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So, you've made a decision to to press ahead, but what style of driveway is going to be best for you? For various reasons, not every kind of driveway will be of interest to you, and there are certainly lots to choose from. Your choices could be to some extent limited if you're sticking to a strict budget. The makeup and style of your driveway might additionally be subject to the dimensions and configuration of your garden area.

If you take a quick wander around the streets of, you will get an appreciation of all the different types of driveway that other people have installed, and maybe get a few ideas for your own driveway. You will see stone resin driveways, concrete driveways, patterned concrete driveways, tarmac driveways, natural flagstone driveways, permeable driveways, asphalt driveways, aggregate driveways, pebble driveways, block paved driveways, in various forms, however this will still give you a notion of some of the potential options.

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?

Though you might feel that planning permission will not be required for a driveway installation on your own land, this isn't always true. Driveways are actually covered by a number of rules and regulations, and these apply on a national scale rather than being just locally binding. Right now these regulations only apply to driveways in front gardens. This driveway legislation, which is known as the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) has been in force since 2008, when it was first introduced.

A driveway of more than 5 square metres, which is being installed in a front garden is going to be impacted by the SuDS regulations. This demands that your drive is made from gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, so that excess water can easily soak away safely and not cause flooding. You can view the SuDS regulations here - SuDS

Some householders might be tempted to have a crack at laying their own driveway, particularly if they don't mind a bit of hard graft and are fairly good at DIY. With such a lot of work involved with driveway installation including heavy digging, doing rubbish removal and lugging materials, nobody should assume that this is a simple task. If you are in any doubt about whether you'd be able to manage a project such as this, it might be best to contact an experienced driveway specialist.

Due to the nature of this kind of work, it's not necessarily that easy to track down honest tradespeople who can be guaranteed to do a good job. You should be on the lookout for rogue traders and cowboys who are renowned for targeting this kind of project, and can easily catch you with your guard down. Even if that means shelling out a bit more on the project, you might as well get it done to a decent standard by a professional. The best option will normally be a patio and driveway company who has been been offering their services in the area for a good few years, and has an excellent reputation locally.

When screening these installers, you should at least ask to see a portfolio of earlier projects, ask for some references from previous clients, check that they've got adequate insurance, ascertain how long they've been in business, find out what warranties they offer on their workmanship, ask if they are affiliated with a trade association like ANTSCA (the surfacing trade association).

Asking for such germane information ought to give you a notion of the type of person you are dealing with, but it doesn't have to be the Spanish Inquisition. It is pretty much safe to assume that they're reliable and honest if they are quite relaxed about answering all these questions and talk about your fears. You can assume that they're hiding something or being less than truthful if they act in a hesitant or confrontational way when asked these sorts of questions. If that occurs you'd be smart to avoid them like the plague and try a different company.

Selecting a decent tradesperson is crucial, because if you manage to get hold of a capable driveway installer, they'll not only do an excellent job, but also give you advice about the best materials, location and style for your new driveway. They'll also help you with all the planning, design and preparation, so all the important aspects is covered before any actual work commences on your driveway.

Gravel Driveways

When looking at the various kinds of driveway you may decide to opt for the ubiquitous most economical and easiest, which is gravel. Regardless of their simplicity gravel driveways can be a really attractive option, especially in rural locations where they are the most popular. Gravel can be obtained in a wide selection of sizes and shades, so you should not have any trouble locating one that looks great in your garden. For gravel driveways to be effective they need a sturdy base of hardcore, and substantial edging. If you apply three or four separate layers of shingle, each and every one rolled and left to settle, you will get the best gravel driveway. Properly laid gravel driveways are of course SuDS compliant, so you will not need to apply for planning permission regardless of how large your driveway is. (Tags: Shingle Driveways, Gravel Driveways, Aggregate Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

An asphalt driveway, with its smooth, consistent appearance offers immediate curb appeal to any property or home in. When installed by a professional company, an asphalt driveway will give you many years of trouble free use with virtually no maintenance. In flood risk areas it might be necessary to have a permeable drive, and there is a type of asphalt sub-base for rainwater drainage, which stops excess water from filling up highway drains.

Asphalt driveways are exceptionally smartly designed to withstand anything the British winters can chuck at them, and deliver very good value for money. Asphalt is easily and cheaply repaired and maintained, and can be removed if circumstances change in the future. If you are concerned about the environmental impact of your driveway, you might be interested to learn that asphalt can be taken out and recycled for re-use elsewhere.

Block Paving Driveways

Dozens of driveways have sprung up in over the last few years, built using the block-paving technique, which can be very effective when done correctly. These are created using purpose-made block-paving bricks which butt together forming eye-catching and interesting patterns. The gaps between these blocks are filled with kiln-dried sand which is brushed into the joints, resulting in a tidy finish. It is advisable to have your block-paved driveway sealed after 4 or 5 months with Thompsons sealant or something similar. This is vital to stop weed growth. Block paving can be laid in lots of patterns, including fan, basket weave, stretcher bond and herringbone.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: It's even possible to build a SuDS compliant block paved driveway in, if that is what you require. By simply leaving wider spaces between the blockwork and filling them with a fine aggregate as opposed to the usual kiln-dried sand, you can create a permeable surface that doesn't need planning permission. (Tags: Block Paving Driveways, Block Paving, Block Paved Driveways).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone, as a driveway material, never loses its eye-catching appearance even as it grows older. Deciding on natural stone for your driveway will provide you with a whole lifetime of serviceable use for any vehicle and will look great from day 1 to year 50. It can provide your house with a driveway that, due to the distinctive hues and colours of the individual stones, is wholly bespoke to you. The natural stone gives a soft, warm look to any driveway, and adds to that all important curb appeal.

Driveways made from natural stone not only look good, but they are low maintenance and less prone to being damaged than some driveway alternatives. The narrower gaps between the stones means that there is considerably less chance of weed growth, and the smooth surface is easy to clean. You should think of a properly prepared and installed stone driveway as an investment towards your property's value.

Driveway Cleaning

If you don't currently have a driveway in your garden, then clearly cleaning won't be needed, but this is definitely an issue you will have to look at in the future. For lots of folks, it isn't usually a priority to keep their driveway clean. Nonetheless, for both maintenance and aesthetic purposes, cleaning a driveway with some regularity is essential. Over time, the structure of your driveway can be weakened by roots, weeds and other organic plant growth. If your drive suffers from existing fractures or cracks, these could easily be enlarged, and structural problems can arise as a result.

It's better to remove stains, weeds or dirt from your drive as soon as possible after you notice them. Yet, most property owners hold out for the spring or summer months to pressure wash their drives, merely because moss and weeds are more noticeable at this time of year. The appeal of your drive can really be blighted by oil, brake fluid and petrol stains from your vehicle. It's therefore essential to get them cleaned immediately to avoid unattractive stains on your driveway's surface.

As well as a jet washer, you'll also need a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent, and also some other tools to clean your driveway correctly. You should bring in a professional driveway cleaning service, if you aren't confident in doing it yourself, or don't have the proper equipment.

Tarmac Driveways

On account of its durability and strength, tarmac is a perfect choice for surfacing a driveway. When laid by a professional driveway contractor it is weather resistant, looks fantastic and needs very little maintenance. A tarmac driveway can contend with heavier vehicles, like motor-homes, without dimpling or damage to the surface, and will look good for many years to come.

If you wish to colour tarmac, it is incredibly easy to do so, and it offers exceptional value when compared with other driveway materials. You do not need to have a drab, traditional looking drive; you can customise your driveway to the colour of your choice. It is perfectly possible for a skilled driveway company to put in a brand new tarmac driveway in one day. This ease of installation, combined with its simple maintenance and high durability makes a tarmac driveway a perfect alternative for almost any property or home.

Resin-Bound Driveways

There's little doubt that in recent years resin-bound or resin driveways have become one of the most popular kinds of driveway. The fact that they're SuDS compliant plainly further increases their appeal. Resin-bound driveways can be installed in a wide range of designs and patterns that can be tailor-made to your exact specifications. For less mess and hassle a new resin driveway could be easily laid over an existing tarmac or concrete surface. Resin-bound driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and the perfect alternative to block paving, asphalt, gravel or concrete. A resin-bound driveway will give you years of excellent service, and when laid by an approved installer, come with an extended warranty.

Concrete Driveways

Hard wearing, strong and requiring minimal maintenance, concrete is an ideal material for building driveways. When it comes to cost, concrete is about middling for driveway construction, being costlier than asphalt or gravel, but cheaper than block paving and resin. Many would concur that concrete driveways, generally speaking, are rather boring and drab. Yet this does not have to be the case, as it's quite possible to finish off the surface with a patterned or stamped design which can be fairly attractive. (Tags: Concrete Driveways, Concreted Driveways, Imprinted Concrete Driveways).

Driveway Tasks

Local driveway installers will likely help with the maintenance of concrete driveways, stone resin driveway installation, the repair of gravel driveways, cheap driveway ideas, grass driveway installation, driveway repair, driveway ideas, driveway replacement, garden patio installations, the building of flagstone driveways, Indian stone driveways, the building of brick driveways, bonded gravel driveways, driveway removal, coloured tarmac driveways, concrete driveway repairs, tar driveways, driveway sealing, shingle driveways, driveway lights, driveway bollards, gated driveways, the laying of aggregate driveways, gravel driveway laying, the maintenance of block paving driveways, driveway maintenance, the laying of concrete driveways, cobbled driveways, stone driveway installation, driveway resurfacing. Driveway providers will be happy to inform you of their whole range of services

Driveway Questions

In the past week or so I've been having a close look at the popular questions folks ask in relation to driveways in Gillingham. Quite a few of our visitors posted some noteworthy enquiries which are relevant to this discussion. The ones I picked out were, "How much weight can driveway hold?" "Does driveway sealer go bad?" "Where can I buy driveway gravel?" "What are driveway markers used for?" "How much does a driveway cost?" "What are the benefits of a concrete driveway?" The majority of these questions will have hopefully been answered on this page, if there are any left to be answered we'll be including a driveway "Q&A" section before long. Our gratitude goes out to Nolan Macdonald, Caroline Welsh, Oliver Beattie and Sheila Southern from Gillingham, for taking time out to send in these questions. It was also awesome to get offerings from Sawyer Tucker in Wouldham, April Exley in Rainham and Reginald Dwyer in Frindsbury.

Simple And Inexpensive Ways To Upgrade Your Home's Curb Appeal

Curb appeal refers to the appearance of your home, especially from the outside. To make your home look better, especially if it is something you are trying to sell, you should do external home improvement work to enhance its appeal. It is important that you appreciate the way that your home looks, which is why improving the curb appeal is something you ought to do anyway. So let's look at some easy ways to upgrade your home's curb appeal.

Typically, the first idea when mulling over a curb appeal update; is adding a fresh new look with a few coats of paint. This is often a good idea, but it may not be necessary. Power washing your home may be an alternative to putting on new paint if there are no signs like chipping or weathering and the color is one that appeals to you. You will be amazed at the difference it will make and it will be a lot easier on you pocketbook. As time goes by so slow sometimes, it is hard to see the dirt and grime collect on your home. Power washers are available to rent at many stores and if you are unable to do it yourself, you can always hire the job out. Don't forget to hit every exterior on your property, including any decks, sheds or garage doors.

Possibly individuals may enhance their residence curb appeal in the manner of creating some advancements that they didn't truly realize were essential. When one peers at something all day for a long time, sometimes they aren't aware of what it looks like to someone else. Look long and hard at your garage entryway, for instance. 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. One other thing that can again and again be overlooked, is the mailbox. Purchasing a postal box doesn't cost a lot, however, provided the one you have is ancient and dirty, you will have a better outlook when you get a new one.

Another thing you can do is to improve the walkway that leads up to your front door from the street. Another possibility is to put plants on the walkway which is very appealing to those that appreciate nature. It is always something to see when you observe a new driveway in front of a home - you might want to do this! The appearance and feel of your driveway, however it ends up looking, is very important to those that visit. If your driveway is very old, it may have potholes and it. If this is the case, do simple things like raking the lawn to make it look better all the way around. Anyone that enters your driveway should be made to feel as if they are special so that they always remember visiting.

There are many home improvement projects that can give your home a more appealing look. Remodeling a room in your home can be exciting; just make sure you do not forget about the exterior of your home. We have discussed some valuable ways to maximize your curb appeal; of course if you inspect your place you will see all sorts of projects.

Searching Online For a Driveway Installer

When looking for any kind of tradesmen these days, the vast majority of householders are inclined to head straight online to simply "Google it". Logic would say that you're seeing this webpage at this moment after you pinpointed it by typing a search phrase into Google, Yahoo or Bing and it appeared on the first page. From time to time the page 1 listings provided aren't exactly what you'd expected when making use of these particular search engines. The majority of householders, when trying to find a driveway expert will visit Google or bing and type "driveways", "Gillingham driveways", "driveway pavers near me" or "driveways". Nevertheless, most of the resulting page one listings on these search engines, as you will shortly discover, are either going to be "pay per click" results or listings for major lead creation sites like TrustaTrader, My Hammer, Checkatrade, Rated People, My Builder or Bark or directories such as Yell, Gumtree, Yelp or Hotfrog. You'll very likely discover the sites of bona fide driveway pavers hidden on page 2 or 3 of the results, outsmarted by the wealthier corporations who can more easily afford SEO. When you are endeavouring to find the most effective person to complete your driveway installation work, it's sensible to explore every technique open to you, so everything supplied by the search process should be reviewed so that you will be able to uncover the ideal driveway installer.

Driveway Installer Services

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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.

Driveways Around Town: Some streets served by driveway pavers: Bowden, The Laurels, Carvoran Way, Blean Road, Shelden Drive, Scott Avenue, Twyford Close, Toronto Road, Standen Close, Bay Villas, Boughton Close, Tanker Hill, Springvale, School Road, Silverdale Drive, Campion Close, Cloverfields, Christmas Street, Conrad Close, Chichester Close, Castlemaine Avenue, Chartwell Court, Stirling Close, Culpepper Road, The Old Orchard, Callams Close, Scotchy Hill, Church Street, Beaconsfield Avenue, Silton Road. These areas recently saw activity by contractors laying driveways. Local homeowners enjoyed dependable and high quality driveway services.

Resin Driveways - Gravel Driveways - Residential Driveway Installation - Cheap Driveways - Concrete Driveways - Commercial Driveway Installation - Driveway Pavers - Driveway Services - Tarmac Driveways