DIY block paved driveway

[cobain]

I would say muppet32 is pretty much spot on with his costs there........I was lucky and able to borrow all the tools required including1.5te digger. Got most of the blocks down with two of us over a weekend but most of the work is in the prep, laying the blocks is the easy bit!





To give you an idea, it really is a lot of blocks!

[TA14]

rufusgti said:

Regards the savings, I'm not yet sure as I haven't priced up the materials.
If the savings are less than 2k I will probably just pay to get it done, as I have to factor in the cost of my time. I have a feeling speaking to various people that the savings will be much larger. Now some of those savings could be gained or lost (depending how you look at it) by being able to afford a nicer block. To be able to go for maybe a deeper sub base for extra strength. I will be parking my fully loaded transit plus the family car on the drive every day so need it to be slightly higher spec perhaps than your average driveway company may throw down for a little old lady. But it seems a good company would be looking at 5-10k so I'm looking to do it for less than 5k if I'm honest.

Anyone in the business care to advise wether 5k or less is feasible for a DIY drive of 100m2

I see that Meppet has already posted some figures now. Ball park is £75/m2 for a decent job and £45/m2 to do it yourself so that would be a three grand saving. The devil is in the detail, as usual: how strong/soft is the ground, do you have to dig up any concrete, are there any soft spots, do you want special edging blocks or pin kerbs or kerbs or block on edge or does it run up to a building or garden wall or fence or ... plus planning permission?

[rufusgti]

Muppet32 said:

For 100m2:
You'll need a digger for at least a week (2-3 days to dig out and a couple spreading the hardcore etc): £220+VAT (1.5tonne mini digger)

Muckaway: 3 to 4 loads @ £160+VAT per load. £640+VAT

Hardcore (150mm thick): 15m3 or 33tonnes @ £17.50/ tonne = £577.50+VAT (Use MOT Type 1 or blended MOT/Scalpings - avoid recycled)

Wacker Plate: Maybe 1.5 weeks: £65+VAT

Sharp Sand (50mm): 11 tonnes: £300+VAT

Blocks (100m2): Normal 200x100x50 are about £10/m2, Nice 'Tegula types' are £17/m2 so say a total of £1700+VAT

Kerbs: If you want kerbs, they start at £12/lin m. Let's say 25m: £300+VAT

Concrete: To haunch the kerbs/blocks/edging: £35+VAT

Disc Cutter/Block splitter: £40+VAT

Recessed manhole covers: £45+VAT ea

Kiln Dried Sand: £55+VAT

Plus a few other bits and bobs and you're up to £4000+VAT. So there's your 5 grand

You can see why a drive company would charge around £65-75/m2...

ETA: I forgot grid drainage at £10/lin m. In theory they should run to a soakaway too...

Edited by Muppet32 on Friday 5th February 17:48

Thanks so much for that. That really gives me something to work on. Brilliant.

[LeadFarmer]

I paid £4k to have mine done, heres some before and afters...
















I had a soaraway put in the corner of the drive, below the planted area. I seem to recall that if your extending your existing driveway by a certain amount then you have to have a soakaway, unless a soaraway can be proved not to work? My soaraway works to an extent, then the drainage backs up and rain water then runs off onto the foot path. Someone from the council did knock on my door whilst it was being played but he was only concerned about the pallets of blocks piled on the footpath waiting to be laid, said that really they shouldn't be there but he wasn't overly concerned.

Make sure the sub base is good, to prevent blocks sinking. I park a heavy LR Defender in the same spot all the time so told the bloke doing the work to ensure it was done properly, and it was. He said that the MOT1 sub base should be laid in thin layers, with each layer being whacked before the next layer is laid.

I sealed men with Resiblock, its expensive but is really good, preventing weeds, but it does change the colour of the blocks so bear this in mind.


With Resiblock applied...











Resiblock sealant is also great for any oil spills from my LR Defender, their oil remover product called 'OR' works a treat...

[J4ymo1]

Really good transformation. What blocks are those?

[8-P]

Interesting. Busting to get mine done, reckon its about the same size as that so interesting to know the price as a guide.

That blue tractor almost looks photoshopped!

[LeadFarmer]

J4ymo1 said:

Really good transformation. What blocks are those?

Mine are Plaspave Sarsen Stone, with kerb edging an a boarder row of their Como blocks.