QI am thinking about turning my front garden into a driveway. What are the pros and cons, how easy is it and is it worth doing? Aisyah Chen, Chester
ALee Dunderdale, Product Manager at Bradstone, advises… Installing a driveway is an investment
– but one that can really add value to your property, between five to10 per cent. Installation is usually the biggest outlay but it pays dividends as the right installer will help you find the best design solution, delivering it to a high standard and creating kerb appeal. Factoring in the costs of materials and labour, gravel is usually the cheapest. Visually it’s not as aesthetically pleasing as other materials. Block paving comes in as more expensive, but is cheaper than the likes of resin and setts, while still providing great frontage to your house with various style options.
Check whether planning permission is required. You will need this if you have to drop the kerb or if your new drive will be more than five square metres and won’t include a permeable surface, or an area for surface water to run off and soak away. This can be off-putting, which is why a permeable block-paving solution, such as Bradstone’s Woburn Rumbled Infilta and Driveway Infilta ranges, is a sensible choice.
A driveway is certainly a practical use of your outdoor space, but it’s also important to consider how taking up a lawn or cutting down trees will impact the area. Marrying hard and soft landscaping can be a great way of providing a functional space for you – as well as places for wildlife to thrive, such as borders, perimeter hedging or a ribbon driveway. Simply pave the area where the wheels of your car go and lay a grass ribbon down the middle for eco-friendly permeability and visual appeal.