Huge (141m) Driveway Solution

[harry_angel]

We need to create a new driveway (across our own land) but the distance is daunting in cost terms - Google measures it at approx 141m in total.

 

Now, it only needs to be nice-looking gravel for approx 40m of that, which leaves 100m which could be, frankly: "anything that will support the weight of vehicles".

 

Are there any super-duper technological innovations that have been made to make driveways like this less, well, pricey?

 

The paddocks said access route would pass through are a bog in winter...I guess the hardcore and drainage just are what they are but 140m? That's a LOT of gravel, and a LOT of edging.

 

It really doesn't need to be that smart... until the final 40m.

 

Any insight or advice much appreciated.

[Carrerahill]

38 minutes ago, harry_angel said:

We need to create a new driveway (across our own land) but the distance is daunting in cost terms - Google measures it at approx 141m in total.

 

Now, it only needs to be nice-looking gravel for approx 40m of that, which leaves 100m which could be, frankly: "anything that will support the weight of vehicles".

 

Are there any super-duper technological innovations that have been made to make driveways like this less, well, pricey?

 

The paddocks said access route would pass through are a bog in winter...I guess the hardcore and drainage just are what they are but 140m? That's a LOT of gravel, and a LOT of edging.

 

It really doesn't need to be that smart... until the final 40m.

 

Any insight or advice much appreciated.

Hardcore, tons and tons and tons of hardcore - at a guess, about 141tons if you are just about 3m wide and the existing ground is not bad, that would give a nice layer. That sounds bad, but to be honest you should be able to get that for about 2K if you do a deal with Tarmac or similar. I was offered a tipper truck full for my build for I think about £12 a ton plus haulage, MoT is cheap, just not when you buy it by the ton bag. 

 

Where can you put the top soil? If you scrape away say 200mm of soil that is about 105cubic meters you need to lose, if good top soil you could sell it or use it. 

 

Then you need to start trucking in the hardcore, layer it, compact it etc. 

 

Last 40m can be topped off with a decorative gravel or block or whatever, but to be honest, a good hardcore road isn't unsightly especially if the verges look smart and what no, so even just the last 10-15 might work for you. 

Edited May 14, 2021 by Carrerahill

[harry_angel]

Wow, £12 per ton sounds good indeed.

 

We have enough land to lose the top soil somewhere on it. It's London Clay so we'd just move it somewhere else.

 

What would go on top of the hardcore though? How deep would you need to dig?

[epsilonGreedy]

5 minutes ago, harry_angel said:

What would go on top of the hardcore though? How deep would you need to dig?

 

 

Nothing until you have nearly finished the build, so plenty of time to consider your options. Don't choose a rounded decorative gravel it just squelches outwards under load. Waiting a year before finishing the drive will allow you to refill any dips that develop.

 

My digger man went down 200mm on the softer parts of the drive and 150mm elsewhere. The first delivery of stone was larger 3" to 4" stuff which went into the dips. The rest was 2" clean limestone. 7 to 10 deliveries of limestone to a self build over a couple of days it quite routine for the industry. With a competent digger operative driving a medium size digger you will be surprised how quickly the drive can be formed to a rural standard with rough edges, Home Counties gated executive estate calibre drives take longer.

 

The mountain of soil created will amaze you.

 

Do you have any SUDS drainage stipulations that mandate a certain driveway permeability?

 

The interface with the public road requires extra thought to prevent gravel being carried out onto the main road which creates a risk of skidding.

[Oz07]

Set up an area where you can stockpile tarnac planings. Then get on the blower to local resurfacing companies or companies operating in your area. Pull up near jobs you see and offer some cash for loads

[Thedreamer]

How much land do you have? Access to a small hill?

 

We had just over 100 meters of driveway to construct and faced a similar problem. 

 

We quarried rock from a borrow pit close to the house site and this formed our driveway. Saved a lot of money.

 

For us it was having the right geology at the right place, as the rest of our site is clay.

[IanR]

I keep coming back to this same question myself, for a similar length of drive. We're using a shared entrance at the moment, but wish to put in our own access, however the numbers are off putting, even though I have 200t of hardcore "tucked away" ready.

 

My thinking at the moment is to go with a structural grass drive way for the majority, using grids like these:
 

https://www.ibran.co.uk/products/grass-parking-grids

 

(I've just picked this from a random search, and know nothing of this particular product)

 

The build up suggestion is 50mm - 80mm Type 1, but that doesn't feel enough. I'd be looking at going with 150mm of crushed hardcore (as that is what I have).

 

I've found other similar products that are 60mm deep rather that 40mm, that say they are good for occasional HGVs.

 

If you can get away without an edging, it could be relatively cost effective.

Edited May 14, 2021 by IanR

[Cpd]

52 minutes ago, Thedreamer said:

We quarried rock from a borrow pit close to the house site and this formed our driveway. Saved a lot of money.

 

For us it was having the right geology at the right place, as the rest of our site is clay.

this is what I do and am fortunate to have hillsides of good shale to excavate as required. 
I did this area last year and it extends 50m to the right (out of photo) where the road goes, all the materials were won from where the digger is and the small cutting to the right of it. 
took me about 5 days with a dumper and digger but it’s super solid and only cost me the £400 in hire fees plus the fuel and my time. 

[Thedreamer]

58 minutes ago, Cpd said:

this is what I do and am fortunate to have hillsides of good shale to excavate as required. 
I did this area last year and it extends 50m to the right (out of photo) where the road goes, all the materials were won from where the digger is and the small cutting to the right of it. 
took me about 5 days with a dumper and digger but it’s super solid and only cost me the £400 in hire fees plus the fuel and my time. 

 

Looks good.

 

I have been impressive by how our rotten rock driveway has done, no pot holes over the five years.

 

If I was self building and looking to acquire a croft, checking for rotten rock would be on my checklist with utilities.

[saveasteading]

You must first support the road with a membrane as this will stop the stone punching through and disappearing endlessly into the clay. I prefer the non-woven kind as it doesn't puncture so much.

It will cost you close to £1/m2 but will pay itself many times over.

There are other, fancy geomembranes but probably  not necessary for you.

Then you lay cheapish  hardcore, or whatever is the local stuff, complete with whatever muck and junk they leave in it, working up to better stuff at the top,

The sales people at the suppliers will generally be delighted to advise the best make-up based on what they have. tell them what you want to achieve. I have had very good advice in similar circumstances.

 

Re recycled tarmac, this is usually good value if from carriageways, but not if it is from footpaths.

 

Warning re price £/ton. This is not like £/m2 and varies.  Ask for the conversion to £/m3. Loose rubble with voids might be 1.6 t/m3, whereas compacted can be like rock, and 2.2t/m3

[harry_angel]

Awesome responses, thanks guys.

 

To neuter the planners and numpty neighbours I might have to go down the grass parking grids on top route...

 

So all in, labour and digger hire, what sort of vague total budget do you think needs to be assembled here?

[saveasteading]

Why would the planners insist on grids? Stone is permeable, and can be more so if you select the stone accordingly.

In any case, grass grids will need stone under them first, although the planners may not know that.

 

Grids are not cheap unless compared to tarmac or concrete surfacing. If you do go for grid, be sure to choose one that will take the weight of the biggest vehicle you expect, , and to put enough structure under the grass grids or they will just sink too.

 

There is a middle way, using grass mesh. probably the thicker one, like this, but I don't know your circumstances.

 

I am reluctant to suggest costs, so it is best you check out the technical options first.