New driveway on a tight budget

TELLIT01

I would warn against lifting and relaying slabs on the driveway unless you have the kit available to properly compact the ground beneath.  The reason they are all over the place now is most likely because there isn't a proper base capable of support the cars.  Just a general tidy up will suffice.  Any prospective purchaser will probably have the drive on their 'To do' list so your time, effort and money would be wasted.

Bendy_House

I think I would tackle this on the basis that the hard work has already been done - ie the ground underneath has already been compacted nicely, and further slab movement is relatively unlikely.

Hopefully, 'all' that would need doing is the for the existing slabs to be lifted - you might even get this done for you if you advertise them 'free - collector removes...'.

Yes, the driveway isn't awful, but it ain't pretty either. IF the OP can find a style of driveway that they like and they believe they could tackle themselves, then I think the kerb-appeal could be given quite a boost; it appears to be, otherwise, a very tidy hoosie.

Bendy_House

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=slab+and+gravel+driveway&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiM4rX8g8_1AhX8RkEAHUEeD0oQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=slab+and+gravel+driveway&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgUIABCABDIGCAAQBRAeUABYAGDucGgAcAB4AIABYYgBYZIBATGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=kgrxYYzRDPyNhbIPwby80AQ&bih=899&biw=1903&hl=en

You can get these honeycomb grids for laying on the ground to back-fill with gravel/shingle, too, and this largely prevents the gravel from moving. Some examples on the same page.

Doozergirl

Bendy_House said:

I think I would tackle this on the basis that the hard work has already been done - ie the ground underneath has already been compacted nicely, and further slab movement is relatively unlikely.

Hopefully, 'all' that would need doing is the for the existing slabs to be lifted - you might even get this done for you if you advertise them 'free - collector removes...'.

Yes, the driveway isn't awful, but it ain't pretty either. IF the OP can find a style of driveway that they like and they believe they could tackle themselves, then I think the kerb-appeal could be given quite a boost; it appears to be, otherwise, a very tidy hoosie.

It's quite obvious that the ground has moved under the slabs.  Ground moves constantly, regardless of what we do, but  the weight of cars has helped that.  

It would be folly to lift that and do nothing to re-prepare the ground ready for the next few decades. 

Gravel is always a temporary option that needs constant maintenance, replenishment and weeding.  

FreeBear

Doozergirl said: It's quite obvious that the ground has moved under the slabs.  Ground moves constantly, regardless of what we do, but  the weight of cars has helped that.  

It would be folly to lift that and do nothing to re-prepare the ground ready for the next few decades.

I would agree - The fact that slabs have sunk & broken up strongly indicates a poor subsurface. The correct long term fix is to dig the whole lot out to a depth of at least 200mm. Put down a good thick layer of compacted hardcore (MOT1 or crushed rubble). Then a layer of bedding sand & slabs/blocks can be laid on top.

Even if gravel was put down (with or without grids), a solid base is required or you just end up with muddy ruts.

Bendy_House

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, Doozer et FB. All you say is correct. 

But..., the current drive slabs have been down for, how long? 10 years? 15? More? With presumably vehicles regularly going over them. And how much have they moved? For the vast majority, it looks an inch max, and most of them much less than this. Only the broken one sticks out, meta and lit.

On that basis, that sub-ground has done the vast majority of any settling and moving it's ever going to do.

The new rows of slabs will be individually laid on a solid mortar bed. They won't have grout betwixt them. Even if they move a quarter-inch over the next 5 years, it won't really show.

And that drive would be transformed.

GDB2222

When I lifted some slabs, they were really heavy. Do they absorb a lot of water over the years, or am I just a wimp?

FreeBear

GDB2222 said: When I lifted some slabs, they were really heavy. Do they absorb a lot of water over the years, or am I just a wimp?

A 600x600x50 slab will weigh around 40Kg - They don't absorb water, so wet or dry will make little difference. Maybe eat a few more weetabix next time.