Driveways - Cost and any recommendations

[peteo48]

Just looking for a bit of real world experience here.

We have an old style concrete drive with a gravel channel. It must be 30 years old, probably more. It's still sound in that it's not actually crumbling but it has a few cracks and looks a bit scruffy. We have been umming and aahhing about this for a few years. I've seen new drives being installed round our way and it seems massively disruptive. Guys have been on site for up to 2 weeks.

It's a long but quite narrow drive and, in total, is about 45 square meters. Anybody had a concrete drive removed and replaced? Any tips and. most importantly, what was the total cost per square meter. We are considering flagstones, patterned concrete and possibly block paving. I suspect removing the old drive might be the biggest cost.

[Derkie54]

I've got block paving which looks nice but I'm always weeding it.
My neighbours have patterned concrete which also looks good but you don't have to do any weeding.

[culzean]

Block Paving will always have a weed problem as soil gets down the cracks the seeds grow ( a few family members have block driveways / patios and spend a fortune on weedkiller ) ants also love it and don't be surprised at little mounds at every intersection of the blocks as they undermine your drive.  Patterned concrete is a reasonable choice,  but local authorities seem to prefer the newer porous tarmac as water soaks through into soil rather than running off into drains.  Our tarmac drive is over 20 years old this year and still in good shape, her indoors moaned about the small bits of grit that get released as the binder is destroyed by the sun ( they get on your shoes and tread into house and make a noise when she hoovers the hallway carpet ) so I cleaned it up and gave it a couple of coats of this stuff  ( UV stabilised resin ),  it is about 35 square metres and one 20 litre tub did two coats - no more loose grit and looks really smart. https://www.tarmaseal.co.uk/

https://tradesmencosts.co.uk/tarmac-driveway/

https://www.tarmac.com/solutions/aggregates-asphalt/ultidrive-porous/

From the prices in link a 45 sq metre block paving drive will cost best part of £10K and a concrete one about £3.5K

Tarmac drives should last 25 to 30 years,  the only problem they give is when the binder releases the bits of grit as they gradually get destroyed by the suns rays... I reckon with a couple of coats of tarmaseal resin every 5 years they will last 50 years.

[ColinS]

We've got a couple of resin drives in green near us.  They have been down several years now and I must say that they look really good.  With an existing concrete drive you have a good foundation which I think is the main thing, but watch any control joints in the concrete.

The key thing is not to try and do a cheap job no matter what solution you go for. Pay cheap you’ll pay twice.

For a price comparison, I think for 45 sq metre you will be looking at £7K.

We inherited a gravel drive.  Cheap as chips and the worst solution ever.

[richardfrost]

Just to add to the other comments on block paving. Unless it is very tightly fitted and held tight at the edges, it can move, especially where you might use your power steering to adjust the angle of your wheels when nearly parked or stationery. I know this to my chagrin.

[Jocko]

My brother has a block drive and the firm that laid it comes in every spring and maintain it. The drive I had was chips laid on a membrane with slabs for the car to stand on. It is still great even though my ex has done nothing to it.

[culzean]

Cheap as chips and the worst solution ever.

Maybe even as cheap as chippings

[culzean]

The drive I had was chips laid on a membrane with slabs for the car to stand on. It is still great even though my ex has done nothing to it.

We used to have a drive like that, double row of 3 x 2 slabs and pea gravel in the centre,  easiest drive ever to maintain - any oil leaking out of the British cars we had then would go on gravel, rake over the gravel and drive was good as new -  also slabs were a nice firm base for jacking cars up. Only problem was that in the dry part under the carport the local cats discovered the gravel was like their litter trays, nice and dry and easy to cover their mess up ( why do cats never 5h!t in their own garden.....

[peteo48]

Thanks for the input chaps. Lots to consider.