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So, you have resolved to have a driveway installed, but what style of driveway will be best for your requirements? For various reasons, not every kind of driveway will be right for you, and there are clearly many to pick from. Prices will fluctuate considerably across these different styles of driveway, so your possible choices could become more limited if you've only got a set amount of money to use. Your decision could also be impacted by the configuration and dimensions of your property.

You might just think "a driveway is a driveway", however that's simply not the case, since there are lots of different styles and designs of driveway, and if you take a walk around, you will soon realise what I mean. You can 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, though not all of these will actually be suitable for your garden landscape and layout.

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 presume that you are allowed to plonk a driveway wherever you like on your land, this isn't automatically the case. There is actually legislation covering the the installment of driveways, and these are UK-wide rules, not only local. You'll only have to concern yourself with these regulations if you happen to be putting a driveway in the front garden of your property. The legislation that is currently in force come from a government act of 2008 - the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).

The SuDS regulations apply to driveways in front gardens with an area of more than five square metres. Permeable materials such as gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock are compliant with SuDS, and permit any excess water to soak through naturally without any issues. Therefore, if you're building your driveway from one of these substances, you won't need to fret. It is possible to check out the SuDS regulations here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

Some people might be tempted to have a crack at building their own driveway, particularly if they aren't fazed by a bit of hard work and are pretty good at do-it-yourself. But you should not imagine that this is an easy task, because besides the laying of the driveway there's a whole lot of manhandling materials, excavating and waste removal associated with such a endeavour. If you have any concerns about doing this, it might be best to call in an established driveway installer to complete the work on your behalf.

With driveway contractors, similar to many other building related trades, you've got to be careful of who you pick to let loose on your property. Cowboys and rogue traders are regularly lurking around in the area, their standard of workmanship will be inferior and some can even take your cash and do a "runner" without completing any work at all. If you are going to install a driveway you may just as well have it done to a decent standard, even if this means having to spend a little more on the project. If a local driveway paving company has been advertising and working in and around your area for a number of years, it's reasonable to assume that they will be trustworthy, and a good choice for your assignment.

When assessing tradespeople for your driveway project, 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 such questions, but just ask enough to get a good sense of the sort of person you're considering, so you're able to make an informed choice of tradesman. Anyone who is willing to answer all your questions, and put your mind at rest about the quality of the work they will be doing, will most likely also be genuine and trustworthy. If enquiries such as this produce an agressive or hesitant response, then you should be skeptical of their trustworthiness, and perhaps look someplace else.

Selecting a quality tradesperson is crucial, as should you manage to find yourself a capable driveway contractor, they'll not just do a great job, but also give you guidance on the best location, materials and style for your new driveway. They'll also help you with all of the preparation, design and planning, so that all the important aspects is covered prior to any actual physical work commencing on your driveway.

Gravel Driveways

When going over the various types of driveway you might choose to plump for the standard simplest and most economical, which is gravel. Regardless of their simplicity gravel driveways can be a really attractive option, particularly in rural locations. Given that there is such a wide array of gravel colours and sizes, you should not have any trouble locating one that you're happy with. A robust layer of hardcore is needed for a gravel drive to be effective, as well as a firmly-bedded edging. If you put down 3 or 4 separate layers of stones, each and every one tamped and left to settle down, you will get the most effective gravel driveway. Irrespective of what size your driveway is, or whether it is in your back or front garden, if it is made from gravel it won't need to apply for planning permission, because it will automatically be SuDS compliant.

Asphalt Driveways

Any property or home in will gain benefits from the curb appeal of the smooth, continuous appearance of an asphalt driveway. For best outcome ensure that you hire a proficient asphalt contractor who'll install a driveway that lasts for many years and requires virtually no maintenance. It is even possible to install permeable asphalt options so that rain can drain away into a sub-base, instead of running off into road drainage systems, which can cause localised flood risks.

Asphalt driveways offer excellent value for money and asphalt is a strong, durable material that is perfect for withstanding the freezing and thawing effects of a typical winter. Asphalt is easily and cheaply maintained and repaired, and isn't too difficult to remove if your circumstances change in the future. It can be looked on as the most ecological of hard driveway surfaces as it's even possible to recycle an asphalt driveway for use in another location.

Block Paved Driveways

Over the last decade or so scores of driveways have appeared in constructed using the block-paving process. Forming attractive and elaborate designs, hundreds of specially designed block paving bricks are butted together to create a hard wearing and durable driveway. As soon as the blocks have been put in place and firmly tamped down, the gaps are filled with kiln-dried sand which is then brushed into the joints. It is advisable to have your block paving driveway sealed after five or six months with Rycal sealant or similar. This is crucial to stop weed growth. Block paving can be laid in several designs, including fan, herringbone, stretcher bond and basket weave.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: SuDS compliant block paving driveways are quite possible by adjusting the traditional technique. Wider gaps than normal are left in between the blocks and rather than the usual kiln-dried sand, these are filled with a fine shingle material.

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone is a material that always improves with age. Looking fantastic from the first day until fifty years down the line, a driveway built from natural stone will provide you with a whole lifetime of use for any motor vehicle. The natural colouring and depth of tone gives a quintessential appearance to any stone driveway, and provides a bespoke look to any garden. When professionally installed, a natural stone driveway has that all important curb appeal that complements any home.

A natural stone driveway is also far easier to maintain, and is less prone to damage and cracking from weather than concrete based materials. The narrower joints in between the stones means that there's significantly less likelihood of weed growth, and the smooth, solid surface is easy to clean. An expertly prepared and laid natural stone driveway is an investment that will add considerable value to your home.

Driveway Cleaning

If your home already has a drive, and you're considering replacing it because it is starting to look scruffy - why not clean it instead? For many home owners, keeping their driveway clean is not normally perceived as a priority. Yet, cleaning your driveway is crucial from both an aesthetic and maintenance perspective, and this should really be carried out fairly regularly. The structure of your driveway can be severely weakened with time, by weeds and other organic plant growth. Existing cracks or holes can be enlarged which may eventually lead to structural issues in your driveway.

As soon as you notice weed growth, dirt or stains on your driveway, it is recommended that you get rid of them as quickly as possible. However, moss and weed growth is definitely more visible on your drive in the spring and summer, you shouldn't wait until then to give it a good clean. Brake fluid, oil and petrol spills from your vehicle can spoil the attractiveness of your driveway. Thus it's important to immediately remove them to prevent your driveway's surface being stained too severely.

You'll need some tools and equipment such as a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent, in addition to a jet washing device, so as to get your driveway totally clean. A specialist driveway cleaning service may be necessary if you don't have the right equipment, or are not certain about doing it yourself. You may even find that your local driveway installers will be prepared to provide this service.

Tarmac Driveways

Because of its strength and durability, tarmac is an ideal choice for surfacing a driveway. It looks amazing, requires little maintenance and is weatherproof, when professionally laid. The sturdiness of a tarmac driveway means that it can withstand daily wear and tear from larger and heavier vehicles, such as carvans and camper vans, with no ridges or damage being caused to the surface.

If you want to colour tarmac, it is incredibly easy to do so, and it offers great value for money in comparison to alternative kinds of driveway. Tarmac makes it simple to have an alternative to a dull black surface and colour it to match your property. The installation of tarmac driveways is fairly easy and can often be achieved by a skilled driveway contractor in a day. This simplicity of installation, along with its simple maintenance and high strength makes a tarmac driveway a perfect choice for any home.

Resin-Bound Driveways

One of the most popular kinds of driveway nowadays, resin driveways (or resin-bound driveways) are porous (permeable) and compliant with SuDS. Resin-bound driveways can be custom-made to your precise specifications and come in a wide variety of different colours and patterns. For a lot less mess and hassle a new resin driveway could be easily laid over a pre-existing tarmac or concrete surface. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a terrific substitute for block paving, concrete, asphalt or gravel. When laid by a trusted installer, a resin driveway should come with a long guarantee and give you years of excellent service. (Tags: Resin-Bonded Driveways, Resin Driveways, Resin-Bound Driveways).

Concrete Driveways

Strong, hard wearing and needing hardly any maintenance, concrete is an ideal material for driveways. With regards to cost, concrete is about average for driveways, being costlier than gravel or asphalt, but cheaper than resin or block paving. Nearly everybody would agree that concrete driveways, generally speaking, are rather drab and boring. However this doesn't have to be a problem, since it is possible to finish them off with a patterned or stamped design which can be highly attractive.

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.

Suggestions on Ways to Give Your Home a Better Curb Look

Curb appeal is a term often used by real estate agents when discussing ways to make a home more appealing to potential buyers. Even if your house is not currently for sale; you may want to give curb appeal a little thought. These are often small issues that be easily fixed or improved, but which make a big difference in the overall look of a home. We'll be covering a few simple ways to give your home better curb appeal in this article.

Painting your entire house, or just portions of it, can really add to the overall curb appeal that it has. If you have a deck with old paint that's chipping, consider repainting it, perhaps with a new color. Other items that you can paint include window casings and the shutters on your home. Sometimes all you need is a detailed cleaning which may consist of picking up around the yard, and washing the windows to make everything look brand-new. One other thing you can do is remove moss and mildew that may be prominent on the outside of your home; if it is there, people will definitely see it and shake their heads. 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.

Take in the front yard as well as the back. . Are children's toys, tools and hit-or-miss items all over the yards, or do they appear clean and alluring? A considerable influence to curb appeal is the look of your yards. Assuming backyard or front yard is cluttered, the endeavor to clean it up will be worthwhile. Obstacles that are creating a difficulty to stroll in your yard need to be removed. Tackle issues such as growing weeds and bush overgrowth, assuming you have these. If you have kids who leave toys around the yard, teach them to put them away when they're finished playing with them.

Instead of putting paint on the outside of your house, a consideration might be to put new siding up. There are many options for this, and it can make your home look more modern. This can make your insulation better and make your home more valuable as well. You could give your dwelling the look of typical stone or stucco without the cost of it, with stone or stucco veneer. If you want to consider new siding, or something like stone veneer for the exterior of your home, you should look into all the different possibilities and decide which most appeals to you.

Extreme satisfaction can be had as you exert yourself to enhance your abodes curb appeal. Whether one attempts to produce a more beautiful lot, paint the porch or enhance the carport, every motion you make can enable your abode to have a prettier appearance and make it worth more. Whether you center your focal point on elaborate home improvements or less expensive and simple actions, all of the effort will create a better curb appeal for your residence.

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.

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