Nice bright colour, easy to rake and add more to cover spillages, weed kill to keep looking nice. Easy to refresh in the spring with s good rake. Much cheaper than tarmac, blocks, resin.

100mm of gravel sounds quite deep to me. Doesn’t it “rut”? (Ooh, er!)
Anything less then 20mm pebble size is difficult on a drive - and it comes into the house on your shoes!

 

[Wildcamper]

100mm of gravel sounds quite deep to me. Doesn’t it “rut”? (Ooh, er!)
Anything less then 20mm pebble size is difficult on a drive - and it comes into the house on your shoes!

Yes you want the 20mm gravel, smaller stuff comes into the house as you say. The depth of ours varies between 50 and 100mm, no rutting problems but we did compact it.

 

[reserves]

Thanks for all the replies.

So, we now have a quote for £4,300 for bricking the driveway with Marshall bricks, this includes levelling the drain cover, Type 1 MOT, membrane and removing part of a brick wall and rebuilding.

The firm actually knocked on our door during the summer and offered to do it as they were doing a driveway around the corner!

They are Irish guys, they have a newish sign written van and don't want any money until the job in complete.

The guy clearly knows his stuff, he pointed out all tricky bits and where the problems are, basically the questions I had for him he answered, they have all their own machinery / digger / 3 tonne packer.

I'm a bit wary

1) It's at least £2k cheaper than anywhere else that's quoted.

2) They can start and complete the job next week (12 staff apparently and want to keep them busy)

3) They are not a local firm, they offer a 10 year warranty but I'm not expecting it to be honoured to be honest.

Now, I like a good deal, we need the job done quickly as we're putting the house up for sale.

Too good to be true?

 

[Wildcamper]

Personally I would not touch these guys. All the good builders round here are up to their eyes in work, at least a 4 month waiting list. In the building world you get what you pay for, in my experience cheap = poor quality generally.

 

[BeagleMum]

Thanks for all the replies.

So, we now have a quote for £4,300 for bricking the driveway with Marshall bricks, this includes levelling the drain cover, Type 1 MOT, membrane and removing part of a brick wall and rebuilding.

The firm actually knocked on our door during the summer and offered to do it as they were doing a driveway around the corner!

They are Irish guys, they have a newish sign written van and don't want any money until the job in complete.

The guy clearly knows his stuff, he pointed out all tricky bits and where the problems are, basically the questions I had for him he answered, they have all their own machinery / digger / 3 tonne packer.

I'm a bit wary

1) It's at least £2k cheaper than anywhere else that's quoted.

2) They can start and complete the job next week (12 staff apparently and want to keep them busy)

3) They are not a local firm, they offer a 10 year warranty but I'm not expecting it to be honoured to be honest.

Now, I like a good deal, we need the job done quickly as we're putting the house up for sale.

Too good to be true?

View attachment 69996


View attachment 69995

View attachment 69994

The ability to start next week is a red flag for me, we had a new drive completed in September, we waited from February as he was booked up until September.
Go with your gut feeling it rarely lets you down.

 

[Perfectos]

Have they got a land line phone number, office and website ?
if not, think carefully, you may be employing a rouge travelling the country !

Land line = commitment to premises / home address etc

is the guarantee an insurance backed guarantee.

does the contractor have valid E/L & more importantly Public liability insurance?

DYOR, if it’s too good to be true !

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Guessing from your ID photo & house style that you might be near Brighton / Hove. If so the below has excellent reputation so worth contacting.

Driveways - Patios, Turfing Haywards Heath | Hardy Paving

High quality patios, Driveways, Turfing across the South East of England. With a team of dedicated specialists on-hand - Hardy Paving

hardypavingltd.co.uk

 

[Seaview]

Why don’t you ask if they’ve done any local jobs and go and have a chat to see if they were happy with the work.

 

[Perfectos]

Why don’t you ask if they’ve done any local jobs and go and have a chat to see if they were happy with the work.

Every drive looks good when it’s just been laid, I once used a trade on recommendation from a neighbour , I soon realised, to my expense, that neither the contractor nor neighbour new a thing about what they were recommending!

 

[Seaview]

Every drive looks good when it’s just been laid, I once used a trade on recommendation from a neighbour , I soon realised, to my expense, that neither the contractor nor neighbour new a thing about what they were recommending!

Well I guess in the case of the OP longevity may not be a high priority as he’s looking to sell the house. if I was in his situation I would look at their work and ask around.

 

[Perfectos]

Bodge it and scarper

 

[Vagophile]

I had a blockwork parking area done by a bunch of Irish rogues. At least the owner was the first to have lived in a house. Drove round in a BMW 5 with a gold Rolex on his wrist, 18 year old son the same. He took me to see 3 different satisfied customers. He quoted against my spec and was very disappointed when I said that I was taking the week off to supervise.
Once he realised that he wasn't going to be able to cut corners, he did a good job.
I had a motorhome at the time and he told me about some of "the lads" who had done a European tour doing the black stuff and made so much money that they all bought top of the range German Hymers to repatriate it.
Also arranged an MoT test for my ancient Ford Sierra with no questions asked.
Even though he did a good job I wouldn't recommend him to anyone else unless they knew what to expect.
Regarding your specific project, how do they propose to deal with the scaffolding and complete in a week?
Think long and carefully, the likely answer should be "no thanks".

 

[Perfectos]

Scaffold must come down first end of, any one that says they ( or anyone else) can work around it is a cowboy.
the scaffold company are likely to sue you if you undermine their scaffold at very best you won’t be covered by their insurance which means no one can use the scaffold until the scaffold contractor reinspects and provide a “hand over cert” modification / undermining scaffold by others ( including the surrounding area) is a serious no no !