Indian stone driveway prices?

[Tashface]

Just had a quote for £9k to install an Indian stone driveway. Just wondering if there's anyone knowledgeable who can tell me whether or not this is a reasonable price?

The size of the area is 8m x 8m. They will lay a layer of membrane, then 8-10 inches of hardcore, then a 3-4" solid cement base, and finally the Indian stones, which will be pointed. Oh, and there will be a couple of lines of fancy edge trim all the way around, using bricks that look to be around 4" x 4".

A previous quote was for £6k, and I will be getting a couple of others in, but I'd really appreciate anyone's thoughts, thanks.

Actually, I've just remembered that towards the end of the conversation he said he would do it for £8.5k (probably when he saw me almost faint at the cost lol).

We've been quoted about 2.5k inc vat for a 25 square meter driveway in similar material from a firm with a good reputation locally which would be in line with your 6k quote. We've also had higher quotes which would be more in line with your 8.5 quote.

Do not have Indian stone for a driveway! It’s porous. Oil will stain it. In fact anything will stain it! Get pavers or tarmac. We have tarmac with a path in York stone. Even that can crack and split. Your price sounds quite high. But honestly don’t use sandstone!

Interested to follow this thread as we're currently trying to decide on a material for our driveway. Tarmac is a definite contender for us as we live in an area where many of the concrete and stone driveways locally end up cracking really badly due to the movement of the ground beneath them.

It costs a lot to put in a sub base for paving and stone. Undulations abs cracks occur if you don’t. But sandstone cracks. It’s pretty soft. Limestone is better. Tarmac we have found to be bomb proof!

@QueenStromba thanks for that, it's very helpful to hear that you have had similar quotes.

Thank you to everyone else too, although we're pretty much set on Indian stone. I do appreciate that Tarmac is cheaper, but it's not what we want.

If anybody else has recently had quotes for Indian stone that they wouldn't mind sharing, it would be really helpful to hear from them, thanks.

why not just gravel it? looks really nice and is also cheap.

Just make sure it’s sealed after with a good quality sealer,this will keep most of the stains off. To keep it in tip top condition seal it every year 👍.

Tarmac is ok until it’s a red hot day and you turn the steering wheel on it ( power steering) and it chews it up.

I also wouldn’t have Indian stone. It’s stunning....at first.

Like PP have said it can crack, also the weight of cars will cause slightly movement in time and the mortar will drop out. It’s open to staining and after a few years gets black spot so you have to treat it.

We’ve had Indian stone paths and patio for about ten years. The slabs have been relaid once, the mortar ground out and replaced three times and I have to jet wash and black spot treat every spring.

It looks great again when done but it is high maintenance. We
inherited block paving on the parking areas and that’s a PIA too after a few years. Needs regular spraying for weeds all summer.

We’ve tarmac on the main long drive but has to be treated for moss and it was gravel before that which had to be topped up every couple of years.

In fact, anyone know anything that’s maintenance free and looks great for life with little more than a bi-annual jet wash?

There isn’t one , if there was everyone would have it.

As PPs have warned you, Indian stone is too delicate for a driveway. We have it on a patio where it’s OK but we are having to replace the grout after just 5 years, it has black stains that look like an oily substance has seeped out of the stone, and it can flake off in patches.

We have block paving at the front and when we arranged for that to be cleaned the contractor wouldn’t touch the patio. He also told us not to power wash it (although we do, but gently).

It does look beautiful but l wouldn’t chose it again.

@SpeakingFranglais - how do you treat the black spots?

Resin driveway?

In answer to @SpeakingFranglais and OP

@tanstaafl

Resin driveway?

In answer to @SpeakingFranglais and OP

👍🏻

@Patup5

As PPs have warned you, Indian stone is too delicate for a driveway. We have it on a patio where it’s OK but we are having to replace the grout after just 5 years, it has black stains that look like an oily substance has seeped out of the stone, and it can flake off in patches.

We have block paving at the front and when we arranged for that to be cleaned the contractor wouldn’t touch the patio. He also told us not to power wash it (although we do, but gently).

It does look beautiful but l wouldn’t chose it again.

@SpeakingFranglais - how do you treat the black spots?

My black spots are a kind of lichen, so a kind of mould that penetrates the stone.

I have spray them with Black Spot Remover in a pump spray bottle, leave it on preferably overnight then jet wash it off and they come up like new.

You can get the safe effect cheaper with neat bleach but it’s much harder work and not practical for large areas.

Tarmac doesn’t chew up!!! It’s not cheap either. For a drive you have small stones mixed in. It’s very very durable. Ours is 100% perfect after 20 years of multiple car use.

I do really wish people would understand that a drive isn’t the same as cheap tarmac for a road repair.

If you want sandstone be prepared for lots of cleaning. We have it around our pool and my dry bed garden and it’s constant cleaning . You cannot keep the lichen and black mould out of it. Dealing with cars driving over is a very short term solution .

Tarmac melts and goes very soft when it’s very hot ,if you turn a cars tyres on it, drag anything heavy on it jack the car up or put motorbike stands etc it will damage it. I think the tarmac they use on roads says it all (pot holes ). It’s not what you would call pleasing to the eye either .

I don’t think anybody aspires to having a tarmac drive ? It’s very low end , if you look at all the nice houses/ developments they nearly always have a paved drive of some sort. I’d go with the one you want 👍

You are not understanding the type of tarmac and stone driveways that are now used. As I said, June does not melt, stain or do anything! It is perfect in every way. Low end? Not here. My house is at least £2m. The key is to understand what products are now out there. The “tarmac” is not pot hole filler. It is bonded with stones and is specifically for drives. However, I am sure all of you who do not have it know better.