Private parking space: tarmac, concrete or blocks?

Question

The space between the front of my terraced house and the public pavement is my private land and my private parking space. It needs surfacing, after removing a few inches of the old rubble that it currently consists of. It currently looks very untidy and I am smartening up the property prior to selling it. I'm inclined to use concrete because I'd like it to look different from the public pavement (otherwise people may think it's a free-for-all parking spot)

- or some half-wit trafffic warden might put a ticket on my car thinking I'm parking on the pavement. (It's a corner property.)

I'm guessing that concrete is slightly more expensive than tarmac but not as expensive as blocks - is that correct? Do those paving blocks have any particular advantage over concrete and tarmac (apart from arguably looking prettier)? Is there any disadvantage in using concrete? I also want something that's easy to lay. I'm too old for a lot of hard labour. If I was a Roman slave, they would have bumped me off years ago...

Thanks for any advice.

Mike D

Lobster · Accepted Answer

Why not use gravel?  You could get away with a helluva lot less foundation work than for any of the others, especially if this is a tart-up-to-sell exercise!David

Andy Hall · Answer

Gravel spread liberally all the way down the road..???Mind you, the idea of being able to sell a property with a crunchy drive....

Paul Matthews · Answer

Gravel? probably the easiest to lay.

Mike D · Answer

Thanks to you and Lobster for this suggestion. Unfortunately, in tiscase, gravel would spill out onto the pavement and the road, and causea nuisance. I definitely want something solid.Regards,Mike D

The Natural Philosopher · Answer

Then concrete is probably the cheapest to do.Tarmac the nicest..but expensive.Blocks? hate em. They move, they get weeds..

manatbandq · Answer

Not if they're layed properly.Not if theyr're looked after.You can also have imprinted concrete to look like blocks or randomstone but that looks naff imho.MBQ

Cicero · Answer

==================================2' x 2' paving slabs (2" thick to take cars)are probably quicker andcheaper than anything else. If the public pavement is slabbed use adifferent size and colour to show the boundary. Since you're selling youwon't have to deal with the (almost) inevitable unevenness that mightdevelop. If you can't get an exact fit make up with a gravel drain channelor something similar.Cic.

Cicero · Answer

==================================You're more likely to get some free artwork from the local yobs before theconcrete goes off.Cic.

Mike D · Answer

Good point. Are there any other, more attractive effects that can be achieved with concrete without too much ado? It sems there should be scope for some creativity here. I gues one could imbed something good-looking in the surface prior to tamping, for example. ...The coloured marble chips they used to cover graves with, for example.

Mike

Harry Bloomfield · Answer

It happens that Mike D formulated :Have you considered the plastic interlocking blocks? A little like a plastic milk crate except the are embedded in and part covered by soil through which the grass can grow. Cheap, easy to lay and doesn't need much in the way of foundations - just needs the mower run over it occasionally.

manatbandq · Answer

You can also get similar in concrete.MBQ

Private parking space: tarmac, concrete or blocks?

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