1930s Semi Refurb - Part 3 of ... (Edition: Driveway)

[Deleted User 298457]

Hi folks,

Me again... this time - driveway. I am getting pretty tired of swapping the cars around and hiding my car up the back left (street view) and climbing over the passenger seat. I'm planning an electric charger on the front left of the porch.

I've had a quote to roughly achieve any of the below in standard block paving bricks - £4.5-£5k (written quote TBC). To put it into nicer Tegula it is approx. £1200/1500 more...

Edit: Just doing Option 1 and not touching the existing drive is like £2.5-3k.

What do people think on best approach?

Things to consider:
* Unfortunately to extend the dropped kerb where I live is INSANE (like £2k-£4k) and the last 3 applications on the road have been rejected. So the more of the front wall I remove, the more I am visibly a cheap skate/will have to bump the car up and down the kerb/may get some jokers who DGAF about parking in front of my driveway because it technically isn't a drop kerb
* The garden where it joins the neighbours garden is a dodgy AF soakaway for the roof channel. A drainpipe just dumps it into the middle.
* The garden is much higher than the driveway so will need retaining. The quote includes sleepers as presumably this is a cheap mans way of retaining nowadays. To extend the granite front wall is about another £2k.
* It is a busy road so ideally the less of a wall/the more of a front garden/the more I can plant high conifers/box to stop some of the road noise.

Current:

Opt 1:

Opt 2:

Opt 3:

 

[DanTheMan]

I can't help but interesting to see the outcome. We have a very similar front garden to drive ratio and it's something I've considered, as we currently park the 2nd car on the road at the front of the house.

When I've considered it in the past, I'd always thought I'd go for something more like option 2 or 3, as its more aesthetically pleasing.

Will you have enough room to get car 2 off the drive if car 1 is parked up? In guessing so, or else you wouldn't be doing it!

 

[Deleted User 298457]

I can't help but interesting to see the outcome. We have a very similar front garden to drive ratio and it's something I've considered, as we currently park the 2nd car on the road at the front of the house.

When I've considered it in the past, I'd always thought I'd go for something more like option 2 or 3, as its more aesthetically pleasing.

Will you have enough room to get car 2 off the drive if car 1 is parked up? In guessing so, or else you wouldn't be doing it!

Yeah the main difference between opt 2 and opt 3 is how close to the wall my wife needs to get so both cars can get on and off. She's a new driver so opt2 may be forced...however it's electric and I'm far less of a purist when it comes to moving it a fraction (hate cold starting and then not letting it warm up), and I rarely use my car tbf.

 

[DB_SamX]

Have you checked planning rules to see by how much you can increase the impermeable area of the paved area, to reduce excessive rain water run-off into the road?

 

[jpaul]

Indeed - he seems to have a big back garden though, to offset paveing
wondered what the best in class car run-offs are, that have space for grass (how they are supported and how you prevent weeds)

The ev socket could be nearer the gate post too, so ev could be charged in pole position, which woulds allow easy swapping of vehicles - avoiding those horrible cold start/flooding of ICE/short trips, which I detest too.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Have you checked planning rules to see by how much you can increase the impermeable area of the paved area, to reduce excessive rain water run-off into the road?

It has crossed my mind but no driveway firm (including a really reputable one that visited today) have said a thing.

Unclear where I go as my council planning portal is cancer.

 

[cfletch]

Are there not options around permeable driveway materials and grates/sluices (not the right terms) to ensure runoff stays on the OPs property? Not an expert!

 

[Deleted User 298457]

I've lost the plot on what permeable/non-permeable is nowadays. The irish lad wanted to concrete beneath it so he was an instant 'no' as that's definitely non-permeable and probably going to give me floating bricks lol.

I thought block paving was OK tbf

 

[jellybeard999]

Planning permission - Paving your front garden - Planning Portal

Guidance on planning permission for paving over your front garden and details of the permitted development allowances.

www.planningportal.co.uk

You will not need planning permission if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable (or porous) surfacing which allows water to drain through, such as gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally.

I'd go for option 2 or 3 type design, but take the wall back so you can park like option 1, with dropped kerb to suit.

This gives you flexibility and a nicer looking drive

 

[DB_SamX]

It has crossed my mind but no driveway firm (including a really reputable one that visited today) have said a thing.

Unclear where I go as my council planning portal is cancer.

It's not their responsibility to tell you anything.

I would recommend permeable block paving and a permeable sub-base, but given your driveway slopes, you coupd also do impermeable + channel drain at edge of your property + soakaway (assuming you don't have clay soil)

 

[Deleted User 298457]

It's not their responsibility to tell you anything.

I would recommend permeable block paving and a permeable sub-base, but given your driveway slopes, you coupd also do impermeable + channel drain at edge of your property + soakaway (assuming you don't have clay soil)

Agreed, which is probably why these trades have such a poor reputation. That's a different story tho

Yeah I'm thinking block paving with an MOT Type 1 base/sand to level. The Irish lad said concrete beneath it so he's ruled off the list.

 

[DB_SamX]

Agreed, which is probably why these trades have such a poor reputation. That's a different story tho

Yeah I'm thinking block paving with an MOT Type 1 base/sand to level. The Irish lad said concrete beneath it so he's ruled off the list.

Type 1 is not permeable at all. Type 3 is designated as permeable but quality can vary, so if in doubt, use even better to use a a more open aggregate e.g. 5 or 6-20 mm. Geotextile above on the aggregates, sand bedding on top then blocks.

 

[Tee Hee Johnson]

We went from this:

To this:

It's made a massive difference to us. It was a bit of an eye sore, the fence was terrible (we used it to make a bin store), the were still the roots of bushes behind the fence (note the 1ft or so of missing space we got back), and now my wife (painter and decorator) can park nice and close to the garage. We wanted to leave a big L shape for plants, so we could at least have somewhere for plants and colour (although she decided she wanted 1m, which is too wide).

The wall, we removed about 1.5m removed of it to open the entrance up a bit and to allign it with the stairs to the porch (apparently its all about lines?!). Oddly and fortunately for us our dropped kerb was already a bit wider than the drive way, so thats worked out nice!

Just one thing to consider, we didnt think the front garden was that big (roughly 9x9m), but now its been done it feels huge! Almost like a sea of monoblock, we are thankful we kept the idea of the plants in the border. (also, most plants were relocated to either the back garden or brought back out front, I hate removal and killing of plants)

Good luck with the plans!

 

[cfletch]

We went from this:

To this:

It's made a massive difference to us. It was a bit of an eye sore, the fence was terrible (we used it to make a bin store), the were still the roots of bushes behind the fence (note the 1ft or so of missing space we got back), and now my wife (painter and decorator) can park nice and close to the garage. We wanted to leave a big L shape for plants, so we could at least have somewhere for plants and colour (although she decided she wanted 1m, which is too wide).

The wall, we removed about 1.5m removed of it to open the entrance up a bit and to allign it with the stairs to the porch (apparently its all about lines?!). Oddly and fortunately for us our dropped kerb was already a bit wider than the drive way, so thats worked out nice!

Just one thing to consider, we didnt think the front garden was that big (roughly 9x9m), but now its been done it feels huge! Almost like a sea of monoblock, we are thankful we kept the idea of the plants in the border. (also, most plants were relocated to either the back garden or brought back out front, I hate removal and killing of plants)

Good luck with the plans!

That does look very smart, like it. What's that piece of grate bottom left? Never see anything shaped like that before

 

[{SAS}TB]

Subbed !

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Second quote which is much more comprehensive but just a tad rich for my blood:

• Prepare site
• Dig foundations for retaining brick wall / flowerbeds down to required depth, depending on ground condition
• Any soft areas to be excavated
• Concrete foundations
• Build brick retaining wall / flowerbed
• Brick ties to be installed where necessary
• Dig drive to an approximate depth of 250mm
• Dig soakaway
• Any soft areas to be excavated further until suitable firm level is achieved
• The area will be treated with weed killer and covered with a heavy duty weed suppressant
• Make sure all rubbish is disposed of neatly
• A MOT type1 subbase is then installed to an approximate depth of 150mm and compacted using a vibrating whacker plate
• Lay aco drains leading into soakaway
• Lay block edgings around the entire drive on a strong cement mix
• Screed 50mm of sharp sand between edgings and lay drive (Tegula Blocks)
• A fine kiln dried sand is brushed in and the drive is compacted once more to ensure there is no movement in the blocks. Driveway to be re-swept in with sand to finish (after compacting)
• All works will be carried out in accordance to NHBC and Marshalls approved finishing standards
• Leave job clean, tidy and complete

£9,450 excl VAT... feels rich for my blood but this chap is the most professional by miles so far. It also includes a proper 10m (ish) wall where as the Irish chappy who quoted £4.5/5k was suggesting sleepers as a retaining wall, a concrete base, and no drainage.

 

[DB_SamX]

Second quote which is much more comprehensive but just a tad rich for my blood:

• Prepare site
• Dig foundations for retaining brick wall / flowerbeds down to required depth, depending on ground condition
• Any soft areas to be excavated
• Concrete foundations
• Build brick retaining wall / flowerbed
• Brick ties to be installed where necessary
• Dig drive to an approximate depth of 250mm
• Dig soakaway
• Any soft areas to be excavated further until suitable firm level is achieved
• The area will be treated with weed killer and covered with a heavy duty weed suppressant
• Make sure all rubbish is disposed of neatly
• A MOT type1 subbase is then installed to an approximate depth of 150mm and compacted using a vibrating whacker plate
• Lay aco drains leading into soakaway
• Lay block edgings around the entire drive on a strong cement mix
• Screed 50mm of sharp sand between edgings and lay drive (Tegula Blocks)
• A fine kiln dried sand is brushed in and the drive is compacted once more to ensure there is no movement in the blocks. Driveway to be re-swept in with sand to finish (after compacting)
• All works will be carried out in accordance to NHBC and Marshalls approved finishing standards
• Leave job clean, tidy and complete

£9,450 excl VAT... feels rich for my blood but this chap is the most professional by miles so far. It also includes a proper 10m (ish) wall where as the Irish chappy who quoted £4.5/5k was suggesting sleepers as a retaining wall, a concrete base, and no drainage.

Yes, if he's aiming for NHBC standards, that's really good and understandably more expensive. On the other hand, Marshalls are a paving block supplier so i would expect their standards to be met by default. Maybe everyone else is so bad, this one feels the need to state the obvious!

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Yes, if he's aiming for NHBC standards, that's really good and understandably more expensive. On the other hand, Marshalls are a paving block supplier so i would expect their standards to be met by default. Maybe everyone else is so bad, this one feels the need to state the obvious!

Well given one chap text me "£3600 and you supply the materials" with a follow up text saying "Do I want it or not as he'll text me the materials list" you probably aren't half wrong.

 

[Captain]

What’s the reason for them rejecting the extension of the dropped kerb?

Also took me 3 applications for them to approve, the first they said it was too close to a side road, the second reason was because the road was a 30mph limit, there wasn’t sufficient viewing distance for cars.

It was only when Ringway contractors came out and assessed the area that it went through ok and they couldn’t understand why it had been rejected previously.

 

[Josh]

Subbed, would love to get a driveway in mine but the drop kerb application was denied due to "turning into oncoming traffic".

We live in a cul-de-sac with a turning point, when I just said I'd just turn left and turn around in the turning spot they said I would need to reapply (another £240) as they don't allow appeals.

Jokers