Concrete driveway
A concrete driveway could be an excellent solution for your home. Usually, concrete driveways are made from mixed concrete that is poured onto a prepared base with forms to stop it from seeping all over your front garden, and it’s left to set. However, some concrete driveways are made from concrete slabs that are set in the ground.
Why should you consider a concrete driveway?
Concrete driveways are extremely durable in all types of weather, which is great news for the UK as our summers continue to get hotter and the winters are harsher. The only comparable surface in terms of durability in all weathers is asphalt, but it’s still not quite as durable as concrete.
Concrete driveways are also low maintenance, with not much more than a bit of sweeping and the occasional pressure wash to get rid of any stubborn marks required. Compared to gravel driveways where perfectionists might want to sweep the gravel back onto the drive every day, concrete driveways are the low-maintenance option.
If you’re imagining a dreary grey concrete driveway, it no longer has to be this way. While a standard concrete driveway might be perfect for those that want a neutral surface that blends in with their home, you can now inject a bit of colour into your concrete driveway and make it a little more exciting. You can even get patterns imprinted into it to give the appearance of block paving or even cobbles or granite. This is a perfect option when you want a decorative surface but don’t want to sacrifice durability.
Will a concrete driveway save me money?
Concrete driveways are not the cheapest option. Compared to tarmac and gravel, they are more expensive per m2, so if you have a large driveway to surface then it will set you back a lot of money. However, a concrete driveway will last years – potentially up to 50. So in the long term, you may find it saves you money, especially because you won’t have to fork out on maintenance either.
Cost of Concrete Driveways
Concrete driveways, when properly installed, can be a very cost effective way of surfacing all driveways including both the big and the small ones. As a result, it has grown to become a common choice amongst homeowners in the UK. It does a great job at giving a property a more solid and satisfactory look than other driveway surfacing options which includes asphalt or tarmac.
Are you planning to install concrete on your driveway? If yes, then you’ll most likely be interested to know exactly how much it’s going to cost. Well, to get started you’ll have to decide whether you’ll be doing this yourself or perhaps you’d be hiring a specialist. The project could be much more effective if you decide to tackle it on your own as you’re only going to be worried about the paying for the materials without any labour costs. However, installing a concrete driveway is not the simplest of tasks even for the competent and more experienced DIYers. Therefore, if you choose to carry out the project on your own, you should also get ready for a longer completion time than it would have been if you hired a professional which is usually around 48 hours. If you have all the tools and materials in place before commencement, then it’s possible to complete the project over the weekend. However, there are many risks involved such as the possibility of misjudging the proper quantity of concrete mixture and more. So, what is the cost of installing a concrete driveway?
Well, just like other home improvement projects, the concrete driveway cost depends on a number of factors like the size of the area, the experience of the professional, the property’s location and lots more. However, in general, the average cost of a concrete driveway ranges between £45 to £55 per square metre. For labour costs, you can expect to pay between £200 to £450 per day based on the work’s complexity.
