Can a new driveway go over my old concrete one?

Sometimes. Resin can go over sound, stable concrete or tarmac that is not cracking or sinking. Block paving usually means digging out, partly because of the damp course: Building Regulations ask for paving to sit at least 150mm below it, and laying on top of an old drive often lifts the level too close to that line.

How soon can I park on a new driveway?

Block paving can take a car as soon as it has been compacted and jointed. Resin is usually ready for a car after 24 to 48 hours, at the longer end for a van or in cold weather. Fresh tarmac is fine to walk on once it has cooled, but avoid turning the wheel on the spot for the first few weeks, especially in hot weather, or it scuffs.

What happens to manholes and drain covers in the drive?

They get reset to the new finished level so nothing trips you or catches a tyre, and on block paving a recessed cover lets the paving run straight across, so the cover almost disappears. Broken covers are no problem either: a customer in Halifax had us out within two hours to source and fit a new manhole.

Why does block paving sink or sprout weeds?

Sinking, especially in ruts where the tyres sit, is nearly always a sub base that was too thin or never compacted. Weeds grow in joint sand that has washed out. Sinking needs the paving lifted and the base put right underneath. Weeds need the joints cleaned out and refilled.

Do you lay driveways outside Barnsley?

Yes. As well as Barnsley and its villages we have worked in Sheffield, Wakefield, Pontefract, Ossett, Dewsbury, Halifax and further afield. Tell us where you are when you call.

Finished block paved driveway with charcoal diamond inlays and a buff feature border

Driveways and patios

Driveways and patios in Barnsley, built from the dig up

We lay block paving, resin bound, tarmac and stone driveways and patios across Barnsley and out into South and West Yorkshire. Our own team digs out and builds the base, so the whole drive is our work, not just the part you see. Free estimate, written price, and a call to Liam on 07709 099108 gets it started.

Get a quote

Why do Barnsley driveways and patios fail, and how do we stop it?

A driveway rarely fails at the surface. It fails underneath: a sub base that was too thin, ground that was never compacted, edges with nothing holding them, or rainwater with nowhere to go. Give it a couple of winters and you get ruts where the car sits, blocks that rock underfoot and puddles by the front door.

Plenty of firms that lay a nice finish buy in the digging from somebody else. We don't. The dig, the edging, the drainage and the sub base are done by the same team that puts in foundations and commercial groundworks, the work that earned us our CHAS accreditation. Liam has 17 years in the industry, and our photos below show the base going in, not just the finished surface.

How a driveway should go in

Look at the ground first
Levels, which way the water will run, what is under the old surface, how a machine gets in, and whether the kerb needs dropping before you can legally drive onto it. Our visit and estimate are free.
Dig out
The old surface and soft ground come out to the depth the drive needs, deeper on soft or clay ground and where vans or heavy vehicles will park. We do our own digging.
Edges and drainage
Edging goes in to stop the surface creeping outwards. Where the fall runs towards the house or the road, a channel drain or soakaway gives the water somewhere to go.
The sub base
Crushed stone goes down in layers, each one compacted before the next, with a membrane where the ground calls for it. Nobody sees this layer once the job is done, which is exactly why it gets skimped.
The surface
Block paving is laid on a sand bed, cut in, compacted and jointed. Resin goes on a solid base course. Tarmac is laid hot and rolled. Stone is bedded slab by slab.
Clear up, then you check it
We clear up at the end of every day, not just the last one. The final payment comes after you have looked at the finished drive and you are happy.

Our driveways, part way through and finished

Dug out and levelled
Inlays cut in as we go
Border along the front
Resin going down
Tarmac between new kerbs
Sandstone patio, sleeper edging

Which driveway surface suits your house?

There is no single best surface. It comes down to how the house looks, how many cars park on it, how much upkeep you want and what the ground will take.

Driveway and patio surfaces compared

Surface	What to know
Block paving	Borders, patterns and inlays, and a damaged block can be lifted and relaid on its own. The joints want a brush and a top up of sand now and then to keep weeds out.
Resin bound	A smooth, even finish in a choice of stone colours, and the resin layer lets water through. It has to go on a solid base course: laid on hardcore or loose gravel, it cracks.
Tarmac	Suits large areas and heavy use, and it is what we lay on estate roads and car parks. It needs firm edges, or it spreads and breaks up at the sides.
Indian sandstone	Patios with a natural, riven look, no two slabs quite the same colour. Being natural stone, it can mark or green up in damp, shady corners.
Porcelain	Crisp modern patios, especially running out from bifold doors. It barely absorbs water, so each slab needs a bonding primer on the back to stay put.

Does a new front driveway need planning permission?

In England you do not need planning permission to pave a front garden if the new surface is permeable, or if the rainwater runs off into a lawn or border on your own property. Cover more than five square metres with a hard surface that sends water onto the road or into the drains and you do. We plan the falls and drainage with that rule in mind and tell you at the visit which side of it your drive sits. Listed buildings, flats and conservation areas have their own rules.

Does your driveway need a dropped kerb first?

If you will be driving across a public footpath to reach it, yes. Driving over a full height kerb and footpath without a proper crossing is not allowed, and a dropped kerb is highway work that needs council approval and an NRSWA accredited contractor to build it. We are one, and we make the council application for you. Read how that works on our dropped kerbs page.

Doing the kerb and the drive as one job means one firm, one start date and levels that meet properly at the footpath, rather than two contractors each blaming the other for a lip.

"Double dropped kerb, fencing and driveway tarmac, all completed in 5 days!"

Veena, Heckmondwike, on MyBuilder

What sets the price of a driveway

Access for machinery. A digger on the drive is quicker than a barrow through a side gate.
What is under the existing surface. Old concrete, a buried drive or rubble all have to come out and go somewhere.
Ground conditions. Soft or clay ground means a deeper dig and more stone.
The materials you choose. Surface, border, inlays and any drainage.
Whether the council needs to be involved. A dropped kerb, or a surface that needs planning permission.

That is why we do not publish a price list: two drives the same size can be very different jobs underneath. The estimate is free, the price comes to you in writing and itemised, and there is no obligation after it.

Patios, and the garden around them

A patio is built the same way as a drive, just for lighter loads: dug out, a compacted base, then slabs bedded properly so they stay level. We lay Indian sandstone and porcelain, often with sleeper edging or a raised bed alongside, and a porcelain patio running out from new bifold doors often finishes off a rear extension. When the patio is part of a bigger change, with walls, lawn and levels, it comes under our garden landscaping work.

"Nothing was too much trouble. Liam was really experienced in advising what would look the best."

Landscaping customer, Barnsley S70

Getting a driveway quote in Barnsley

We are rated 10/10 on Checkatrade from six reviews, with full marks for quality, reliability and communication. Barnsley is our base, and we lay drives and patios across South and West Yorkshire. You can see more finished jobs on our recent work page. To book a free look at yours, call Liam on 07709 099108 or send the quote form below.

Driveway and patio questions

Can a new driveway go over my old concrete one?
Sometimes. Resin can go over sound, stable concrete or tarmac that is not cracking or sinking. Block paving usually means digging out, partly because of the damp course: Building Regulations ask for paving to sit at least 150mm below it, and laying on top of an old drive often lifts the level too close to that line.
How soon can I park on a new driveway?
Block paving can take a car as soon as it has been compacted and jointed. Resin is usually ready for a car after 24 to 48 hours, at the longer end for a van or in cold weather. Fresh tarmac is fine to walk on once it has cooled, but avoid turning the wheel on the spot for the first few weeks, especially in hot weather, or it scuffs.
What happens to manholes and drain covers in the drive?
They get reset to the new finished level so nothing trips you or catches a tyre, and on block paving a recessed cover lets the paving run straight across, so the cover almost disappears. Broken covers are no problem either: a customer in Halifax had us out within two hours to source and fit a new manhole.
Why does block paving sink or sprout weeds?
Sinking, especially in ruts where the tyres sit, is nearly always a sub base that was too thin or never compacted. Weeds grow in joint sand that has washed out. Sinking needs the paving lifted and the base put right underneath. Weeds need the joints cleaned out and refilled.
Do you lay driveways outside Barnsley?
Yes. As well as Barnsley and its villages we have worked in Sheffield, Wakefield, Pontefract, Ossett, Dewsbury, Halifax and further afield. Tell us where you are when you call.

Tell us what you are thinking of

It takes about a minute, and you do not need drawings or a budget worked out. We will come and look, and you will get a written price.

Get a quote Call 07709 099108

Free estimate, no obligation.

Finished rear garden with a porcelain patio and a new lawn