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Your next step, if you do elect to forge ahead with installing a driveway will be make a choice about what type of driveway is going to be most suitable for your circumstances. There are many different types of driveway available, as I'm sure you will be aware, but these may not all be right for you. If you're on a tight spending budget you could be to some degree limited in your choices. The configuration and dimensions of your property's garden may also affect your final decision.

You might say "a driveway is just a driveway", however that simply isn't true, given that there are many different designs and types of driveway, and if you were to take a walk around your town, you will see what I mean. You should see shingle driveways, grass driveways, block paved driveways, tarmac driveways, resin bound driveways, asphalt driveways, concrete driveways, cobbled driveways, patterned concrete driveways and natural stone driveways, in various forms, however this will give you a perception of all the potential alternatives.

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?

Although you may think that you can just stick a driveway anywhere you like on your land, this is not automatically true. The legislation that pertain to driveways aren't just laid down by the local authority, but are in reality enforced by government law. However, at this moment in time, these laws only affect driveways being laid in front gardens. This legislation, which is known as the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) has been in force since October 2008, when it was first brought in.

If you are aiming to build a driveway having an area of more than 5m² and it's in your front garden, you are going to be affected by these SuDS legislation. You won't have to stress about this if you build your driveway from a porous (permeable) substance like shingle, permeable concrete block, porous asphalt, monoblock (grass) or resin, which will allow the water to pass through and naturally drain away. If you believe that the SuDS legislation will affect your planned driveway in the UK, you can see detailed information here - Sustainable Drainage Systems

Naturally it is quite feasible for you to build your own driveway in the UK, if you are fairly good at do-it-yourself and are not fazed by a touch of hard work. However no-one should think of this as an easy process, as there is a great deal of preparation work involved apart from actually laying the driveway, including doing waste removal, lugging materials and excavating. If you've got any concerns about whether you would be able to tackle a project such as this, it might be a good idea to hire an experienced driveway specialist.

With this kind of project, you've got to be wary about exactly who you pick, seeing as you clearly need somebody who knows precisely what they are up to. There are plenty of cowboys and rogue traders out there who will soon pocket your cash and do a lousy job. It's worth shelling out a bit more money to get a proper job done, instead of taking a risk with a substandard worker just to save yourself a couple of quid. Driveway and patio contractors who have been offering their services in and around the UK for a number of years would be the smartest choice.

When assessing these paving contractors, you should at the very least ask for some references from satisfied clientele, ask what warranties they offer on their workmanship, ascertain how long they've been in business, check that they have got insurance protection, ask if they are a member of a trade association such as ANTSCA (the surfacing trade association) and ask to look at a portfolio of past projects.

This doesn't have to be an inquisition, but asking these germane questions should give you an inkling of the sort of individual that you are going to be dealing with. If they are relaxed about answering all of these questions, you can assume that they are fairly genuine. You can deem that they're hiding something or being less than honest if they're confrontational or hesitant when asked such questions. If that occurs you would be wise to avoid them like the plague and try another tradesman.

If you are wary and pick a really good driveway paver, they will help you make all the most important decisions with regards to your project, including the recommended driveway technique, the favoured location and the best materials. And that is not the end of it, because they'll also take care of all the design, preparation and planning that's required for your new driveway installation to go like clockwork.

Gravel Driveways

The simplest and most economical of all the available styles is the ubiquitous gravel driveway. In rural settings, gravel driveways are particularly popular and can be extremely appealing regardless of their simplicity. Gravel is available in a variety of colours and sizes, so you should have no problem locating one that looks amazing in your garden. A efficient gravel driveway will require a sturdy and clearly-defined edging, and a good substantial base of hardcore. The best gravel driveways result from applying 3 or 4 layers of shingle, with each individual layer rolled and then left to settle before laying the following layer. Irrespective of what size your driveway is, or whether it is in your back or front garden, if it's built from gravel it won't need to apply for planning permission, as it will automatically be SuDS compliant. (Tags: Aggregate Driveways, Gravel Driveways, Shingle Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

An asphalt driveway, with its smooth, consistent appearance gives instant "curb appeal" to any property or home in. For the optimal results ensure that you hire a professional asphalt contractor that will install a driveway that lasts a lifetime and needs a bare minimum of maintenance. In flood risk areas it might be necessary to have a permeable drive, and there's an asphalt type, with sub-layer for rainwater drainage, which stops surplus water from over-filling road drains.

Asphalt is resistant to the freeze-thaw effects of British winters, and is very good value for money in comparison to some other driveway options. Asphalt is simple to maintain and repair, and can be removed if your circumstances change. It can be looked on as the most environmentally friendly of hard driveway surfaces since it's even possible for an asphalt drive to be recycled and used in another project. (Tags: Asphalt Driveways, Asphalt Driveway, Asphalt Driveway Recycling).

Block Paved Driveways

Scores of driveways have popped up in over the last few years, created using the block-paving technique, which can be extremely effective when done properly. Forming a robust, hard-wearing driveway, many hundreds of specially designed block paving bricks are butted together in eye-catching and interesting patterns which can be personalized to meet your specifications. After the blocks have been put down, they are tamped down firmly, and kiln-dried sand is rigorously brushed into the exposed joints. To get the best performance and longest life out of your block-paved driveway, you should have it properly sealed after 5 or 6 months to stop weed growth. Block paving can be laid in many different patterns, including herringbone, basket weave, stretcher bond and fan.

SuDS Compliant Block Paving Driveways: It is even possible to install a Compliant with SuDS block paved driveway in, if that is what you need. By leaving wider gaps between the blockwork and packing them with a fine shingle in place of the usual kiln-dried sand, you are able to achieve a permeable paved surface that doesn't call for planning permission. (Tags: Block Paving Driveways, Block Paved Driveways, Block Paving).

Natural Stone Driveways

Natural stone, as a driveway material, never loses its beautiful appearance even as it gets older. The choice of natural stone will provide you with a strong and stable driveway, for any vehicle, and will look fantastic for a whole lifetime. It provides your house with a driveway that, thanks to the distinctive colours and tones of the individual stones, is wholly bespoke to you. The natural stone gives a soft, warm edge to any driveway, and adds to that valuable WOW factor.

Unlike some alternatives, driveways made from natural stone are less vulnerable to damage and are far easier to maintain. The smooth surface of the natural stones makes them simple to clean, and weeds find it harder to take root in the smaller gaps of a natural stone driveway. A natural stone driveway installed by an experienced TOWN driveway company should be thought of as a wise investment that will improve the value of your house.

Driveway Cleaning

If you've already got a driveway, but it's starting to look a bit scruffy, you might be able to make it look nicer by giving it a clean. The process of keeping a driveway clean, is one of those things that many folks postpone, or neglect entirely. Nonetheless, cleaning your driveway is a process that should be completed with a fair degree of regularity, and is crucial from both an aesthetic and maintenance viewpoint. Unwanted weeds and other plant growth can weaken the structure of your driveway with time. If your drive already has cracks or crevices, these could quickly be widened, and structural issues can arise as a result.

If weeds, stains or dirt show up on your drive, getting rid of them as quickly as possible is advisable. It is not the best option to wait around for the spring and summer months to clean your driveway, despite the fact that that is the period when you most notice the appearance of weeds and moss. If brake fluid, oil and diesel is spilled from your car, the look of your driveway can be really compromised. Hence it's vital to quickly remove them to avoid your driveway's surface being stained too badly.

To get your driveway totally clean you will require the use of a jet washer, and additionally you will need some other tools and equipment, for example a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent. A specialist driveway cleaning service might be necessary if you haven't got the right equipment, or don't have the confidence to clean it yourself. You might even learn that your driveway installer will also offer this service.

Tarmac Driveways

Tarmac is a popular surface for driveways due to its durability and strength. When laid by a reliable driveway company it looks terrific, does not need a lot of maintenance and offers excellent weather resistant properties. Tarmac driveways can handle larger vehicles, such as motor-homes and trucks, without damage to the surface or dimpling, and will remain looking pristine for many years.

It offers excellent value for money, and tarmac can be coloured to match the surroundings or your home. Tarmac allows you to upstage a dull black coloured surface and colour it to blend in with your property. The installation of tarmac driveways is fairly straightforward and can frequently be achieved by a competent contractor in a day. Tarmac is truly a great material for almost any driveway, due to its strength, low maintenance properties and straightforward installation.

Resin Driveways

Among the most attractive and flexible forms of driveway that are available today, resin driveways (or resin-bound driveways) are becoming more and more popular and are also SuDS compliant, if that is what you are in need of. Available in a wide variety of colours and patterns, resin-bound driveways can be tailor-made to your specifications, and installed to complement any concept or theme. For a lot less hassle and mess a new resin driveway could be easily laid on top of an existing tarmac or concrete surface. Resin driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and a brilliant alternative to gravel, tarmac, block paving or concrete. A resin driveway will give years of reliable service, and when installed by a reputable professional, come with a long warranty.

Concrete Driveways

Strong, durable and requiring little maintenance, concrete is an ideal material for building driveways. When it comes to cost, concrete is about average for driveways, being more expensive than tarmac or gravel, but cheaper than block paving and resin. Most would agree that concrete driveways in general are somewhat uninspiring and drab. Yet this doesn't have to be a problem, given that it is possible to finish the surface off with a stamped or imprinted design.

Driveway Tasks

If you pick your driveway company carefully they will have the skills necessary to help with painted driveways, tar driveways, the maintenance of gravel driveways, coloured tarmac driveways, monoblock driveway installations in the UK, the design of asphalt driveways, permeable driveway installations, the repair of aggregate driveways, bonded gravel driveways, resin driveway installations, driveways with pavers, paving a driveway, cheap driveway ideas, commercial driveway installation, driveway resurfacing, asphalt driveway recycling, driveway cleaning, driveway installation estimates, driveway drainage, driveway replacement, grass driveway installation, driveway culverts, the construction of flagstone driveways, the repair of concrete driveways, driveway markers, gated driveways, granite block driveways, pebble driveways, domestic driveway installations, stone resin driveways and any one of innumerable additional driveway related services in the UK. Listed are just a handful of the duties that are conducted by people specialising in driveways. Driveway providers will be happy to inform you of their whole range of services

More Advice and Guidance

By taking a look at YouTube videos you are able to discover how to put in a resin bound driveway. Social media is clearly the place where the majority of homeowners in the UK head these days when they are searching for ideas and images for products and services. If that is what you love to do and you're presently searching for information on driveway installation check this out. You should pay a visit to Rated People or the government backed Trustmark website, if you want to conduct a search for licensed local driveway contractors in the UK. The dedicated Wikipedia "driveways" page is the place to head over to for details of the purposes of driveways, the different sorts of driveways, the local legislation regarding driveways and the materials used for driveways. To read a useful article about how to choose a driveway check this out.

Driveway Questions

Over the last few weeks I have been looking through the questions homeowners in the UK ask regarding driveways. A number of our visitors have submitted justifiable questions that are relevant to this article. The ones I picked out were, "Where can I buy driveway gravel?" "When should you seal your driveway?" "Should a concrete driveway have rebar?" "How do driveway drains work?" "What happens if driveway sealer freezes?" "How much does the average driveway cost?" I hope nearly all of those questions have been dealt with on this page, and if some remain unanswered a driveway "Q&A" feature will be introduced in the near future. My gratitude goes out to the following homeowners in the UK for making the effort to pose their excellent questions; Kaiden Clarkson, Sarah Crawford, Tony Mcdonald and Jane Mcgrady. It was also fantastic to get offerings from Noah Weston in Newlands, Aaliyah Cowell in Hadleigh and Isaac Friend in Fobbing.

Skip Hire for Driveways

When you're carrying out a driveway installation project in the UK, or any other kind of home or garden revamp, it's likely that a certain volume of rubbish and waste will be generated that can't be disposed of in your regular household wheelie bins. Actually, in most regions, construction or garden materials must be disposed of in a controlled and eco-friendly way, in accordance with local authority legislation. Consequently if you are to stay safely within the law, you'll have to transport your waste materials to a recognised disposal and recycling site, generally a council tip. If you do not want to be carting waste materials back and forth to your nearby Domestic Recycling Centre, it may be better to look for skip hire in your area.

By using an established skip hire contractor, you'll be given assurances that all of your waste will be driven to an authorised site, and will be disposed of correctly and safely. Even so, it's crucial to establish the form of waste materials that will be generated by the driveway project, and you can go through this with your chosen contractor and the skip hire provider concerned. If there's a chance that asbestos containing materials might be involved, the skip hire company will need to divide the dangerous waste into a totally separate disposal system for health and safety reasons. Hazardous waste is best left to the professionals, and strict regulations cover it's safe disposal. To make sure all guidelines and regulations are addressed appropriately, both your driveway installer and the skip hire firm will work together.

The perfect solution is if you happen to have a space when a skip can be sited on your garden or drive. On the reverse side of the coin, if you do not have a suitable area, and you park your vehicle on the main road, you might need to seek the help of your neighbours, and see whether they can leave a space for your skip someplace close to the work area. A skip which is placed on a driveway or private land doesn't need a permit, but if it has to go on a public highway in the UK it will definitely need a temporary local authority skip permit, get hold of them to see whether you need one. This will guarantee there are no problems with regards to siting your skip.

Skip hire providers offer skips of all shapes and sizes, and you can rent anything from skip bags and mini-skips right up to builders skips and gigantic roll-on roll-off monstrosities. To hire a skip for your project in the UK, CLICK HERE for a quote.

Easy Avenues to Create a More Appealing Curb

Curb appeal is what realtors are chatting about when they are thinking about boosting the appearance of a house that may go up for sale. If you are tossing the idea of selling your home around or not; curb appeal is something that you may want to toss around in that discussion. These repairs or improvements are not necessarily a big deal, but generally will add to the overall appearance in a great way. Within this article we hope to give you a few thoughts to consider when and if you ever decide to make some changes to your home for enhancing the 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. Even though this may sound like the place to start, you might need to think twice. If you like the color of your home's exterior and the paint isn't too old or chipped, you might want to consider power washing it. This is a lot easier and less expensive than a paint job, and the results can be almost as impressive. When the grime builds up as slow as it does, it is hard to imagine it until you see the difference after washing. 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. Be thorough and make sure to wash all washable things outside; like decks, outbuildings and such.

To improve your curb appeal, you might also want to make your home look appealing and inviting. It is important that this coincides with your tastes and that you do not spend too much money in doing this outside redecoration. Your front porch should definitely have a few colorful flowers, as well as some potted plants to make it look all-natural. Of course, you should pick the best locations for your flowers and plants to make your home look lively and colorful once again. As for furniture, you should put some on the lawn - you might want to add wicker furniture which is very friendly. Even the lawn decorations can spruce up the front of your house; if overdone, it can detract from everything else.

If you have a long walkway, or even a short one, it should look appealing to those passing by. A paved path, perhaps with flowers or other plants on either side can make the approach to your home more interesting. If you have the money, you might want to pave your driveway giving it that brand-new appearance. The appearance and feel of your driveway, however it ends up looking, is very important to those that visit. Many times, all you need to do is get a rake out and remove the excess leaves that have built up on the sides. It really depends on the condition of the driveway. Whether people walk or drive to your home, make it a positive experience for them.

Peering at your home from every possible angle is a good idea because curb appeal can be connected with many determinants. Assuming there are a ton of issues that require you to take care of them, produce a checklist followed by a prioritization of them. Next, design a calendar for working on these dilemmas, even if you are going to commission someone to do the work or do it yourself. Perhaps you can come up with some ideas by yourself, but the above tips can get you off to a great start.

Doing a Search Online

It is considerably simpler to look for a tradesman or service right now than it was in the past, given that we've got the advantage of technology and can just do a search on the web. Immediate and pertinent results are the reward of searching with Bing, Google or Yahoo, which were created for this exact role. One drawback can be that the first page results displayed by the major search engines might not be exactly the ones you were after. Typing in "UK driveways", "driveways in the UK", "driveway installers near me" or "driveways" will normally be the process to use when looking for a driveway specialist in the UK. You need to know that the 4 top results are often PPC advertisements (which may or may not be on-topic), and lots of the remaining page one listings will likely be from large trade portals like Checkatrade, My Hammer, Rated People, My Builder, TrustaTrader or Bark or web directories such as Gumtree, Yelp, Scoot or Yell. Odd job men usually don't have substantial budgets to push their websites to the uppermost rankings, so you're liable to find these out-of-the-way lower down the listings perhaps on the second or third pages. Approved tradesmen websites like Rated People or Checkatrade are still handy though, and you will be able to make full use of their informative services to examine customers appraisals, obtain free quotes and read through reviews, since there are local driveway pavers on there who do not even have a website.

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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