Best option for new path/drive?

[Richard]

Hi, I'm looking for a bit of advice on a choice of construction technique for a drive I want to put in. I currently have a rear access to my property consisting of an passageway approx 2.5-3m wide and 30m long. However it has a right angle turn half way along with a rectangle about 3x3.5m for turning - very tight I know, but I am happy that I can get a smart car round there easily, and that's all I want it for - besides everyday foot/bike/pram traffic. The path is currently mud/grass, and that drags all the muck around onto my new patio hence the need for a change. Also if I did get a smart car this would soon churn this up, especially as it gets very muddy in the wet.

I'm trying to determine the cheapest option which will meet my criteria, and need to work out approx costs for both a DIY and a contractor solution, as I'm not sure if I'll have the time myself for this particular job. The actual area, if I allow a 2m wide strip and a rectangle of 3x3.5m2 to turn on will be about 66m2.

My thoughts turn to a type 1 base (not sure how deep yet - any ideas) with chippings (again ideas for which grade welcomed) on top and one of those plastic honeycombs over the type 1 in the turning area to prevent movement of chippings over time. Although I'm not convinced by the idea, I've been told to just use weedkiller to stop vegatation growing through and looking messy - I was swaying towards a landscaping sheet, although for this area that could prove pricy?

However, if there is a different option which would be cheaper, I'd be glad to know about it. I really need to keep the costs down on this one, so if any of you guys have an idea of ballpark figures for this type of job (all in for both DIY and contractor approaches) I'd be grateful to know. Also, any advice on best type of contractor for this type of job, so I can look on tinternet and yellow pages?

Many Thanks, Richard.

[Dave Osborne]

[A.Lee]

The cheapest option is dig down a couple of inches, lay down an anti weed membrane, then dump 3 or 4 tonnes of gravel on it, then rake flat. Gravel is typically £35/tonne delivered loose. A membrane sheet will be £40, and a skip, if needed to take away the turf will be £80ish. Edging stones if needed (round top concrete) are £3/metre.

A better option would be 2 lines of slabs for the driveway (spaced at between the wheels width), then a slabbed area for the turning. More expensive, but worthwhile. A quick calculation shows around 200 450mm square slabs needed, so the slabs would be ~£325. Add in 3 tonnes of sand(£110), 10 bags of cement(£35), and a skip (£110), and total materials cost is roughly £600. I could do that in 3 days, add another £300 for labour, so around £900 if you pay someone, though I am dead cheap, so you'd probably pay more labour cost than that. Alan.

[The Medway Handyman]

You are far too cheap mate. Put your prices up.

[Tim Southerwood]

A.Lee coughed up some electrons that declared:

The chap work got in to do some major work summed it up as "no b*gger wants to pay". He's good, but down a few tens of grand on his cashflow.

Sounds promising. Does the landlord have any other properties? Sounds like you could win some potential future repeat custom too; landlords always need stuff doing from time to time.

I helped our landlord arrange a tiler to refit our shower cubicle when it died of multiple leaks. I was totally impressed by the chap's work and his manner and his tidiness during and after each day on the job.. The chap wasn't cheap, but he wasn't outlandish either. Planning to buy a house in the near future, so if I need any (ie too hard/lack of time/whatever) bathroom work done, the tradesman in question will automatically get the job. Plus my recommendation got him another job a few months after our shower job.

Good luck.

Cheers

Tim

[Phil L]

I thought the pasageway was 2.5 - 3m in width? If you just do the centre 2m by 30m long, this makes 60m2...add on your

10.5m2 turning area and we have almost 71m2, but leaving a gap all along the path, IE cutting it down to 2m wide is cutting corners, particularly as your wheels will always be at the outer edge.

150mm of mot (crush and run, mechanically compacted)

me neither.

I've been told to just use weedkiller to stop vegatation

and useless because weds don't come from underneath - they come from above, that is, seeds blow or are dropped by birds into the gaps and they grow downwards, weedkiller is the *only* option.

For block paving or flags, you are looking around £50 - £60 per square metre, so £4000 should/may cover it for a contractor.

To do it yourself:

70m2 of blocks = £800 1 large skip = £150 10 tonne of MOT = £300 4 tonne of sand = £120 2 bags of finishing sand = £15 Cutter hire = £15 Whacker hire £25 Sundries £25

About £1750 if you DIY...you may save a hundred or two if you use flags, but add on a few extra days for labour.

[The Medway Handyman]

An ad in the local rag isn't going to crack it mate. I'm always busy because I never stop marketing.

It's what the advertising agencys call 'a multi channel marketing strategy'.

IOW I get work from two local free magazines (fairly cheap to advertise in), a couple of parish magazines (very cheap), my heavily signwritten van, fridge magnet business cards, the logo'ed overalls, the web site, mailshots, cards left with suppliers, previous customers, reccommendations, letting agents, offices on the industrial estate (from mail shots), people who work at B&Q & Wickes who I've given cards to, estate agents who pass on my details, all sorts.

[Si]

In message , The Medway Handyman writes

...and of course, your sig ;-)

[The Medway Handyman]

Don't you start :-)

[ARWadworth]

I once got myself a fill rewire job thanks to a woman who ran into the back of my van. Swap details my arse, give them a card.

Adam