Driveways / Patios / Paths in East Riding (6)

The average driveway installation cost depends on the size and shape of the drive, and the material used. As a rough guide, you should expect to pay somewhere in the region of £30 - £90 per m2 for installing a new driveway.

For a tarmac driveway, the average installation cost for materials and labour is around £50 - £85 per m2. The cost of an asphalt driveway installation is about £95 - £150 per m2.

The most common materials used for driveways in the UK include:

• Tarmac / Asphalt

• Concrete

• Brick

• Block paving

• Gravel

To help you plan your budget for your driveway installation costs, we’ve put together a handy guide that you might find useful: Driveway cost calculator & guide 2021

Driveway paving cost

If you want block paving, the average driveway paving cost is somewhere in the region of £3,500 - £5,000 for a 50m2 driveway. The total price driveway installers will charge will depend on a number of factors, including:

• Size and type of paving you choose

• Size of your driveway

• Complexity of the paving design

• Experience of the driveway installer

• Where you live

You can find out more about prices in our guide to driveway paving costs.

Driveway cost quotes

For exact costs it’s always sensible to contact local driveway installers to get accurate quotes for the job. As with all home improvement projects, we always recommend obtaining at least three quotes from different tradespeople in your area. You'll want to shop around to make sure you're paying a fair and competitive price for the work. And, thankfully, we've got a tool that makes finding multiple quotes super easy.

Our request a quote tool is perfect for getting quotes: you post details about the work you need doing and we’ll send it out to local tradespeople in your area. Try it out – it's quick and easy!

How much does patio installation cost in East-Riding?

The average cost of patio installation will depend on the material that you’re using for the patio, as well as the labour cost of the patio installers you choose. Here are some average costs that you can expect to pay for laying a patio:

• Budget paving slabs – £25 - £30 per m2

• Flagstone patio – £45 - £75 per m2

• Concrete patio – £30 - £40 per m2

• Raised patio (concrete approach) – £35 - £45 per m2

• Laying a brick patio – £35 - £45 per m2

For more information about patio installation costs, read our guide to the cost of laying a patio.

When you’re planning your driveway installation, the main decision you’ll have to make is choosing the material to be used. And, with a range of driveway materials available these days, it’s important to choose the right option for you and your home – and that is suitable for British weather.

Here’s our summary of the most popular driveway materials in the UK:

1. Concrete driveways

It might not be the most stylish of driveway materials to use, but laying a concrete driveway creates a durable, low maintenance driveway that will last for years. It also happens to be one of the cheaper options and offers pure functionality.

The downside of laying concrete driveways is that they’re not everyone’s cup of tea in the looks department. That said, if you want to use concrete but also want a more attractive driveway then imprinted concrete gives you the option of coloured concrete and/or imprinted patterns.

It’s also worth noting that concrete isn’t suitable for sloped driveways due to the concrete-pouring process.

2. Gravel driveways

Onc of the quickest and easiest driveway materials to use is gravel. And it’s also pretty budget-friendly, being one of the cheaper options available. There are a wide range of colours and styles of gravel available, which means you can nearly always find a gravel style to suit your home.

With gravel you also get the added security benefit of it making a noise when walking on it – something that often deters potential intruders.

Gravel does have a few drawbacks though. The maintenance of gravel driveways tends to involve more effort as weeds and plants can often grow between the stones, and usually doesn’t last as long as other driveway surfaces.

3. Tarmac or asphalt driveways

Asphalt is one of the most common materials used for driveways in the UK, thanks to it being well-suited to the British climate. Tarmac is simply one brand name of asphalt, so when people talk about Tarmac and asphalt they’re actually talking about the same core material.

Tarmac or asphalt is generally considered one of the cheaper driveway materials, and will often last 20+ years before it needs to be repaired or replaced. One drawback of asphalt driveways is that they can deform in extreme heat, which isn’t usually a major problem in the UK.

4. Resin driveways

Resin is one of the driveway materials that has been growing in popularity with UK homeowners in recent years. It’s an ideal choice if you’re looking for a low cost, highly durable driveway that also looks pretty good too.

You have two choices when it comes to laying a resin driveway: bound or bonded. Bound is the more premium option that has a more durable, permeable surface. Bonded resin is cheaper but, over time, the top layer can get loose and need repairing or replacing.

5. Block paving driveways

Arguably one of the most attractive driveway materials, block paving driveways continue to be a hit with British homeowners – despite being a more expensive choice. Blocks and bricks are available in a wide range of colours and styles to suit any home, and block paving driveways tend to last a long time.

The great thing about block paving is that individual bricks can easily be replaced, which helps keep the maintenance cost down over the years. The downside of block paving driveways is that, when used a lot, areas can start to sink and weeds often grow in between the blocks.

For inspiration for your driveway, check out these driveway ideas.

In most cases, a driveway will almost certainly add value to your home – though the amount will depend on a number of factors. As a guide, you can expect a driveway to add between 5 - 10% to the value of your property.

Some of the main factors that will contribute to the value that laying a driveway adds include:

• Availability of free parking close to your home
• Whether permit parking is available on your street and how much it costs
• Capacity of your driveway
• Quality and condition of your driveway
• Demand for off-street parking in your area
• If you live on a busy road or cul-de-sac

If you live in a busy area with limited on-street parking, then having a driveway is a real selling feature for a property. More so if the driveway can fit multiple cars on, especially if they can fit side-by-side or both access the driveway without the other car having to move.

• Driveway maintenance to add value

One of the key factors of having a driveway that adds value is keeping it well-maintained. A beautifully kept, weed-free driveway is much more attractive than a driveway full of weeds and broken bricks or cracks.

If you’re deciding what material to choose for your driveway, make sure you’re considering the upkeep. If you don’t have the time or energy to carry out driveway maintenance on a regular basis, then your best option is to choose a low-maintenance driveway like concrete or asphalt.

Can a driveway decrease the value of my property?

Generally speaking, a driveway shouldn’t devalue your home. That said, a poorly maintained driveway that needs a lot of work could put off potential buyers, as they may see it as extra work they’re not willing to take on. The driveway is also often the first impression buyers get of a property and can be off-putting, setting the wrong tone for the rest of the viewing.

Where possible, always ensure you regularly clean your driveway, keep it clear of weeds, and repair any cracks or broken bricks. That way, you’ll be sure to attract buyers rather than putting them off.

Want to find out more? This guide is for you: How much value does a driveway add to a house?

Keeping your driveway clean helps reduce overall maintenance costs, will ensure your driveway is looking its best at all times, and can potentially add value to your home – or at least help it sell quickly.

Here are our top tips for cleaning your driveway...

1.The sooner the better

It’s always best to act fast and remove dirt and stains as soon as you notice them. Don’t wait for the changing seasons, or the next sunny day. The sooner you tackle dirt, grime and weeds, the easier they’ll be to deal with.

2. Use the right cleaning tools and equipment

For the best result you’ll want to make sure you have the right tools to do the job. The most common kit for cleaning driveways includes:

• Sawdust or cat litter (to absorb any oil or other liquids)

• A good quality scrubbing brush

• An outdoor broom (with firm bristles)

• Hose pipe or jet washer

• Warm soapy water

3. Get rid of grease, oil and antifreeze

Some of the most unsightly stains will come from your car, such as brake fluid, oil, petrol and antifreeze. These substances tend to leave nasty stains so it’s best to deal with them as soon as you can. For grease and oil, use an absorbent material like saw dust or cat litter and leave on the stains for 12-24 hours if possible.

4. Scrub away paint spills

If you’ve spilled paint on your driveway, you’ll need to put in some elbow grease to get rid of it. For oil-based paints on a concrete driveway, use a paint-stripping solution and scrub it off using a stiff scrubbing brush, then rinse with clean water. For latex paints, use warm water and a driveway cleaning product and scrub the paint away before rinsing with water.

5. Sweep regularly

If you make it a weekly or fortnightly habit to sweep your driveway, you’ll be doing yourself a favour in the long run. By removing loose leaves, dirt and debris, you’ll stop algae and moss from growing on the surface of your driveway. It also makes it nicer to look at and safer to walk on.

6. Seal cracks or repair bricks

Cracks and broken bricks can gather soil and are the perfect place for weeds to grow, even if the cracks look tiny. If you notice cracks appearing or broken bricks in your driveway, repair them as soon as you can to prevent further damage and expense.

7. Hire a professional driveway cleaner

Not having much luck or don’t fancy scrubbing the driveway yourself? Save yourself the time and hassle of cleaning by hiring a professional driveway cleaner to do it for you.

Driveway cleaning costs

The average cost of driveway cleaning will depend on the size and style of your driveway, as well as how often you have it cleaned. The more often you clean your driveway, the quicker and cheaper it will be each time.

Here are some of the costs you can expect to pay:

• Small driveway – £200

• Medium driveway – £300

• Large driveway – £400

The average cost of patio cleaning can range from £150 to £400, depending on the size and condition of the patio, and the type of cleaning method used.

If you’re a confident and experienced DIY enthusiast, you can save money by paving your driveway yourself. However, if you’re inexperienced or would rather leave the driveway paving to the experts, use the Checkatrade search tool to find reliable local driveway installers who can do the job for you.

Here’s our step-by-step summary for how to pave a driveway…

1. Dig out the area of the driveway

You’ll need to excavate to at least 150mm below the damp proof course of your home, which can vary with any slopes in the land. And if you have a completely flat plot of land, make sure you dig a gradual slope to allow water to run off easily – a drop of roughly 1cm per 60cm in length should do it.

2. Add in your edge restraints

Laying the edge restraints in place properly is an important step and will be the key to achieving a to notch results for your paved driveway. Think of it as framing your driveway so that will hold your paving in place. Use a spirit level to make sure all your edge restraints are even when you’re putting them in.

3. Apply a sub-base later

The sub-base supports the paving stones and will need to be at least 100mm deep, as it needs to be able to support the weight of paving, people and vehicles that will be on top of it. Compact down the sub-base 6 or 7 times to make sure it’s fully packed down. When done right, the sub-base ensures the longevity of your paved driveway and will stop it sinking or dipping.

4. Add and screed damp sand

On top of the sub-base you need to add a layer of damp sharp sand (roughly 50mm) that’s moist enough to compact. You’ll need to mould the sand to incorporate any slopes or angles of your driveway. Once compacted down, use screeding lats (metal rather than timber) to form the finished level where your paving blocks will be laid.

5. Lay your paving

Now’s the fun part, start laying your paving stones. Ideally begin at one of the corners, at the bottom of the driveway if there’s a slope. Where you can’t start in a corner, use a straight edge instead, laying the pavers one at a time and placing them straight against the face you’re running from.

6. Sort out any finishing touches

With all your paving in place, use a broom to brush kiln-dried sand across the paving and make sure you get as much sand into the joints as possible. Compact the paving and then add more sand, and repeat this process until all the paving joints are completely filled with the dry sand.

Don’t fancy doing it yourself? Find out how much it costs to pave a driveway if you hire a driveway installer.