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A new driveway gives you off-street parking, a tidier front garden and a better first impression of your home. We are driveway contractors who handle the whole job: digging out, drainage, a properly compacted sub-base, edging and the finished surface, in the material that suits your home and budget.
What you see on the surface is only part of a driveway. Most driveways that sink, crack or puddle fail because of what is underneath, so we spend as much care on the ground preparation and drainage as on the finish.
Materials
Concrete or clay blocks laid in a pattern, such as herringbone or basketweave, over a compacted sub-base with a sand bed. Block paving is hard-wearing, comes in many colours, and individual blocks can be lifted and relaid if a repair is needed. Permeable block paving is available where drainage matters.
See our block paving driveway page
Natural stone aggregate mixed with clear resin and trowelled into a smooth, seamless surface over a solid base. It is porous, so water drains through it when it is laid on a suitable base, and it needs little maintenance.
See our resin-bound driveway page
A practical, cost-effective surface laid hot over a compacted sub-base, with edging kerbs to hold it in place and falls to carry water away. It suits larger areas and gives a clean, uniform finish.
See our tarmac driveway page
Loose stone laid over a compacted base and a weed membrane, often held in place with plastic grids so it does not spread or rut. Gravel is quick to lay, drains naturally and is usually the lowest-cost option.
See our gravel driveway pageA reinforced concrete slab with expansion joints, laid plain or pattern-imprinted to look like stone, brick or slate. Concrete is strong and long-lasting, and imprinted concrete gives a decorative finish without individual blocks.
See our concrete driveway pageNatural granite or sandstone setts laid by hand for a traditional finish that suits period houses. Setts are extremely durable and age well, and they are among the most premium driveway surfaces.
See our cobblestone and stone sett driveway pageIrregular pieces of natural stone fitted together on a solid concrete base and pointed with mortar, for a distinctive, individual look. It needs careful laying so the stones are firmly bedded for vehicles.
See our crazy paving driveway pageNot sure which?
Every house is different — we check what suits yours before you commit to anything.
Get a free driveway quoteComparison
There is no single best material. It depends on the look you want, your budget, how much maintenance you are happy with and how water will drain from the driveway. This comparison is a starting point:
| Material | Look | Drainage | Maintenance | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block paving | Patterned, many colours | Permeable options available | Occasional weeding and re-sanding | Mid |
| Resin-bound | Smooth, seamless stone | Porous on a suitable base | Low: occasional sweeping and washing | Mid to high |
| Tarmac | Plain, uniform | Needs falls and drainage | Low | Low to mid |
| Gravel | Natural, informal | Drains naturally | Raking and topping up | Lowest |
| Concrete | Plain or imprinted pattern | Needs falls and drainage | Low; resealing for imprinted | Mid |
| Stone setts | Traditional, textured | Can be laid permeably | Low | High |
| Crazy paving | Irregular natural stone | Needs falls and drainage | Occasional repointing | Mid to high |
What goes into a driveway
Check 01
The old surface and soil are dug out to the right depth for the material and the weight of vehicles. Soft spots, roots and old foundations are dealt with before anything is laid.
Check 02
A layer of crushed stone is laid and compacted in stages to create a firm, even base. This is the most important part of any driveway: a thin or poorly compacted sub-base is the most common reason driveways sink or crack.
Check 03
The surface is laid with gentle falls away from the house, towards a drainage channel, a soakaway or a permeable area. Where new drains are needed, our drain installation and replacement team lays them before the surface goes down.
Check 04
Kerbs or edging blocks set in concrete hold the surface in place and stop it spreading at the edges.
Check 05
The finished driveway should normally sit at least 150 millimetres below the house damp-proof course, so rain does not splash above it. Manhole covers are raised or replaced with recessed covers so they sit flush with the new surface.
What you need to know
For houses in England, you usually do not need planning permission to pave a front garden if the new surface is permeable, such as gravel, permeable block paving or resin-bound on a suitable base, or if rainwater runs off into a lawn, border or soakaway within your property.
You will need planning permission if you lay more than 5 square metres of traditional, impermeable surface that lets water run off onto the road. Permitted development does not apply to flats and maisonettes, and extra controls can apply to listed buildings, in conservation areas and where an Article 4 direction is in place. We design your driveway to drain correctly and tell you at the survey whether any permission is needed.
Dropped kerb
To drive across the pavement onto a new driveway, you need a dropped kerb, also called a vehicle crossover. This must be approved by your council, and the work on the pavement is carried out by the council or a contractor it approves. Councils check things like the size of your front garden, visibility and nearby trees or lamp posts. We build the driveway on your land to match the council's crossover, and we can advise on timing so the two are ready together.
Cost
Every driveway is priced after a free survey, and you receive a written, itemised quote. These are the main factors:
The area to be surfaced, and curves or awkward corners that need more cutting.
Gravel and tarmac usually cost least, while resin-bound, stone setts and crazy paving cost more.
The depth of dig-out and how much old material and soil must be taken away.
Soft ground, tree roots or old foundations can mean a deeper sub-base.
Channel drains, soakaways or new connections.
Kerbs, steps, low walls or borders.
Narrow frontages or no space for a skip.
Lighting, gates or an electric vehicle charging point.
No guesswork: you receive a written, itemised quote after your free survey, with payments staged against clear points in the work.
Timescale
Gravel and tarmac driveways are usually the quickest to lay. Block paving, stone setts and crazy paving take longer because they are laid piece by piece. Concrete and resin-bound surfaces need time to cure before you can drive on them. Your quote gives the programme, including when the driveway can be used.
Extras
A new driveway is the best time to prepare for an electric car. We can lay the cable duct under the new surface and fit the charger through our EV charger installation service, so the driveway does not need to be dug up later. If the drains under the front garden are old or blocked, a CCTV drain survey before work starts shows whether any repairs should be done first.
Process
Every stage is planned before we start, with one project manager from survey to sign-off.
we measure the area, check levels, drainage, manholes and access, and talk through materials.
you receive an itemised quote with the layout, material, drainage and programme.
we confirm whether planning permission is needed and advise on your dropped kerb application.
the old surface is removed and the ground is dug out to depth.
drains and channels are installed, and the sub-base is laid and compacted.
kerbs are set, and the chosen surface is laid and finished.
the site is cleared, and we explain how to care for your new driveway.
Areas
We install driveways across London, with a focus on east and south-east London. Many interwar houses in Dagenham and Barking have front gardens that can be turned into parking, while Ilford and Orpington have larger frontages that suit block paving, resin-bound and stone sett driveways. See our pages for builders in Dagenham, builders in Barking, builders in Ilford, builders in Orpington and builders in East Ham, or all the areas we cover.
FAQs
Can't see your question? Call or WhatsApp us — we're happy to help before you book.
It depends mainly on the size of the area, the material, how much digging out is needed and the drainage. Gravel and tarmac are usually the lowest cost, while resin-bound and stone setts cost more. We give you a fixed, itemised quote after a free survey.
Usually not, if the surface is permeable or rainwater drains onto your own garden. Planning permission is needed for more than 5 square metres of impermeable surface that drains onto the road. A dropped kerb always needs council approval.
It depends on your priorities. Block paving is versatile and easy to repair, resin-bound is smooth and low-maintenance, tarmac is cost-effective, gravel is the most affordable, and stone setts suit period homes. We help you choose at the survey.
Gravel and tarmac are usually the quickest. Block paving, setts and crazy paving take longer because they are laid by hand, and concrete and resin need time to cure. Your quote includes the programme.
Sometimes, but usually not. A new surface laid over an old, cracked or sinking one tends to fail in the same way. We check the existing base at the survey and, in most cases, dig out to build a new sub-base.
Yes, if you want to drive across the pavement. It must be approved by your council and built by the council or its approved contractor. We plan the driveway around it.
One team, every trade
Next step
Tell us about your front garden and the look you have in mind. We will visit, measure up, recommend the right material and send you a written, itemised quote.
Send us photos of your front garden on WhatsApp to get started, or use our contact form.
