New driveway

d0nkeyk0ng

The current tarmac driveway has dips which look like where car wheels have sat. The soakaway floods whenever it rains or if I wash the car. I've had a guy come round to look at it and quoted £4000 for tarmac plus brick border plus drain along front wall of house which will empty into a storm drain (already in place). Approx 75-80 sqm.

Is there anything I should ask for or look out for?
He has already shown me photos of drives before, during and after construction, as well as testimonials from customers.

I've got someone else coming out the following week for another quote. Third company I contacted didn't bother to reply.

I_have_spoken

Check your local council rules about using non=permeable material for drives

glasgowdan

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Check your local council rules about using non=permeable material for drives

No need for replacing an existing non porous surface with new.

flashg67

Are there any he's done locally to actually see/ask the owner?

shaun_from_Africa

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Check your local council rules about using non=permeable material for drives

glasgowdan wrote: »

No need for replacing an existing non porous surface with new.

If an existing driveway is being replaced either fully or partly then the requirements for having porus surfaces or getting planning permission do apply
It is if a partial repair is carried out that the requirement doesn't exist.

glasgowdan

Ah I see...

moneyistooshorttomention

I've always read it that if I wish to replace my existing drive that (even though it's there already) then I would have to use permeable stuff for it. One is only allowed a certain amount of space in "old style" material - pretty much just enough for 1 (possibly 2?) cars. There is a laid-down square meterage in the regulations to check what it is exactly.

I've also read that this applies across the country - there certainly wasnt a provision in anything I read about it for an individual Council to opt out of that (even the bl**dy-minded Councils that exist in the country and try to "do things their own way").

EDIT; Just checked the Governments Planning Portal website - it say planning permission is required if the driveway is more than 5 square metres. I then put the planning portal onto the Wales section to check it is definitely the same across the country and yep.....for England and Wales at any rate it's identical.

d0nkeyk0ng

flashg67 wrote: »

Are there any he's done locally to actually see/ask the owner?

He did offer to take me round to the ones he had done locally. He tells me that he's starting one close by next week so will pop along and see it.

Ant555

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

He did offer to take me round to the ones he had done locally. He tells me that he's starting one close by next week so will pop along and see it.

Go and see it very early on in the works - the prep work, whats underneath, depth of excavation etc.
Its the 'during construction' bit that helps to ensure the longevity of the finished drive.

d0nkeyk0ng

RE: planning - driveways okay under permitted development rights either if porous materal (eg gravel, porous asphalt, porous blocks) or if non pourous AND run-off water is directed to a permeable or porous area/surface.

So long as the runoff is drained, tarmac is okay.

EmmyLou30

You need PP even if you're replacing like for like if it's over 5 sqm. Seems unfair that you could happily keep an old tarmac drive 5 times that size, but you can't replace it but that's the rules I'm afraid.....unless you intend to direct the water runoff into a lawn/flower bed/soakaway - something other than the storm drains or the public highway basically so it can soak away naturally.

So in your case you will need PP.

In terms of the actual workmanship, as others have said you want to see the construction phase to see how well they do the sub base you can't see on a finished job as that'll be what stops you getting dips on the new drive.