How much to re-do a driveway?

[lisbapalea]

Just had what I think is an extortionate quote to replace our driveway with stone chippings. It's currently half Tarmac, but only the width of a single car so we park one behind the other, and then a strip of lawn that is never used recreationally as it's too close to the road. Have attempted to include a picture below.

Plan is to dig up the lawn and the Tarmac and replace with local stone chippings allowing us to park side by side, and increase 'kerb appeal' by making the front access to the house look along similar lines of other houses on our road.

Anyone know how much something like this should cost?

Our quote was for £7k!!!

[PoshSlapper]

It depends on how long it is/big it is. We recently got a quote to dig up our drive and, similar to you, resurface it and some of the old lawn. 7K for gravel of some kind. 11K for block paving. A lot of the cost is in the digging up/removal of rubbish.

To put in context though our driveway is loonnnggg...we are looking at 120 feet long. - or as builder said (I think) was about 200 m2 of stuff.

[OliviaBenson]

Awe paid 10k for a slightly bigger area in block paving.

Please be aware that you need to factor in drainage otherwise you might need planning permission.n

[OliviaBenson]

We*

[newname99]

Have a look at pavingexpert as they have a calculator.Driveways are quite labour intensive if done welll. the original has to be dug up several inches below current level.The waste has to be disposed of which has become expensive.A variety of materials need to be laid and each level compacted.Drainage and utilities needs to be cared for (watch out for electrical, phone, gas, water).Then the top layer, which you can price up using calculators.

Most of it has to be manual so several guys. A small digger could be used and that's at least £200 per day.
We had a small patio done and it cost 5k (and wasn't done well).Small areas are not that cost effective

[Zola1980]

We have just paid £2400 to convert a single driveway to double drive with block paving. Great local company, well known and respected in area (bucks), looks amazing.

[Kidnapped]

We paid about £3.5K for an area of 90 square metres (if I remember correctly).

That was digging up the old tarmac and grass and then putting in block paving. Looked great.

That was in Manchester. With a local small company with a good reputation.

[caroldecker]

Be careful with cheaper companies - you do not want weeds etc growing through from the grassed side.

[Doublejeopardy]

We just paid 3.5k to have block paving fit 2 cars to park on L shaped drive in Herts then another £200 for slate chipping for the rest if the front garden.
then another bloody £1600 to have the kerb dropped by the council

[thesilentone]

What about leaving the tarmac and just adding an area of chippings or block paving next to it? A cheap brick you'd be looking at 1-2k for that. You could get the tarmac pressure cleaned and sealed for £100 ish and it'd look years younger. Drives are extortionate costs imo and rarely would you get your money back in house value. Having 2 parking spaces is v sensible but I would consider spending the least possible to achieve that as it sounds like this isn't your forever home?

[lisbapalea]

Thanks all - seems that the quote might not be as far out as I had hoped it was!

The space is probably 6m x 6m or thereabouts. Going to check out that paving expert site now.

[webntweb]

Hi Kidnapped,
We live in Manchester and need some block paving doing.
I would be grateful if you could let me know the details of the company you used.
best regards