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If you think that a driveway is just the ticket for you, and you've got enough space to install one, you'll now have to determine what style of driveway you're going to build. You will undoubtedly be aware that there are many different driveway solutions available and not all of these will appeal to you. Your choices could be limited somewhat if you happen to be working to a tight spending budget. The size and layout of your available space could also have an affect on your decision.

You might just believe "a driveway is a driveway", but that simply isn't true, because there are lots of different types and designs of driveway, and if you were to take a stroll around, you will see what I'm saying. Dependant upon the layout and ground conditions of your garden you'll be able to select 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?

Even though you might feel that planning permission wouldn't be needed for putting a driveway on your own property, this is not always the case. There are nationally binding regulations addressing the installation of driveways, not merely local ones. At this time these regulations only apply to front gardens. The legislation that we're talking about here is the SuDS (Sustainable Drainage System), which was brought in by the government in 2008.

The SuDS regulations apply to driveways installed in front gardens with an area of more than 5 sq metres. You will not have to stress about this if you build your driveway from a permeable (porous) material such as gravel, permeable concrete, porous tarmac, resin, or grass monoblock, which permit any excess rainwater to soak through and successfully drain away. You can have a look at the Sustainable Drainage Systems legislation here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

To some homeowners, installing a driveway may appear to be a fairly straightforward undertaking, and for somebody who's a good do-it-yourselfer, it is not at all impossible. But, don't be misled, there is a lot of hard graft involved with laying a driveway, particularly in relation to the preparation work, which will involve humping heavy materials, excavation and garden clearance. If you are in any doubt about doing this, it could be advisable to bring in an established driveway contractor to carry out the work for you.

Genuine tradespeople are sometimes not that easy to get hold of in relation to performing this kind of task, therefore you need to take care in choosing the right person or contractor. You should keep an eye out for cowboys and rogue trader types who are well known for targeting this kind of project, and can easily catch you unawares. If you are going to commit to a driveway you may just as well do it properly, even if it means shelling out a bit more on the project. It is better to seek out locally based driveway companies who have been serving customers in the area for the past few years.

When searching for suitable paving contractors, it is best to 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 this relevant information ought to give you a feeling for the kind of tradesperson you are planning to work with, but it doesn't need to be done in an aggressive way. It's safe to assume they're honest and reliable if they are quite glad to answer all of these questions and address your worries. You should steer clear if they're confrontational or uncertain when asked such questions, because it is very likely that they're less than honest or hiding something.

If you choose your driveway paver carefully you'll realise that they can provide you with loads of practical advice and guidance in relation to the perfect materials to use and the preferred sort of driveway for your property. They'll also help you with all of the preparation, design and planning, so every aspect is covered prior to any actual physical work commencing on your driveway.

Gravel Driveways

When looking at the various types of driveway you might decide to plump for the cheapest and easiest, which is gravel. In spite of their inherent simplicity gravel driveways can be quite an eye-catching alternative, especially in rural settings where they are the most popular. Since there is such a wide array of gravel sizes and shades, you should not have any trouble finding one that you are satisfied with. A effective gravel driveway will require a sturdy and clearly-defined edging, and a good substantial layer of hardcore. The best quality gravel driveways are the result of putting down 3 or 4 layers of shingle, with each layer rolled and tamped and left to settle before laying the next. Regardless of what size your driveway is, or if it's in your back or front garden, if it's made from gravel it won't need to apply for planning permission, since it will be SuDS compliant. (Tags: Gravel Driveways, Shingle Driveways, Aggregate Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

An asphalt driveway, with its smooth, continuous appearance offers instantaneous "curb appeal" to any home or property in. A professional driveway contractor in will provide you with an asphalt driveway which will give you many years of good service, with minimal maintenance involved. You can even install permeable asphalt driveways so that rain is allowed to drain away into a sub-base, rather than run off into road drainage systems, which are known to trigger localised flood risks.

Asphalt can successfully tolerate the freeze-thaw impact of British winters, and is extremely good value for money in comparison to certain other driveway options. Asphalt is also the simplest driveway substance to remove or repair due to its manufacturing process. In fact, asphalt can be recycled for use elsewhere, making this the most environmentally friendly of hard driveway materials. (Tags: Asphalt Driveway, Asphalt Driveways, Asphalt Driveway Recycling).

Block Paving Driveways

Dozens of driveways have appeared in over the last few years, built using the block-paving process, which can be extremely effective when carried out correctly. Forming attractive and sometimes elaborate patterns, many hundreds of specially designed block paving bricks are butted together to create a hard wearing and sturdy driveway. The gaps between the blocks are filled up using kiln-dried sand which is brushed into the exposed joints, resulting in a tidy finish. To get the longest life and best service out of your new block-paved driveway, you should get it properly sealed after 4 or 5 months to stop weed growth. There are numerous patterns in which block paving is laid, including stretcher bond, basketweave, herringbone and fan.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: Block paving driveways can even be made compliant with SuDS, by leaving wider than normal spaces between the blocks, which are then filled with very fine aggregate as opposed to the usual kiln-dried sand. (Tags: Block Paving, Block Paving Driveways, Block Paved Driveways).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone is a material that improves with age. The choice of natural stone will provide you with a robust, stable driveway, for any motor vehicle, and will look awesome for years to come. It can provide your garden with a driveway that, owing to the distinctive tones and colours of each individual stone, is completely bespoke to you. The natural stone gives a soft, warm edge to any driveway, and is part of that much sought after WOW factor.

In contrast to some driveway alternatives, driveways made from natural stone are less liable to damage and are much easier to look after and maintain. The narrower gaps between the stones means that there is significantly less likelihood of weed growth, and the smooth surface is a lot easier to clean. You must consider an expertly prepared and laid natural stone driveway as an investment towards your property's value.

Driveway Cleaning

If your property has already got a driveway, and you're considering replacing it because it is looking shabby - why not give it a clean instead? The process of keeping a driveway clean, is one of those things that the majority of people delay, or forget about entirely. However, cleaning a driveway is a procedure that should be conducted on a fairly regular basis, and is essential from both a maintenance and cosmetic perspective. Your driveway's structure can be weakened with time, by unwanted weeds and plant growth. If your driveway already has cracks and crevices, these can easily be widened, and structural complications could take place as a result.

It's recommended that you remove stains, dirt or weeds from your drive as soon as possible after you discover them. However, most householders wait for the spring or summertime to cleanse their driveways, merely because weed and moss growth is more apparent during these times. The attractiveness of your drive can really be ruined by brake fluid, oil and diesel spillages from your vehicle. You should remove these quickly, so that any unsightly discolouration of the driveway's surface is prevented.

In addition to a power washer, you'll also need a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent, and also some other tools if you want to clean your driveway properly. A specialist driveway cleaning service will be necessary if you don't have the proper gear, or are not confident in cleaning it yourself. You may even find that your driveway company will provide this service.

Tarmac Driveways

Tarmac is a favourite surface for driveways because of its strength and durability. It looks great, needs very little maintenance and is weather resistant, when professionally laid. The resilience of a tarmac driveway means that it can withstand daily wear and tear from larger and heavier vehicles, like camper vans and lorries, with no damage or ridges being inflicted on the surface.

Tarmac is also excellent value and comes in a whole host of colours to complement your property and surrounding areas. You do not need to have a dreary, traditional looking driveway; it is possible to customise your drive to a colour of your choosing. It's perfectly possible for a competent driveway company to install a brand new tarmac drive in less than a day. This ease of installation, in conjunction with its high strength and simple maintenance makes a tarmac driveway a perfect option for just about any property.

Resin-Bound Driveways

Among the most flexible and attractive sorts of driveway that are available right now, resin-bound or resin driveways are becoming ever more favoured and are also SuDS compliant, if that is what you're in need of. Available in an array of designs and patterns, resin-bound driveways can be customized to your requirements, and installed to complement any theme or concept. If you've a current asphalt or concrete driveway, an attractive new resin surface can be laid on top of your existing one. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a brilliant substitute for tarmac, block paving, gravel or concrete. When laid by a trusted installer, a resin-bound driveway should come with an extended guarantee and give many years of excellent service.

Concrete Driveways

A much favoured material for driveways, concrete is strong, hard wearing and requires very little maintenance. A straightforward choice for many home and business owners, concrete is cheaper than resin or block paving, but if installed properly is is more hard wearing. If you find concrete driveways to be quite drab and boring, it's possible to add a stamped or patterned design to make them look more attractive. (Tags: Concrete Driveway, Stamped Concrete Driveway, Concreted Driveway).

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.

Quality Ideas to Enhance Curb Appeal for Your Home

How your home looks, and it's perceived market value, can skyrocket if you have the proper curb appeal. People that go into your home, or see it from the street, this perception is what curb appeal is all about. Curb appeal is something that may be important to you, or something that you simply want to do so that people passing by will look at your home and be impressed with what they see.

The appearance of your windows contributes a great deal to the curb appeal of your home. Undoubtedly, you want to first be certain that your windows are not dirty. There isn't anything else that can take away from the appearance of a home like filthy windows. The exterior and interior of your home are impacted by this. Glass that is destroyed in the windows should be taken care of as soon as possible, no matter where they are located, even in the basement. Without a doubt, windows are vital for the insulation of the house on top of how it looks. With the condition that your windows don't conserve energy well, it might be a good time to change them. Consider getting shutters, provided you do not own them, since this is one thing that could truly add character to the way your home looks, particularly if you paint them the color that is perfect.

To improve your curb appeal, you might also want to make your home look appealing and inviting. Changing the exterior look and feel of your house in this manner should not cost very much money and should cater to your personal tastes. You might want to add potted plants on the front porch, as well as the back porch, so that you can make the outside look environment friendly. Choose a few specific locations (windowsills, front porch, etc.) that you think would benefit from adding foliage to the front of your home. As for furniture, you should put some on the lawn - you might want to add wicker furniture which is very friendly. There are also many attractive lawn decorations you can buy, though you shouldn't overdo it with these.

Rather than painting the exterior of your home, you may want to consider putting new siding on it. It may make an individuals residence appear more youthful, and there are numerous alternatives for this. The insulation can be made better with this as well as the home values increasing. Other choices could be stucco or stone veneer, these could convey the look of a conventional stucco or stone dwelling but not burden you with the same expense that actual materials would cost. If siding is something you are wanting to think about, or a commodity akin to stone veneer for the outer part of your dwelling, looking at all the many various choices to decide what attracts you is something you should do.

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.

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