How long does a new driveway take?
By Terry O'Reilly, owner, 17 years on the tools. Updated . 4 min read.
Most two-car driveways in Milton Keynes take two to three days. Block paving is 2 to 3 days, resin bound is 2 days plus usually about 48 hours to cure, and tarmac is 1 to 2 days. Terry gives you a day count with the written quote and aims to stick to it; what adds days is a big dig out, steps or walls, and heavy rain on a resin job.
What happens on each day?
Day one: dig out and base. The old surface comes out, along with anything soft underneath. Edging goes in on concrete, drainage is laid where it is needed, then 200mm to 250mm of stone goes in and is compacted with a plate. This is the day nobody sees and the day that decides whether the drive is still flat in ten years.
Day two: lay. For block paving, a levelled sand bed and the blocks, cut in at the edges and around drains, then compacted and sanded. For resin bound, the resin and stone are mixed on site and trowelled by hand over the base. For tarmac, it is laid hot and rolled.
Day three, if needed. Cutting a complicated pattern, building steps or a wall, a path to the door, or finishing the sealing. Then the site is swept, the waste goes and you get the guarantee in writing. There is a fuller day-by-day account in what happens when we lay a block paving drive.
How long does each material take?
| Driveway | On site | Park on it | What adds time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block paving | 2 to 3 days | Usually the day after we finish | Curves, patterns, steps, lots of cuts |
| Resin bound | 2 days | Usually about 48 hours after we finish | Replacing a bad base first, rain |
| Tarmac | 1 to 2 days | Usually the day after we finish | A very big area, new drainage |
Swipe the table sideways to see all of it.
Patios vary more than drives because gardens vary more than fronts. A flat garden with a simple patio is 2 to 4 days; levelling and steps is 3 to 5 days, up to a week with a retaining wall. See patios.
What can slow a job down?
- What is under the old drive. Old concrete takes longer to break out than old blocks. Tree roots and forgotten footings add hours. I check on the visit but I cannot see through concrete.
- Drainage. If the house needs a soakaway or a channel drain that was not there before, that is part of day one.
- Weather. Resin needs a dry surface. Block paving and tarmac carry on in most rain. Frost stops everything.
- Extras. Steps, walls, a dropped kerb, a path round the side, lighting.
- Deliveries. Materials are ordered for the start date. If a supplier lets us down, you hear about it the same day.
None of these change the price once it is agreed without talking to you first. Only the day count can move, and I tell you when it does.
Would you rather just ask Terry?
A photo and a question on WhatsApp gets a straight answer, usually the same day.
How much mess and noise should I expect?
Day one is the noisy one: a breaker on the old surface, a digger or a lot of shovelling, a skip or grab lorry, and a plate compactor. Day two is quieter, with a saw for the cuts. We sweep the site and bag the waste every day, so there is no mound of rubble on the front for a week.
You will need to park on the road for the days we are there and, for resin, two days after. On a terrace street in Wolverton that can mean a short walk, so tell the neighbours; most are glad to know when the skip is coming and going.
Does the size of the house change the day count?
Less than you would think. A two-car drive on a 1930s semi in Bletchley and a two-car drive on a newer detached house on the estates take about the same time, because the base work is the same. What changes it is shape and detail. A straight rectangle in one colour is quick. A curved drive with a border, a circle feature and steps to the door is a third day.
Long drives on the bigger plots around Woburn Sands take longer simply because there is more of everything, and that is when tarmac earns its place: a big area goes down in a day.
How soon can Terry start?
It depends on the time of year and what is already booked. I give you a start date with the quote. Spring and early summer are the busiest; autumn is a good time to get a drive done before winter softens the ground. If you need it done by a date, say so on the visit.
The visit itself is usually within a few days of you asking, and the quote is free with no obligation. Recent finished jobs are on our work page, and what moves the price is on the cost guide.
