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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

Of all the styles, the ubiquitous gravel driveway is the easiest and most economical. In spite of their inherent simplicity gravel driveways can be an exceptionally eye-catching option, particularly in rural settings. You should not have any trouble finding a type of gravel that looks great in your garden, as there are an array of colours and sizes on the market. For gravel driveways to be efficient they need a good solid layer of hardcore, and substantial edging. If you apply three or four separate layers of stones, each and every one tamped and left to settle down, you will get the most effective gravel driveway. You won't require planning permission for a gravel driveway, as it will be SuDS compliant no matter how large it is, or whether it is in your back or front garden. (Tags: Gravel Driveways, Shingle Driveways, Aggregate Driveways).

Asphalt Driveways

When you're looking for 'curb appeal' for your property or home in, an asphalt driveway, with its smooth consistent surface, is a good choice. When put in by an experienced company, an asphalt driveway will give you many years of trouble free use with virtually no maintenance. If the local council imposes restrictions that stop non-porous materials being used, in order to prevent localised flooding, a unique permeable asphalt substrate enables rainwater to drain away into a sub-layer.

Asphalt driveways are exceptionally well designed to hold up against anything that winters can throw at them, and offer very good value. Due to how asphalt is produced, it's also cheap and simple to maintain, repair and if required, remove. It can be seen to be the most ecological of solid driveway materials since it's even possible for an asphalt driveway to be recycled and used in a different project.

Block Paved Driveways

Scores of driveways have sprung up in over the last few years, built using the block-paved process, which can be extremely effective when done correctly. Forming a hard-wearing, robust driveway, many hundreds of specially designed block paving bricks are butted together in attractive and sometimes elaborate designs that can be personalized to your requirements. Once the blocks have been put in place, they are tamped down firmly, and special kiln-dried sand is rigorously brushed into the joints. To get the best service and longest life out of your block-paved driveway, it is best to get it professionally sealed after a few months to stop weed growth. Block paving can be made very attractive and can be laid several designs, including basket weave, fan, 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 standard spaces between the blockwork, which can then be packed with a fine aggregate rather than the traditional kiln-dried sand.

Natural Stone Driveways

The features of natural stone means it only improves with age. The natural stone option will give you a robust and sturdy driveway, for any car or vehicle, and will look great for the foreseeable future. It provides your garden with a driveway that, thanks to the distinctive tones and colours of the individual stones, is wholly bespoke to you. When properly installed, a natural stone driveway has that all important wow factor that complements any home.

A driveway made from natural stone is also much easier to maintain, and is less prone to damage and cracking from weather than concrete materials. The smaller gaps between the stones means there's considerably less potential for weed growth, and the smooth surface is simple to clean. A stone driveway properly installed by an experienced TOWN driveway company should be thought of as a great investment which will improve the value of your home.

Driveway Cleaning

If your home has already got a drive, and you are considering changing it because it's starting to look shabby - why not clean it instead? For lots of folks, it isn't usually a priority to keep their driveway clean. Nevertheless, cleaning a driveway is something that ought to be conducted with a fair degree of regularity, and is crucial from both a maintenance and aesthetic viewpoint. Weeds and pernicious plant growth can damage your driveway's structure as time passes. If your driveway has existing cracks or fractures, these could be widened which can ultimately trigger structural complications.

If stains, weed growth or dirt show up on your driveway, removing them as soon as possible is recommended. It is not a good option to wait for the spring or summertime to jet wash your drive, although these are the periods when you most notice weed and moss growth. Oil, diesel and brake fluid spillages from your vehicle can undermine the attractiveness of your driveway. Thus it's essential to promptly remove them to prevent the surface being stained too seriously.

If you are cleaning your own driveway, you'll need the use of a pressure washing machine, and to do it correctly you will also need some additional equipment and tools, such as a bucket, a scraper, a broom, a wire brush and detergent. If you don't have the proper gear, or aren't certain about doing it yourself, you should bring in a specialist driveway cleaning service, or ask your driveway installers if they do it.

Tarmac Driveways

On account of its durability and strength, tarmac is a really good choice for the surface of a driveway. It is weather resistant, requires very little maintenance and looks superb, when professionally laid. The durability of a tarmac driveway means it can withstand daily wear and tear from heavier vehicles, like vans and motor-homes, with no damage or ridges being noticeable on the surface.

It offers fantastic value, and tarmac can be coloured to suit the surroundings or your house. You can customise a tarmac drive to suit your property or home, with numerous colours available. The installation of a tarmac driveway is relatively simple and can be achieved by an experienced driveway contractor in a day. Tarmac really is a great material for almost any driveway, because of its maintenance free properties, ease of installation and durability.

Resin-Bound Driveways

Among the most attractive and flexible styles of driveway that are available at this time, resin-bound or resin driveways are becoming more and more favoured and are also SuDS compliant, if that is what you're looking for. Resin-bound driveways can be customized to your precise specifications and come in a host of different patterns and designs. For faster, more convenient installation resin-bound driveways can be laid over a pre-existing tarmac or concrete base with a lot less mess and hassle. Resin-bound driveways are easy to clean, maintenance free, durable, permeable, and an awesome substitute for gravel, block paving, tarmac or concrete. A resin driveway will give you years of good service, and when laid by an experienced installer, come with an extended warranty.

Concrete Driveways

A very popular material for driveways, concrete is durable, strong and needs very little maintenance. An easy choice for many people, concrete costs less than block paving or resin, but if laid properly is stronger. Most would acknowledge that concrete driveways in general are somewhat dreary and boring. Yet this does not have to be a problem, given that it's quite possible to finish off the surface with a patterned or stamped design which can be fairly attractive.

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.

How To Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal

As you mediate on how you could amplify the appeal your curb has, you will realize there are endless avenues to do so. Some homeowners make the mistake of thinking that this isn't very important, as it only has to do with superficial issues. Though, assuming you want to put your house on the market, or at the very least desire to create a more alluring and appealing home, what might feel inconsequential can in truth be very meaningful. If your dwelling has a curb that is alluring, it is suggestive that the owner is meticulous and considerate.

People that have a home with a front lawn can improve the curb appeal of their home with the green grass. Depending on the size of your lawn, keeping it looking as good as possible may take quite a bit of effort. Consistency is the key in regard to curb appeal with a lawn - people need to see it taken care of each and every week. Your job is to make sure that the lawn is always green and well trimmed for people going by. New sod must be added to areas that are dry or barren to ensure that the consistency remains intact. You might have to hire a landscaper that can detail your lawn each and every week to make sure that it stays green and looks in vogue. You might have additional things to tend to including shrubbery and trees on the property.

Your yards need to be looked at carefully. Are children's toys, tools and hit-or-miss items all over the yards, or do they appear clean and alluring? The appearance of your yard or yards is a major factor when it comes to curb appeal. Assuming backyard or front yard is cluttered, the endeavor to clean it up will be worthwhile. Take away everything that is in your way as you meander through the yards. Unwanted vegetation or small trees that should be cut are problems that you need to deal with. When your kids play with their toys in the yard and then depart, advise them to place them in their proper places when they have completed their play time.

If you want to give your home an appealing feature, consider adding a more attractive path or walkway from the street to your front door. Another possibility is to put plants on the walkway which is very appealing to those that appreciate nature. Similarly, a new driveway will impress everyone who drive up to your home. A sense of security is something that you should impart upon your driveway. You should also make it visually appealing. In case you don't have the money to put in a new driveway, you might want to improve the surrounding area to make it look as if you have installed something new. It is important to always provide people with a positive experience, even if they walked up to your house off of the street.

Extreme satisfaction can be had as you exert yourself to enhance your abodes curb appeal. Every little action that you take, whether it's making your lawn look better, painting the deck or improving the driveway will make your home nicer and more valuable. However, each move you make, from the budget friendly and easy modifications to the major improvements, all steps will be an addition to the look of your home.

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.

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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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