Landscapers Norwich
Driveways in Norwich, built to carry a car for years
Landscapers Norwich builds driveways in block paving, gravel and natural stone for homes across Norwich and Norfolk, dug out and built up on a sub-base made to take the weight of a car.
What goes into a driveway that lasts
A driveway takes far more punishment than any patio: the weight of a car, tyres turning on the spot, frost, and rain running off the roof and the road. Landscapers Norwich builds driveways in block paving, gravel and natural stone, and the part that decides how well each one lasts is the same: a deep enough dig and a compacted sub-base built for vehicles, finished with edges that keep everything in place.
The finish you choose changes the look, the drainage and the upkeep. Block paving gives a crisp, hard-wearing surface that can be patterned and bordered. Gravel is quick to walk on, drains freely and makes a satisfying crunch underfoot, and laid over a stabilising grid it stays level rather than rutting. Natural stone setts and slabs suit older houses and give a driveway real character.
A new driveway suits homeowners replacing a cracked concrete drive, families who need room for a second car, and anyone turning part of a front garden into off-road parking. If the front garden is being paved for the first time, it is worth reading the planning and dropped kerb notes below before you start.
What is included in a driveway build
Your quote lists every stage, so nothing is left to guesswork.
- Survey of levels and drainageWe check the fall towards the road and the house, existing drains, covers and where the water will go.
- Break-out and muck awayRemoval of the old surface, whether concrete, slabs or lawn, with the waste taken away.
- Excavation to depthDug to the depth a vehicle base needs, deeper than a patio or path, with soft spots dug out and filled.
- Vehicle-grade sub-baseCrushed stone laid and compacted in layers to form a firm platform for the finished surface.
- Edging and kerbsEdge courses or kerbs set in concrete to hold block paving, or to keep gravel off the pavement and lawn.
- The finished surfaceBlock paving, gravel over a stabilising grid, or natural stone, laid to your chosen layout.
- Drainage measuresFalls, channel drains or soakaways so surface water is dealt with on your property.
- Clear-upThe site cleaned down and the road outside swept before we leave.
Before you book
Before you plan a new driveway
-
Planning permission for front gardens
In England, paving over more than five square metres of front garden needs planning permission unless the surface is permeable or the water drains to a lawn or border on your land. Gravel, permeable block paving or a planned soakaway keep most driveways within the rules.
-
A dropped kerb
If you are creating a new access across the pavement, the kerb needs to be dropped, and that needs permission from Norfolk County Council as the highway authority. Apply before the driveway is built.
-
How many cars, and where they turn
Think about how many cars will park, whether doors can open, and where you will walk past them. Turning areas need the strongest base and the most interlocking finish.
-
Gravel or block paving
Gravel drains freely and is gentle on the budget but needs raking now and then. Block paving costs more to lay but gives a firm, tidy surface for bins, buggies and wheelchairs.
Good to know
Good to know about driveways
- Gravel needs a grid and an edge
- Loose gravel on soil ruts and spreads. A stabilising grid underneath keeps it level, and a firm edge keeps it off the pavement and the lawn.
- Oil and tyre marks
- Block paving and stone can mark under a parked car. Cleaning up drips promptly and an occasional wash keeps a driveway looking fresh.
- Covers and services
- Water meters, gas and drainage covers can be left accessible, and trays let block paving run over inspection chambers neatly.
- Frost and new work
- Mortar and concrete need to be protected from hard frost while they cure, so cold snaps can affect when parts of a driveway are laid.
How it works
How a driveway job runs
-
Visit and quote
We measure up, check levels, drainage and access, and talk through materials. The quote is free and in writing.
-
Break out and dig
The old surface comes up, the ground is dug out to depth and the waste removed.
-
Base and edges
The sub-base is laid and compacted, and edging or kerbs set in concrete.
-
Surface and finish
Block paving, gravel or stone is laid, the drainage completed and the road swept clean.
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway?
Not usually if the surface is permeable, or if water drains to a lawn or border on your property. Paving more than five square metres of front garden with a surface that sends water onto the road does need permission.
Which driveway surfaces do you lay?
Block paving, gravel and natural stone. We talk through how each one looks, drains and wears before you choose.
Is gravel a good choice for a driveway?
Gravel drains freely and suits many homes well. Laid over a stabilising grid with a firm edge, it stays level and does not spread onto the pavement.
How deep does a driveway need to be dug?
Deeper than a patio, because it carries vehicles. The exact depth depends on the ground and the finish, and we check it at the survey.
Can I park on block paving straight away?
Block paving laid on sand can usually be walked on once it is finished. Any concrete haunching behind the edges needs time to cure before cars run along it, and we will tell you when it is ready.
Can you widen my existing driveway?
Yes. We can extend a driveway into the front garden, building the new section to the same standard, and use a border to join old and new neatly.
Other hard landscaping we do
- PatiosIndian sandstone, porcelain and natural stone patios, laid on a full mortar bed with the right fall.
- Block pavingBlock paved paths, patios and parking areas, laid on a compacted sub-base inside proper edge restraints.
- Garden paths and stepsPaths, steps and edging that link the house, the patio and the garden, set out so they are easy and safe underfoot.
Need a new driveway?
Tell us how many cars it needs to take and what is there now, and we will arrange a visit and a free quote.