Spec me a driveway

[tuck411]

Hey all, i could really do with some advice on what to do with my driveway.

 

It's been the same since i moved in a few years back, but not some of the bricks and cracks are starting to become a problem (The driveway wall, step outside my porch).

 

As well as the front garden, I own all of the grass to the right of the picture (left of the house), which i would like to make into a driveway, perhaps tarmac it and then have some steps going up to the house. Maybe whilst still keeping some of the garden at the back.

 

I have been quoted 10k to level off my driveway, create a retaining wall up to the house, take some bricks round to the side of my garage and, make some steps going up. As well as pave my driveway etc.

 

I'm really just wondering what you guys would do if you were in my situation? Spend 10k redeveloping the driveway, or spend a few grand 'tidying it up'? 

 

Here's the pics:

 

 

 

 

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks,

Rich

[Onoff]

This site is a superb resource favoured by a few on here:

 

http://pavingexpert.com

[epsilonGreedy]

The green corner plot is a distinguishing feature in such an urban environment and you might deter some future buyers if covered in tarmac.

 

In your position I would be thinking the property already ticks the two-car-offroad parking box, so tidy up the existing brickwork, keep £8k in the bank and let future buyers see the potential of extra parking space.

 

If however your house is valued at £1million and with a London underground stop 300m down the road then I think that would tip me towards redeveloping the frontage. 

[Bored Shopper]

God, I wish I had a frond garden like that - I would have done a lovely low topiary parterre there for the neighbours to enjoy  

[Carrerahill]

Having been through this several times before I think I would redevelop it a fair bit but I would, as usual, do much of it myself. I would also try and keep most of the garden on the same level just graded, walls and changing levels and things are a pest in this size of site.

 

Looking at your site I would be tempted not to lower that drive way (not sure what you are going to level and would you still be able to drive a car into the garage?) as although I am sure it would be "fine", lowering a drive and building a retaining wall really ought to be carefully considered and designed, if a landscaper or builder claims they can do it, and I am sure they can, I doubt they will actually design it as such and just go and build something, potentially leaving you with a mess, or potentially dangerous development. Owing to the proximity to the house I would not want to work on any major level changes as you could create issues with the retaining wall potentially taking on ground shift forces or if very well built ground heave could occur as the expansion zone has been reduced - you then end up with cracked walls, potentially foundation issues and the list goes on. 

 

So you ask what we would do, well here is my (albeit not knowing how you use your space, access requirements etc. utility routes...) fairly quickly thought up proposal:

 

It looks like there is a slight level increase before it dips down to the garage (is that what you meant by level off?), I'd hire a 1.5ton excavator (and driver if you think you will just make it worse!). I'd strip the lawn's and create a pile of the good topsoil - get as close to the perimeter wall as you can but be mindful of the founds, I would not go deeper than the founds, I would probably stay about 50-75mm above them. I would also dig some deeper areas in the middle of the lawn, big square holes that bricks can be carefully packed into. Try and retain mature shrubs and the little tree because its nice to keep some of it, I hate seeing total destruction of a site.

 

I would then pull down the driveway retaining walls and fill the holes you have dug - do it neatly and pack the brick in like a big thick wall and you will not have any subsidence issues. Break up the concrete into fairly small pieces and place this on the inside of the perimeter wall down at the subsoil level that you have just exposed - you don't want to load the wall up too much, but this layer of concrete will allow drainage and help stop the ground pushing on the wall, I would also probably dump in a ton of pea gravel and create a drainage boundary potentially even creating a gravel boundary so the new lawn isn't hard up against the wall and can't push on it. As a detail you can research this. I used a backfill of lean concrete to create a retaining wall protection zone - as said lots of details on Google of how to protect your wall and each type and soil type calls for different approaches, but of course it depends how much higher you go, you could grade it off to about the same level .

 

Now, depending on what is under that concrete will depend how to proceed, if it is laid on good hardcore, or crush or something then leave it alone, but scrape the high spot and lower it beyond the finished level you want. Think of the make up, if you go sets or slabs etc, workout the makeup, i.e. good base of hardcore compacted, blinding compacted, then cement/sand mix plus height of paving product. If what is under the concrete is poor then scrape down about 150mm and drag this out onto your lawn site, spread as evenly as you can and drive the excavator over the site to help pack it as you go. You can then bring in hardcore and makeup the ground for your drive - hire a compactor for the weekend and whack it as you go, depends what you are left with but you could need 6-8 tons of hardcore, ideally arrange for it to come when you have the digger.

 

Now depending on where all the brick and concrete and scraping got you will depend how to move next, if the site is looking a lot more level and will nicely grade level or with a slight fall to the wall for a new lawn then great, if not you need to bring in some more material. Once you have your sub-layer level sorted pull all the topsoil from the pile down and grade it out over the site, hopefully you now have a much more level site and will not actually need a new retaining wall between lawn and drive if you get it right, and I would for sure be keeping the lawn's it's a nice thing, so many people trash gardens with paving the whole bloody lot. Concrete jungle. Horrid!

 

So ideally after a weekends work you have a slightly raised lawn area, slightly lowered drive area, compacted hardcore and you are ready to do your drive - at that I would possibly be tempted to pay someone to lay the drive but it depends on your time, how many able friends you have. With the drive done you can then lay a new lawn and plant up the garden as you want. 

 

If you also want to change the perimeter wall then you could look to re-face it if it is in good condition, it could be smoothed out and rendered but it looks pretty good as it is. and is in-keeping with the rest of your street. 

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Carrerahill

[tuck411]

Wow thanks so much for the fast replies. Really good info. Especially yours Carrerahill, i'm going to give it a lot of thought and spec up some plans / costings.

[Onoff]

How about a dropped kerb the other side of the plot so you can drive in/out?

[Ferdinand]

Take care with those wall blocks.

 

They look like the 40s reconstituted kind that look fine until the crust comes off, and then go patchwork like a London Plane tree.

 

F

Edited July 9, 2019 by Ferdinand