tezza

Going to get a drive done but, wondered roughly how much?
Just want a single drive not a double, would be for a normal 3 bedroom house to give you an idea of how big garden is. Thinking of small bricks not plain concrete so want do you think?
P.S. Anyone recommend someone to do it, in the North London area who I could trust, as most builders that my neighbours have used are called "John Wayne" or "Wyatt Earp"
Any advice would be helpful.

orbv

Want Tarmac? Just wonder down to your local friend living in caravans on the side of the road and ask for a price.

jjones

200 quid and a dahhhhg.

suffolkscoob

Just don't let them see the lovely gold wheels

Richard Work

I'm doing the same thing. Also a 3 bed house, so probably a similar size. I'm going to get a gravel drive, but I need to get the kerb lowered etc. as the road outside is a classified road.

When I moved in to the house I had quite a bit of work done on it, the builder I used reckoned 2 - 3 grand to do the driveway. I can't afford that so I'm doing the gravel one myself.....

Costs so far:
£95 planning approval to get kerb lowered
£20 permission to get kerb lowered (once planning approval has been gained)

Costs to go:
£500 - £600 to get the kerb lowered (approx 3.5m from edge of ramp to edge of ramp)
£150 skip
£200 sand and gravel
plus edging strips, cement, weed contraol fabric etc

If the kerb was alredy lowered it would be pretty cheap and I reckon I could have it finished in a weekend.

There are companies that specialise in driveways, some will do the blocks, others will do it in concrete, but make it look like blocks.

I guess it all depends on your budget and area to be done.

Cheers

Rich

Thunderbird555

My friend just had her patio done by these people http://www.cobblestonepaving.co.uk and was very impressed. They use concrete which is then made to look like blocks. Downside is that it's quite expensive (£55-65 per sq m).

Woz

block paving shd cost 1500 - 2000 for a 3 bed, if you block the whole of the front of your house (1 car length deep, 1 semi wide).
I'm having mine done next week, so if they are decent I'll let u know.

Mo

How about tarmacing it yourself?

I've never done it so have no real idea but surely all you need is a tarmac company to deliver it and you spread it??

Or am I being real stupid!

dnb

just a little more to it than that

Have to dig out the area, put in curbs and a hard core base (limestone etc...) then you can tarmac it.

Not terribly difficult to do up to the tarmacing. (have laid the hardcore etc before, but never tarmaced...)

Chrisgr31

My parents live in a private road, and I clearly remember the occasion when some bright spark decided the residents ought to lay the tarmac themselves! Doing a small driveway might be fine, but remember that tarmac is easy to move when its still hot, however it cools quickly and becomes hard to shift! You need rakes, rollers etc. Ideally with tarmac you also need a basecoat and topcoat.

Personally I'd leave it to the experts!