Tarmac driveway?

[JoeJoe]

We had a major water leak under the pavement right in front of our driveway one night a couple of months ago. A failed valve meant that it took them over 3 hours to finally turn the water off.

Our driveway (2 cars) is made up of a single piece of concrete (sorry, not sure of the correct terminology?), with some stencilled rectangle-shaped indentations in it, all dyed in a pinkish colour? A very ugly thing indeed. The water pressure was high enough to wash a large amount of silt and sand from under the concrete, resulting in parts of it cracking and collapsing by a few centimetres, leaving the driveway damaged and uneven.

The water company agreed to do whatever it takes to bring it back to its original condition or similar.

They sent the sub-contractor that they use to have a look at it today. He suggested two possible solutions:

1. Remove the damaged parts (80% of the driveway - he said that they won't approve doing the whole thing), and use concrete again to re-do. He thinks that it would look horrible as he would never manage to exactly match the colour and pattern.
2. Remove the whole concrete driveway and the equally as ugly edging stones that need replacing anyway and re-do it in tarmac instead and edging of our choice.

We are not particularly house-proud, and can happily live with the 2nd option (he assured us that it would be done properly), but is there a reason not to go with that? We live in a neighbourhood of around 100 houses, and none of them has a tarmac driveway? Is it just a matter of taste?

[tabbypurr]

I'd go with tarmac. The other option sounds like a right bodge. Tarmac is l ong lasting if done properly, hopeless if not. So check/agree on the base s pecs before proceeding.

NT

[Brian Gaff]

Depends on if its a conservation area. Your council should be able to tell you, hopefully in writing if its ok to go ahead. I'd certainly not just take a telephone blokes word for it, there have been lots of issues around here about new windows being fitted and the council denies all knowledge of OKing them. Mind you half the time they do not evn know where their own blocks of flats are judging by the stories I get about maintenance crews going to the wrong places. Brian

[Andy Burns]

So would I, get in writing what he means by "properly"

[Tricky Dicky]

Don't go for a patch up job, it will always look a patch up. I'd go for the complete Tarmac. A lot of authorities now favour resin drives owing to the ir ability to let water permeate through. However if you have any sort of a slope on your drive it will simply flow off before it gets a chance to per meate.

Richard

[JoeJoe]

It is definitely a slop, with a drain the width of the garage at the bottom.

[JoeJoe]

He mentioned something about 100mm deep base I think...

[JoeJoe]

Thanks for the tip - I am 100% certain that we are not in a conservation area.

[Mark Allread]

Go for tarmac.

You need a good well consolidated hardcore base and the topcoat should be

30mm of 10mm aggregate. Get them to check the whole of the proposed base is adequate. If its being done by a 'proper' company as, indeed it sounds, they will be able to understand the above even if you are not sure.

[Capitol]

IME tarmac driveways are crap. I'd agree a price with the original contractor to remove and relay the concrete. Then split the cost with the water company if necessary. What do your house insurers say?

[JoeJoe]

Why?

I'd agree a price with the original

Should I have mentioned it to them? Why

[Mark Allread]

Perhaps because he had a crap job done 'on the cheap'. A good tarmac drive is, well, good.

No need to mention it to them as the company have apparently accepted liability and are prepared to carry out the works at their cost.

[JoeJoe]

That's what I thought as well.

[Adrian Caspersz]

How about Resin?

A car owning house near here has has it done years ago, still looks good

- no cracks, weeds, discolourations etc...

[ARW]

If your car needed an 80% respray because of an accident would you accept an 80% respray in a different colour to the original?

[Bill]

A house a few doors away has just had their driveway done in tarmac with brick edging. I think it looks great, wife thinks it isn't in keeping with the house approach.

The company who did it appeared to be a roads contractor, and took ages

- about a month in all of intermittent work with huge lorries blocking the road, deliveries of hardcore, various machines such as rollers, and many days with men with barrows etc. One day a man was there with a theodolite.

Everyone moaned about not being able to get past and the time it took for such a small drive, but, as I say, it looks like a good job.

[misterroy]

Had the same thing happen years ago in a rented house. They will make it go od. Go for the tar, they will do a proper job.Proper contractors, not some fly by night mob.

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

A few years ago the gas people put new plastic gas supply pipes around here. We all got a leaflet saying that if they had to dig up the drives they would do their best to replace as original, but no guarantees. They did not need dig up our drive. But on some drives they had to dig a hole. The repair work looks awful. Go for the tarmac.

[bert]

In article , Bill writes

Do you want a good job or a quick job? Sounds like you got the former.

[Andrew]

One of my neighbours had that done, over the top of the original concrete. Where the four wheels of his van pressed down every night, it has warn away the resin and 'grit'. Moss has invaded the rest. Looks awful 10 years on.