Driveway designs which are well-crafted not only to add your properties curb appeal but also, it is said, they can increase your home’s value.
For most of us though, it will be a day-to-day business of getting in and out of your car with no more mud, spinning wheels or squeezing past dripping shrubs that will bring the most pleasure.
Firstly it is important to think about and plan your drive. We can work closely with you to help choose the right drive for you; if you require scaled detailed plans designed or drawn we work closely with landscape designers who can cater your every need.
There are many surface finishes to choose, but not all would suit your particular taste or situation i.e. is your drive on a slope, what kind of traffic it will take, will you be turning on it, drainage and soil types. All these can make a difference, so choosing the right finish is important.
On larger drives drainage is important, nothing worse than looking across a drive with laying water. There are various water-permeable surfaces you can choose.
Block paving is one such surface with a wide range of block colour, size, shape and laying pattern to choose from, giving a wide range of styles to go with your house and the surrounding area.
Resin Bound is also water permeable also available in a choice of gravel colours, it has a smooth finish with no loose gravel so very clean and no stones getting stuck in your shoes and covering the footwell of your car.
Other finishes can be gravel or coloured stone chippings again with a large choice to choose from. This can be laid on top of the sub-base or a plastic grid system can be laid first providing pockets for the gravel to sit to help reduce the gravel getting spread around as its driven on as well as stabilizing the ground.
If your drive is on a slope and having a loose surface won’t work and drainage isn’t an issue or just if you prefer other drive finishes.
Asphalt is good all-around surface to consider, hard wearing with a few finish options, black, red, a scattering of decorative chipping rolled in or a tar and stone finish which is where a wet layer of tar is sprayed and a layer of small stone chipping spread over and rolled in leaving a light dusting on the surface.
Resin Bonded is similar to the Resin Bound but is not water permeable comes in a choice of coloured gravel.
Choosing the right edging is also important when planning your drive as the whole appearance can be changed. There are many materials to choose, Granite sets, brick, metal and wood each having its own characteristic and finish.
Other things to consider when planning are the entrance, will it be gated, there are many styles and materials to choose, hard or soft wood and metal all of which can be automated, brick pears or other types of fencing.
Lighting can enhance the appearance of the drive; it can define edges illuminate sculptures, ornamental trees and light up the whole drive area.
There are a lot of things to consider when planning a drive, but also we believe the key thing in building the drive is the sub-base on which it’s laid.
A solid well-laid base is a key to the life span of your drive!
From the first stages of planning, groundworks, drainage, drive surface, gates, electrics, planting and the landscaping we can build the right drive for you on time on budget hassle free.
Contact us now as we would love to hear more about your driveway ideas.
