Cheap driveways??

[letseatgrandma]

We have a tarmac drive at the moment, but it has a couple of big flowerbeds that we want to remove so we can get a third car on the drive.

Is it easy to fill these gaps with tarmac and would this look horrid if it doesn't match. Or, failing that-what's a relatively cheap way to do a driveway? If we used gravel (bad idea?) would the tarmac have to come up-if so, how???

If you remove flowerbeds you need to consider where rainwater will go, as at present they will be soaking up water that flows off the Tarmac. A permeable surface like gravel would avoid flooding and drainage problems. You would need to remove the Tarmac first and possibly prepare the ground below depending on what state it's in at the moment. Get a good local builder to quote for this (you can always decide not to go ahead). Beware of cheap tarmac bodge jobs as they can be a false economy, resulting in a an uneven, cracked drive with bulges and potholes that needs completely re-doing a couple of years down the line.

Another thing to consider is that removal of greenery from the front of your house, whether a whole garden or just flowerbeds, can affect the value of your property.

you would have to excavate the beds and fill with well-consolidated crushed stone as a base, otherwise you will end up with a flowerbed-shaped hollow in dry weather, and a flowerbed-shaped pond in wet weather.

I would avoid a complete tarmac drive, IMO they look a bit grim (sorry).

If you really must take out all the palnt borders - and I wouldn't recommend you do - then go for gravel instead and plant some climbers to soften the house walls and make it look less stark.

We have a gravel drive and its fine and looks far nicer than tarmac.

No technical advice, but wickes do very cheap gravel. Think we bought a few big bags last year for about £40 each, then about £25 delivery on top. Very nice stone when the rain has cleared the dust away.

Also check local aggregate places as my sister also had very cheap gravel from a local supplier too.

Another vote for gravel or stone.

If you increase your drive by more than 5 sq m and use macadam or other impermeable surface you will need planing permission.

Useful free guide