Concrete patterned driveway?

perc

Hi we are looking at getting our drive re laid - its brick paved at the moment but it is a very shabby job.

We like the idea of having concrete laid and then a pattern pressed into it like these firms offer:

http://www.classic-driveways.co.uk/pattern_imprinted_concrete.htm
http://bomanite.co.uk/index.html

Does anyone have any experience of these types of drive ways and if they are cheaper to fit then genuine block paving?

Many thanks.

inmypocketnottheirs

Personally I would prefer a well laid block driveway to an imprinted one. Mainly because 'if' for any reason your driveway needed to come up, i.e. blcoked drains, electrical work, telephones, cable etc, etc, then blocks can be lifted and relaid.

I am sure that the shabby job you have at the moment is only because of poor workmanship and groundwork.

mini_mad_dad

we just our drive block paved, after looking into the impregnated concrete idea i choose against it for 3 reasons

1 as inmypocketsnottheirs said about digging up and relaying... and near by tree roots can lift an crack it.
2 its very slippery in the wet and ice
3 the top layer which colours and seals the concrete breaks down after about 5 years ish so i been told

hope this helps?
maybe with your drive just reylay it on a new level bed and pressure wash after.

Mics_chick

Be careful - I saw Watchdog this week and they had a feature about a very bad patterned-concrete-laying firm. I can't remember the company's name but I'm sure it be on the Watchdog webpage on BBC website.

Rubyru_3

My sister has had this for 6 years plus.It still looks new .The drive is well used .Its not slippy and there are no oil stains unlike a block drive.

jaxxy00

Mics_chick wrote:

Be careful - I saw Watchdog this week and they had a feature about a very bad patterned-concrete-laying firm. I can't remember the company's name but I'm sure it be on the Watchdog webpage on BBC website.

As soon as i saw your heading i thought i would have a look to make sure you werent thinking of going with these. These were the ones on watchdog for really bad work, not finishing off the job, damaging property etc etc ......

So misleading as they have brochures which look very similar to their website and they are so professional looking you would think they must be one of the best etc. The boss man has used different aliases etc. Its a nightmare story and the amount of people left out of pocket with the job not done etc is shocking. STAY AWAY

Dan29

Mics_chick wrote:

Be careful - I saw Watchdog this week and they had a feature about a very bad patterned-concrete-laying firm. I can't remember the company's name but I'm sure it be on the Watchdog webpage on BBC website.

Town and Country Driveways Ltd of Whitchurch, Shropshire.

Becles

We're busy having a driveway laid and went for blocks over the concrete.

Hubby is a postman, so has been looking at drives over the last few months on delivery. He said the concrete ones are slippy when it's wet, and they look shabby after a while. He thinks block paving will last longer.

Gray0103

My boss has his drive concreted a few years ago, so I went to see it, and it looks great.

They apply a non slip coat, so issues with slipping or ice, and all oil can be hosed away. Once our extension plans are passed we will be looking into this.

I am fed up of weeds growing in between the monoblock, and the back pain associated with removing them.

uncle_buck_3

Some great advice can be found on this site:
http://www.pavingexpert.com/home.htm


HTH

gromituk

Please lay a drive which the water can sink through, rather than just running off and going down the drain.