How much does a resin driveway cost in Milton Keynes?
By Terry O'Reilly, owner, 17 years on the tools. Updated . 5 min read.
Every resin bound driveway in Milton Keynes is priced on a visit, because whether the old surface can stay or has to come out matters more than the size. Resin bound is the highest cost of the three main surfaces, above block paving and tarmac, because the materials cost more and it needs a solid base underneath. Terry tells you which base you have on a free visit and gives a written price that does not change.
Why is a resin driveway priced on a visit?
Because with resin the price is decided by what is under it, not by what you see on top. Resin bound is a surface, 15mm to 18mm thick, and it does exactly what the base beneath it does. If your existing concrete or tarmac is sound, the resin goes straight over it and the job is a surface job. If the old drive is cracked, sinking or loose gravel, it all comes out and a new base of 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone with a tarmac or concrete layer goes in before any resin is mixed. That is the difference between the lower and the higher end for the same size drive, and I have to stand on it to know which one you have.
So every resin drive gets a written price after a visit. It covers the base checked or replaced, the edging, the resin and stone mixed on site and trowelled by hand, and the waste taken away.
Why is resin the highest cost of the three?
| Two-car drive | Cost band | Lasts | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarmac | Lower | 15 years plus | Nothing for years |
| Block paving | Middle | 25 years plus | Sweep, wash when needed, reseal every 3 to 5 years |
| Resin bound | Higher | 15 to 20 years | Sweep it |
Swipe the table sideways to see all of it.
Two reasons. The materials cost more: the resin itself and the dried stone it is mixed with are dearer than block or tarmac. And it needs a solid base under it, so on a drive that is not already concrete or tarmac you are paying for a base and then a surface on top. What you get for that is a smooth, seamless drive with no weeds, no loose stone and no puddles, that needs only a sweep and a rinse.
What moves a resin price up or down?
- The base. The biggest swing by far. Sound existing concrete or tarmac: resin goes over it. Cracked, sinking or gravel: it all comes out and a new base goes in, which is most of the difference between a lower and a higher quote.
- Depth. A drive needs 15mm to 18mm of resin bound. A path can be thinner. Some quotes are low because the depth is low; ask for it in writing.
- Edging. Resin needs an edge to be trowelled up to. A block or kerb edge set in concrete is included in ours; on some drives there is already a good edge.
- Drainage. Resin bound is permeable, so it often needs no extra drainage. If the base is solid concrete the water still has to go somewhere, so a channel drain or soakaway may be needed.
- Colour and stone. Standard blends are the baseline. Some blends and a UV-stable resin cost a little more.
- Kerbs, walls and steps. A dropped kerb, a wall or steps are priced on the same written quote.
Would you rather just ask Terry?
A photo and a question on WhatsApp gets a straight answer, usually the same day.
Why is a resin drive on a bad base a false economy?
Resin bound is a surface, not a structure. It is 15mm to 18mm thick and it does exactly what the base under it does. Trowel it over cracked concrete and the cracks come through within a winter. Lay it over a thin or soft base and the car makes hollows where it turns and the resin breaks up around them.
That is where the lowest quotes come from. Skipping the base work saves a day and a skip, so the quote looks good. Then the drive fails, and there is no cheap fix for failed resin: it cannot be patched invisibly like block paving, so the repair is to take it up and start again, base included. Two drives for the price of two, when you only wanted one. If a resin quote is a long way under the others, ask what is happening to the base.
The other way resin goes wrong is when it is not resin bound at all. Resin bonded, stone scattered on a resin coat, is sold as "resin" for a lot less and sheds stone from the first month. Resin bound vs resin bonded explains how to tell them apart.
What should be written in a resin quote?
- Whether the existing surface is being kept or replaced, and what the new base is if it is replaced. Ours is 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone with a bound layer on top.
- The depth of the resin bound layer in millimetres.
- Resin bound, not resin bonded, and whether the resin is UV stable.
- Edging, and how it is fixed.
- Where the rain goes.
- Removal of the old surface and waste, if that applies.
- Start date, day count and when you can park on it (usually about 48 hours after we finish).
- Guarantee in writing. Ours is ten years.
How do you compare two resin quotes?
Line them up against the list above before you look at the totals. The three things that most often make one resin quote lower than another are the base being left as it is, the depth being thinner than a drive needs, and resin bonded being sold as resin bound. If both quotes name the same base, the same depth and the same product, then the lower number is a fair comparison. If one of them is silent on any of those, it is not cheaper, it is a different job.
Is Terry's resin price fixed?
Yes. I look at the existing surface myself on the visit, I tell you whether it can stay or has to go, and the written price covers whichever it is, and anything that changes is agreed with you first. The visit is free, there is a 14-day cooling off period, and I do not take money up front beyond materials.
If you want a rough figure first, WhatsApp me a photo of the front from the pavement with your postcode and I will give you a rough idea of the price the same day. We lay resin bound across Milton Keynes, from the newer detached houses around Shenley to the older fronts in Newport Pagnell and out to the larger plots at Woburn Sands. Finished drives are on our work page, the general guide to prices is on the cost guide, and if resin is more than you want to spend, block paving costs covers the middle option.
