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So, you've made the decision to have a driveway installed, but what type of driveway is likely to be preferable for your needs? For a number of reasons, not all types of driveway will appeal to you, and there are of course plenty to choose from. Costs will vary noticeably across these various driveway styles, therefore your possible options could become more limited if you've only got a certain amount of cash to use. The makeup and style of your driveway might additionally be impacted by the layout and size of your garden.

When wandering around you will likely have noticed all the various different designs of driveway in other folk's houses. Contingent on the geography and layout of your garden you'll be able to choose from stone resin driveways, concrete driveways, patterned concrete driveways, tarmac driveways, natural flagstone driveways, permeable driveways, asphalt driveways, aggregate driveways, pebble driveways, block paved driveways.

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 may believe that you can just plonk a driveway anywhere you like on your property, this isn't always the case. There are UK-wide regulations pertaining to the installation of driveways, not only local ones. These regulations only apply to front gardens at this moment. The rules that are currently in force originate from a government act of 2008 - the SuDS (Sustainable Drainage System).

Driveways being laid in front gardens that have an area higher than 5m2 are affected by the SuDS legislation. This demands that your drive is built from gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, so that surface water can easily drain away safely and not cause flooding. Check here - SuDS - if you believe that the SuDS regulations might affect your planned driveway in TOWN.

To some people, building a driveway may not seem to be that difficult a task, and for someone who's good at do-it-yourself, it's not at all unthinkable. With so much hard work involved with driveways including manhandling materials, doing rubbish removal and excavating, no-one should imagine that this is a simple undertaking. All things considered, it might be advisable to contact an established driveway installer, if you are in any doubt doing it yourself.

Due to the nature of this type of project, it is not necessarily that simple to identify reliable tradespeople who can be guaranteed to do a good job. There are a lot of rogue traders and cowboys out there who will happily take your cash and do a lousy job (or perhaps no job at all in some cases!). Even if this means shelling out a bit more on the enterprise, you might as well get it done properly by a professional. driveway pavers who've been operating in the area for several years would be the preferred choice.

When you are sifting through potential tradesmen to lay your driveway you should 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).

Don't go overboard with this questioning, but just ask enough to get a good impression of the sort of company you're dealing with, so you're able to make an informed choice before hiring someone. It's safe to consider they're genuine and honest if they're quite happy to talk about all your concerns and answer all your questions. You should steer well clear if they appear to be hesitant or hostile when asked such questions, since it's likely that they are hiding something or being less than honest.

If you pick your driveway installer with care you will discover that they can offer you lots of helpful guidance and advice about the perfect materials to use and the preferred type of driveway for your property. Before any actual physical work begins your driveway expert will ensure that all the required planning, preparation and design work is looked after.

Gravel Driveways

When considering the various different kinds of driveway you might decide to plump for the standard simplest and cheapest, which is gravel. Gravel driveways are especially effective in rural locations, and regardless of their simplicity they can be particularly pleasing. Gravel can be bought in a wide selection of sizes and shades, so you should have no problem locating one that looks great in your garden. A effective gravel driveway will require a sturdy and clearly-defined edging, and a good robust base of hardcore. If you are looking for a really top quality gravel driveway, you must make certain that 3 or 4 separate layers are applied, with each one individually rolled and left to settle for a couple of days before the next is laid. You won't need planning permission with a gravel driveway, given that it will be SuDS compliant regardless of how large it is, or whether it's in your front or back garden.

Asphalt Driveways

When you're looking for 'curb appeal' for your property or home in, an asphalt driveway, with its smooth continuous surface, is a great choice. For optimum results make sure you hire a professional asphalt contractor who will provide you with a driveway that lasts for many years doesn't require much maintenance or after-care. If your local council has regulations that bar non-permeable materials being used, in order to prevent local flooding, a special permeable asphalt substrate allows rainwater to drain away into a sub-base.

Asphalt driveways offer extremely good value and asphalt is a durable, strong material that's designed to tolerate the freezing and thawing effects of a typical winter. It is also the simplest driveway substance to repair or remove due to its manufacturing process. In fact, asphalt can even be recycled and used elsewhere, making this the most ecological of the solid driveway products.

Block Paved Driveways

Scores of driveways have sprung up in in recent times, built using the block-paving technique, which can be extremely successful when carried out correctly. Forming attractive and interesting patterns, many hundreds of purpose-made block paving bricks are butted together to produce a robust and hard wearing driveway. After the blocks have been laid, they're firmly tamped down, and kiln-dried sand is brushed into the joints. To get the best service and longest life out of your block paving driveway, you need to get it professionally sealed after 5 or 6 months to stop weed growth. Block paving can be made very attractive and can be laid numerous different designs, including fan, basket weave, herringbone and stretcher bond.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paved driveways can also be made to comply with SuDS, by simply leaving wider than normal gaps between the blocks, which can then be packed with fine shingle instead of the traditional kiln-dried sand.

Natural Stone Driveways

The attributes of natural stone means it continually improves as it ages. This dense and compact material looks the business on any driveway and will give an entire lifetime of good service for any cars or vehicles you might own. The natural colouring and depth of tone gives a distinctive appearance to any stone driveway, and delivers a bespoke look to any property. It provides that crucial wow factor and curb appeal that every homeowner desires.

In contrast to paving alternatives, natural stone driveways are less susceptible to damage and are far easier to look after and maintain. The smooth surface of the natural stones makes them simple to clean, and weeds are less likely to take root in the narrower gaps of a stone driveway. You should look at an expertly installed natural stone driveway as an investment towards your home's overall value.

Driveway Cleaning

If you do not currently have a driveway in your garden, then clearly cleaning is not going to be needed, but this is certainly an issue you will have to think about in the coming weeks and months. For many householders, keeping their driveway clean isn't usually considered a priority. However, cleaning a driveway is a procedure that should be performed on a fairly regular basis, and is crucial from both a maintenance and visual viewpoint. Weeds and pernicious plant growth can weaken the structure of your driveway over the years. If your driveway has existing cracks and holes, these could be widened which could ultimately trigger structural issues.

If weeds, dirt or stains appear on your driveway, removing them as quickly as possible is recommended. However, the spring and summer is when you most notice the growth of moss and weeds, you ought not wait until them to cleanse your drive. The appeal of your driveway can be really ruined by oil, petrol and brake fluid spills from your vehicle. Therefore it's vital to immediately remove them to prevent the surface being stained too severely.

To clean your driveway correctly you will need the use of a jet washer, and additionally you will need a few other tools and equipment, such as a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent. You can contact a specialist driveway cleaning service, if you are not certain about doing it yourself, or you haven't got the right equipment.

Tarmac Driveways

Tarmac provides a strong and durable surface which makes it a perfect option for a driveway. When laid by a competent driveway company it looks terrific, requires little or no maintenance and offers exceptional weather resistant properties. The sturdiness of a tarmac driveway means that it can withstand daily wear and tear from heavier and larger vehicles, such as camper vans, with no ridges or damage being noticeable on the surface.

It offers great value for money, and tarmac can be coloured to complement the surroundings or your home. No longer do you need a drab, traditional looking driveway; it is possible to customise your drive to a colour of your choice. The installation of tarmac driveways is relatively straightforward and can often be accomplished by a skilled contractor in a day. Lots of folks opt for tarmac over other driveway materials due to its durability, easy installation, finish and low maintenance qualities.

Resin-Bound Driveways

One of the most frequently seen kinds of driveway in recent times, resin-bound or resin driveways are permeable and compliant with SuDS. Resin-bound driveways can be installed in a whole host of patterns and designs that can be custom-made to your exact specifications. For a lot less mess and hassle a new resin driveway can easily be laid over an existing concrete or asphalt surface. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a terrific substitute for block paving, concrete, gravel or asphalt. Normally coming with an extended guarantee when installed by a trustworthy contractor, a resin-bound driveway should give you excellent service for years to come.

Concrete Driveways

Ideal for driveways, and a very popular material for many years, concrete has the advantage of being strong, durable and relatively maintenance-free. When it comes to the cost, concrete is about middling for driveways, being costlier than gravel or asphalt, but cheaper than resin or block paving. For many householders, the downside of concrete is its rather dreary and boring appearance, but this can easily be resolved by adding a patterned or stamped surface finish.

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.

Home Improvement Tips to Create More Curb Appeal

What is curb appeal? It is the way you can increase your home's value by making it look outstanding to any passersby. People that go into your home, or see it from the street, this perception is what curb appeal is all about. The reason this is important is that, if you are actually trying to sell your home, the first things that people notice when they see your house may actually cause them to buy it.

A great place to start is to paint a portion of your house, or the entire house; doing this can really catch the eye of people driving by. Some people have a deck that surrounds the house; if you do repaint the deck, you might consider changing the color. Shutters and window casings are also good candidates for a fresh coat of paint. In some cases, a cleaning will be sufficient, but making such areas look their best will greatly improve the curb appeal of your home. Your curb appeal will definitely give the wrong impression to people passing by if you have mold and moss on the outside of the house - clean that up as soon as you can! Sometimes you can clean all of this up yourself. However, if it is extremely bad, always hire a professional to get the job done right.

You can use simple decorations to make the outside of your home seem festive and welcoming. Spending lots of money on this project really is unnecessary; the main thing you want to consider is what you actually want to do. Instead of having a bare front lawn, you should add a few plants, a couple flowers, and whatever else that will add noise to the front of your home. Choose a few specific locations (windowsills, front porch, etc.) that you think would benefit from adding foliage to the front of your home. Consider adding some lawn furniture to your front lawn so it looks inviting and happy. Even the lawn decorations can spruce up the front of your house; if overdone, it can detract from everything else.

Hanging new siding may be something you want to contemplate, rather than putting paint on the exterior of your dwelling. Choices abound for the above mentioned, and it has the possibility of giving your dwelling a fresh look. An improvement in your insulation is possible and additionally the improvement of your homes worth. Another potential is stucco or stone veneer, as this can give the more customary appearance of a stucco or stone abode but not bring about the same cost as the real materials. Assuming you would desire to put stone veneer on the exterior of your residence or new siding, you should examine the myriad of choices out there and make a determination regarding what you are drawn to.

The different ways to spruce up your home are endless. While you may be focused on interior plans such as your kitchen or floors, you shouldn't neglect the outside either. You should be well armed to at least make a start to capitalize on curb appeal; although if you take a stroll around your residence, you will surely find a lot of things you could do to improve.

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.

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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.

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