Driveway surfacing

[ProDave]

This is one of the long overdue jobs on the house, that has been put off and put off, because there have been more important things to do and spend money on.

 

But now it's time has come around.  we have been literally saving up for this since the start of the year, and now I have started work on it.

 

Background.  Before the build a planning condition meant we had to form the access from the public road and surface the first 3 metres from the road, so that we did right at the start.  Later we laid a concrete parking area alongside the garage that will eventually be covered with a car port.  the bit between the tarmac entrance and everything else was just various layers of assorted hardcore, some MOT1, some "as dug", laid roughly to a constant slope and well whackered down.  It has then for the last 5 years been driven over by all sorts of vehicles so it is well compacted.

 

Because the ground slopes from the road down onto the plot, rainwater runoff has been a constant problem.  So first thing is lay a drainage channel in front of the garage and parking area, then re grade and re level the hardcore infill ready to take a layer of tarmac.

 

 

 

The area under the touring caravan will get the same treatment and the tarmac will cover the lot including where that parks.

 

It will be shortly time to measure it all up and get quotes, which I am expecting to be astronomical, I only hope what we have saved up so far covers it.

[joe90]

My drive was similar, well compacted scalpings used fir a few years, about 15m x 15m, 50mm ,£3.5K

Edited July 9, 2022 by joe90

[ProDave]

It cost me £3K to get the base layer of the bit adjacent to the road done.  This time it is at least twice as much to do and 5 years later.  I will be pleasantly surprised if it is less than £6K which I do NOT regard as good value but all other options are more expensive.

 

If it were not for the constant rainwater run off from the road I would be considering some form of gravel, but it will silt up and become horrible mush.

[JohnMo]

Just had my drive done, not seen the invoice yet, but ready to fall over.

 

Tarmac first 8m from the road, with drainage.  Then remaining drive in crushed lime stone.

[ProDave]

That's the caravan moved and the last bit prepared.

 

 

I chased the second contractor for their quote to get the reply, I will try and do it tomorrow.  They are not inspiring me with much confidence I was wanting to let the contract soon.

[Faz]

Just did 85 sq. m week before last - 20mm chip base course and 10mm chip wearing course. Asphalt cost around £2.5k and £750 for the bods to lay it.

 

Problem is (depending how far you are away from the supplier) is how much of it goes off in the lorry. We probably lost over 3T and it didn't come far!

[Faz]

This was mine all done - did the one between the other 2 plots too.

[ProDave]

Well that took longer than expected.  I had chosen a contractor and agreed to their price then waited for a slot in their schedule to come and do it.  and I waited, and I  waited.  The last communication from them was a phone call last week to say we have not forgotten you but we still don't have a day to do this.

 

At just this point SWMBO found another contractor we I had not heard of advertising on Facebook.  I phoned him on Tuesday, he came and looked Tuesday evening and said he could to it on Thursday, and his price was the same as the other contractor.  So I shook his hand.

 

They arrived on Thursday and did most of it but they ran out of tar, so they came back today and finished.  Very pleased with the job and glad to finally get the entrance to the house tidied up and looking smart for a change.

 

 

 

I nice bunch of people to work with. They cover all of the Highlands so if anybody wants their details PM me.