Christian and Beccy

iTrader: (14)

We are in the very early stages of considering our new driveway. So early infact that we haven't even measured up yet. I had always fancied a nice tarmac drive, but are very much open to suggestions.

We are now considering block paving and possibly doing it ourselves. How hard is it to do a proper good job? What sort of money does it cost to have a block driveway done? Is block even a good idea?

It will be dead straight and stretch about 3/4 the length of our entire plot. I'd say it'll be about 25-30 metres long and be around 2.5 metres wide, maybe even 3.0 metres?

How about getting the kerb dropped? Is this a pants-down scenario?

bad boy rs

iTrader: (7)

theres all sorts of choice out there for different finishes, think for a basic block your looking at around 30- 40per sqm

depending on the area it also now requires planning

kirb drop is a definate arse rapping, council only realy unless you get the pikeys round. Had council bods drive round my local area and mark ones which had been done by pikeys and made the person pay again for them to do it

iirc around 600quid

righthooker

i prefer the imprinted concrete rather than block. Seen so many block drives sink over time , need weeding, re sanding. Doing block paving with no exsperiance will waste you a load of money imo, get it wrong and it all comes up.
The imprinting on the other hand , no weeds, sealed well will last longer, and just as competitavly priced at ~Ł50 per m2,.
just my oppinion, been in the building trade 20+ years

Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

if i is please pos pics, more so if just beccy's pants

rsturbo27

clay bock paveing is best dont discoluer nicer effect but doller

bad boy rs

iTrader: (7)

agree with that, not had any experience with it but seen a few and does look good

Retro Al

iTrader: (1)

You can get natural stone paving blocks buts its very expensive,if done propery it wont sink

nuttynil

iTrader: (3)

http://www.pavingexpert.com/home.htm this is a great site with the best info on all paving driveways building i am sure you will agree .I love block paving,quality materials good ground work is a must imprinted concrete needs plenty of expansion joints otherwise it will crack ..Neil

righthooker

They both have thee pros and cons , but ultimately need to be done correctly.

dojj

iTrader: (3)

driveway kerb dropping is a council job

make sure you have it registered otherwise they can give you fines

block paving does look nice, but it also costs and needs maintenance

don't do tarmac, it melts in the heat of the summer and you will get lovely tread marks in it

tiles are ok but still pricey and need looking after, and if you don't get rough ones then when it rains or ices over they become very very slippery

concrete ftw, and you can paint it whatever colour you like

it also has the benifit of being able to withstand the effects of a trolley jack in case you need to work ont eh car and you won't get stuck in ruts when you need to push shit in and out the drive

matts1

I opted for blocks, the council have failed to come out now despite repeated requests for 4 YEARS!!!

So just aint going to bother dropping the kurb WHEN they do find me and try and fine me, they will be explaining the reason they have failed to come out to quote/do the job when repeatedly asked even at a management level YET can find me to fine me?

Next door had that creep stuff? printed drive, and has gone all green and moldy looking?

To save cash you can dig it out yourself and drop the hard core in, then get them to whacker it, sand it and lay the blocks, don't bother yourself - will be better done properly

Mines been down 4 years and looks fine, no real weed issues and no sinking.

my mate has had his down 8 years and all good. Guess it depends on location and the job that is done.

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

im sure if a pikey can do it, you can do it better.

cossytonyt

iTrader: (4)

been paving for near 20yrs i have taken up a lot of impressionate concrete driveways they are not so bad on the flat but if inclined they are very very slippery in certain conditions,
most driveways tend to track were the tyres run up the drive this is purely because of a poor base and to much sand used as a screed coat to which you lay the blocks on,there are differing opinions on how to do a base the easiest fool proof way is dig down until you have removed all loose materials ideally down to clay etc, then fill with a good heavy crushed stone whack that down well then a smaller grade of crushed stone once again whack well then imo as long as you sreed the (whole drive)in one go with 15mm sharp sand(i use metal electric conduit pipe for guaging the screed coat)once the base is level lay the conduit down both side and down the middle level it across,then simply get a straight edge to suit the width of your drive fill with sand then pull all back towards yourself,removing the conduit as you go and filling in,concrete in pin kerbs across the very front of your drive stops sinkage were it meets tarmac/slabs etc, then use a 60mm block you will have no problems at all finish off with a good silica sand to prevent movment and weeds job done
ive used 60mm blocks in bus stations so youve no probs there,good cost level are armstrong blocks and they have a good range of colours

if you do decide to blockpave the drive get references and go see the work there are a lot of cowboys about, some reputable companys aswell that take on paving gangs that are not pavers! and once its down they dont want to know.go to the likes of jewsons pick up a paving catalogue there is usually a step by step guide,have a go yourself

oh yes and stay away from tarmac its for motorways and race tracks etc lol

dug112y

iTrader: (1)

i have block drive and tarmac yard and like it but the grass seeds etc get caught between the blocks and grow and it does your tits in getting it out and resanding the gaps...if i was doing it again it would be pattern impregnated concrete...pricey but maintanance free and looks the bollocks but PROPER tarmac can look great and last ages and is defo cheaper....they all need good prep work to last.

The Sludge

agreed

Rax

iTrader: (1)

Block paving looks good if done right.My yard and drive is slabbed.This is fine untill it pisses it down and the ones that are now loose fill with water and you tread on it a splat . . . all up your leg or all up the car when driving in or out.I so feel as this is my fault with washing motocross bikes and cars in the yard

Shings

Dont forget planning permission.

For Concrete and Tarmac you will need planning permission due to increased surface water run off.

I'm with the dig it yourself approach... I will be.

Lee Reynolds

I personally cannot stand imprinted concrete! Up close it looks what it is - false block paving.

A properly block paved drive on a properly done base imo is the best option. We always put concrete under our block pave drives so you dont get sinking as no matter how well the ground is compacted, it WILL sink if the car is runing in the same place time and time again - like a cart track kinda thing. Thing is now, to put concrete down you need planning permission because of the surface water run off - no natural soak. You can get the water running to an aco drain which then goes into a soakaway.

This is a block pave drive we did at a bungalow refurb we did last year. Sadly ive only got these two pics, my mate took ones of the main part of the drive but you get the idea. 210m2 all together as it went down the side too. We charge around Ł60 pee M2 for this type depending on whats already down etc.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

We applied for a drop kerb, filled in an online application, had the paperwork in 3 days to fill in, the council didn't even want to look at it. We decided against it though as we changed our minds about what we wanted. Councils do normally rush through applications for dropped kerbs and you will get the go ahead, as they are desperate for people to get parked cars off the road and use their driveways!

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Cracking job that lee

james kiely

iTrader: (5)

great job lee .do you put the paviours down directly on concrete ?


cheers james

babscossie

i,ve just had the council round to my new house regarding a drop kerb......... Ł1200 bastard quid they quoted

Surely there must be a cheaper way of doing this???

Lamb Souvla

Christian, quality block paving is the way to go. nicer all round and looks the best imo.

Babscossie, Sounds about right, also watch out for some stupid guideline with regards to the open entrance to your driveway once you have a drop curb or have lengthened your current drop curb.
At my house its a open driveway right across the width of the house with a single size drop curb on the right hand side. When we applied to widen the drop curb not only did they want just over a grand for the job, but they also stated that we would have to build a certain length wall.

cossytonyt

iTrader: (4)

can understand on the driveway pictured it would be a good idea to lay 2 concrete tracks as it looks like the parking is restricted by the width of the drive on that side and gets heavy use,but if the base is done correctly ie taken down to clay/shingle etc depending on the area and conditions where you live there is no need for concrete you still need a screed coat of sand, its when people use to much sand caused by not leveling and preparing the base properly that causes problems.
on some applications ive known some mix cement in with the screed coat,but properly whacked type1 and type 2 crushed stone is more than enough if done properly,dont use dolly personally as it absorbs water and goes spongy,but like everything else different people do things different ways

TrevCos

iTrader: (1)

Wait for some of those Irish chaps to come round with some tarmac, they'll do a spiffing job for you, and cheap as chips.

steves24V's

iTrader: (7)

I had some of them round yesterday, do you want me to send them your way, they also asked if i wanted my guttering doing, i told them it was a council house so they then moved on to the cars looked at the cos estate and asked i i wanted to get gid of that old car, cheeky fuck.

Smiggy

Looked into the patterned concrete 2 years ago when I was doing my drive and to be honest it's nothing compared to block. I got a guy round to give me a quote and he said they were just about to start one in a nearby street, so I could go have a look. Was quite impressed at the time, but in the end I opted for block, infact the exact same as what Lee has posted. When I see it now I know I have made the best choice, absolute night and day in quality of look in my opinion. Like tile effect laminate flooring, looks like tiles from afar, but not so clever up close. Plus, I think you have to put expansion joints in it as well which ruins the look.









Only bother we had was the grass, it didn't seem to grow in patches as you can see, but guy came back round and relayed it with more soil under it and it seems to be all right now.

Just the garage to renew now and I can rest.

SMG

p.cressie

We had ours tarmacked last year. We Ideally wanted Indian stone to go with the style of our house but couldn't afford it, but we're happy enough. Just need to face the concrete wall up with stone and put some railings up and hopefully it should brake the tarmac up and stop it looking like a tesco car park

Lee Reynolds

Cheers james

Probably worded it wrong lol. the job was 150mm hardcore, 50mm concrete, 40m grit sand with 60mm paviours

Lee Reynolds

No concrete tracks on that job mate, the lot is concreted underneath!

If hardcore only was fine for traffic, it wouldn't require tarmac underneath when block paving is used on streets!

dingla rs

iTrader: (2)

basicly you charge for both then a concrete drive an a paved drive other top

Lee Reynolds

No i charge for a proper job doing Thats why ive been stacked out with work and turning it down, through the recession

danneth

exactly, me dads not missed a day apart from holidays in the last 6 years,





need to go back and get the finished pictures cause it looks awesome but you get the idea of block and pattern

Lee Reynolds

Nice one danneth

Mint FRST

iTrader: (1)

Block paving FTW IMO, if you have drainage, gas or electrical problems it is easier to get back up and relay. 'Creteprint' can be very slippy in the winter...

Our kerb drop was Ł500.00 also...

tsutton

Before



After






The area with the cones - it has been tarmaced over.

Now can park two cars on it!

liammcl

iTrader: (4)

As Lee says, if a car is runnig on it the ONLY chance is has of not sinking in the future is to have concrete underneath.

On my drive its 100mm of concrete, 20-25mm sharp sand and 50mm block paving. Done it ourselves. Couldn't do it for a living mind you!

Lee Reynolds

LOL me too mate, we might get one or two drives to do per year so its not too bad!

steves24V's

iTrader: (7)

2 cars ?? i thought you were doing so you could get all the focus on there sideways.

dojj

iTrader: (3)

maybe he's sold the focus to buy 2 smart cars?