Driveway: block paved v resin v stamped concrete

[Babs709]

Can anyone tell me about their experience putting in a new driveway?

We currently have block paved but can only fit one car so want to redo so two can fit side by side.

How do the three compare... costs, maintenance?

Does anyone have any opinions on which they think look nicer? Or even have a fancy driveway that they want to show me?

We have quite a large area at the front of the house so it needs to look good, but that also means the costs could really add up!

We have a quote for block paving at 10k and I’m just not sure that what I want, and would love to spend less 😉

[Babs709]

@Phoenix76 @FlamedToACrisp it’s about 100 m2. I’m in the South East.

Tandem parking atm so actually what we’re trying to do is increase the space from 2 cars to technically four but by making it wider not longer. I sense a classic mumsnet diagram coming along.

@SuperFairy thank you for the offer, I’m going to hunt for tarmac driveways when I walk the dog later and see what I think. They hadn’t been on my radar previously.

[NewCatMummy]

A friend had theirs redone and enlarged- large area of block paving (fits five cars), it was £7k. They have a few places where ants have dug through the sand but no weeds and it looks fab. Neighbour has resin, looked great initially but isn’t wearing well.

[CaurnieBred]

Also, if you seal the block paving you don't get as many weeds.

Ours was great for years then I pressure washed it which took out the sealed sand. Was easy to put in the new sand but now isn't sealed. We just use weedkiller.

[WhoWouldHaveThoughtThat]

Don't suppose anyone likes gravel?

[Akindelle]

I have block paving on top of sand and hardcore. It’s a right pain in terms of weeds but apart from that it’s no problem. As people have said, blocks can be lifted if they need to access pipes, whereas concrete or resin would be ruined. Blocks don’t crack like the other options do either.

[ATowelAndAPotato]

We have a block paved drive, space for 4 cars, cost c 6k. (South west) we had additional costs On top as some remedial work needed doing, extra brick wall, and costs to council for licences etc to extend drop curb, but the actual block work was about 6k. We considered gravel with a block work border, but actually wasn’t that much cheaper. The resin drives we have seen look great to start with but have either faded unevenly, cracked, or both.

[WithASpider]

We have tarmac with a block paved border. Looks really good apart from a few weeds which I'm tackling!

It's 50 m squared, cost £4.5k 2 years ago and took 2 days to lay.

[tabulahrasa]

The lifting for pipes with stamped concrete btw... they do, or the people that did ours anyway put in - an access hatch, for want of a better word, lol, there is a bit that can be lifted to gain access to pipes and things between the house and the pavement.

You’d need to be having some pretty major stuff done to need the whole drive gone.

Dead easy to look after as well, we’ve cleaned it a few times, had new sealant on it once and that’s it... the crack I mentioned is superficial, could be repaired and is where we park a transit sized van to be fair, which is why we removed blocks in the first place, they sink down after a couple of years of something that heavy being on it.

It’s not faded and things like oil don’t seep into it either when I’ve had an oil leak.

I’d have it done again in a new house.

[Babs709]

@tabulahrasa just had a chat with DH and he said exactly the same thing... that he suspects you could put an access hatch in. I showed him Caurnies photo and he said apparently they’ve just put tarmac into the hole hence why it looks so shit. His research suggests you could probably get it done significantly better than that. So I think stamped concrete is winning right now. Except he’s called two companies and neither have got back to him!

[Erictheavocado]

@Babs709
We went from a full on front garden to the drive. The company who did of advised us to create the flower bed on either side. Luckily, the water pipe was already at the side of the garden. I believe they can be mi end, but it's expensive and I don't know whether you need permission to move it.

[areyoubeingserviced]

Friend of mine has granite natural stone. It’s absolutely beautiful, but pricey

[pinkgin85]

We converted our front garden into a resin driveway a few years ago and I'm so pleased with it. Looks lovely and so easy to maintain, we have flowerbeds on the side but apart from that very low maintenance. Yes costly but I think worth it in the long run.

[Phoenix76]

@Babs709 that’s quite a large size so my guess is it’s the labour they’re charging for there. I’m in the South East too so prices should be relevant here. First off check that whatever you’re deciding on complies with any SUDS requirements (basically it’s a protect the environment rule to help against flooding etc). To give you an idea of the “going rate” for block paving (also depends on whether you’re using 60 or 80mm deep blocks) you’re looking at an average price of £15 per square meter plus VAT then the kiln sand average £3 25kg bag plus VAT and any other aggregate they may lay like a type 1 and any geotextile (neither of which are eye watering price wise). Depending on your SUDS legislation you may have to allow for linear drainage. There is also the option of permeable paving. I wonder what block paving they’ve offered you as there are so many styles and colours and if you saw them it may change your mind. I would suggest a google on a couple of block paving manufacturers to see what’s on offer before committing. I’m guessing you’ve been offered a square edged block that is very popular but not to everyone’s taste. If it were my drive I’d choose block paving for the same reasons as pp’s have mentioned although everyone’s different!

[Yubaba]

We are planning on replacing our drive, at the moment we have concrete slabs which are awful.
I want tarmac and dh wants imprinted concrete. I hate the concrete, I think it looks ugly, dh hates the tarmac he says it looks like a car park.
We both agree we don’t like block paving though.

[goingtotown]

Elderly couple next door to me have crazy paving , it’s was laid over 40 years ago. It looks immaculate.

[Dowser]

My neighbour has just had resin with little stones laid.
Looks nice but such a messy business.
They dug out her garden and just left the soil in a heap on the path. It was thick wet clay. Mud was awful.
It looks nice from a distance but I worry it’s an accident waiting to happen when the heavy rain comes.
They have made a soak away in the middle with pebbles but the whole thing slopes to towards the house.
Then she has it all along the side of the house and her back garden too
Cost £10k

I’ve lived her long enough to see that front garden get flooded towards the house in previous years, I hope it doesn’t happen with her new patio as then my house is in the firing line.

[Purpler5]

@WithASpider

We have tarmac with a block paved border. Looks really good apart from a few weeds which I'm tackling!

It's 50 m squared, cost £4.5k 2 years ago and took 2 days to lay.

I think this is an excellent compromise and when I walk past one always think it looks smart - especially if you have a few rows of blocks at the entrance, not just one