How to spot a cowboy driveway quote
By Terry O'Reilly, owner, 17 years on the tools. Updated . 4 min read.
A cowboy quote is short on paper and long on pressure: a price on the doorstep, no sub-base depth, no drainage, a big deposit, and a deal that only holds if you say yes today. A proper quote has the sub-base depth, edging, drainage, waste, guarantee, insurance, start date and payment terms in writing, and nobody minds you taking a fortnight to think about it.
Why is driveway work a favourite for cowboys?
Because most of the job is buried. Once the blocks are down, nobody can see whether there is 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone under them or three inches of loose rubble. A drive laid on a bad base looks perfect on the day and starts to sink within a couple of winters, by which time the van and the phone number have gone.
It is also a job people buy once or twice in a lifetime, so they do not know what a fair quote looks like. I have spent 17 years on the tools, a lot of it relaying other people's drives, and the story behind them is nearly always the same. That is what this page is for.
What are the warning signs of a cowboy driveway quote?
- A fixed price on the doorstep. A rough idea from a photo is fine, but nobody can fix the price of a drive without measuring it and looking at what is underneath. If the final number comes before the tape measure, the shortfall tends to appear on the last day.
- Nothing in writing, or one line that says "supply and lay block paving" and a figure.
- No sub-base depth. This is where a drive is won or lost. If the quote does not say a depth, ask. If they cannot answer, walk away.
- No mention of drainage. Rain has to go somewhere, and since 2008 the law cares where. See do I need planning permission for a driveway.
- A big deposit. Materials up front is normal. Half or more of the job before a spade goes in is not.
- "We are in the area this week." A price that only holds if you decide today is not a price, it is a pressure tactic.
- No company name, no address, a mobile number only. A real firm has a registered office, insurance and reviews you can click through to.
- Leftover materials. "We have some tarmac left from another job" is the oldest one in the book. Cold tarmac off a lorry does not make a drive.
- Cash only and no invoice. No paperwork means no comeback.
What does a proper driveway quote put in writing?
Ask every firm for these eight things before you compare the number at the bottom. It takes a good firm five minutes to write them down, and it makes two quotes comparable.
| What to ask for | Why it matters | What we put down |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-base depth | The base carries the cars, not the blocks | 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone, every drive |
| Edging | Holds the edge in so it does not spread | Kerbs set on a concrete bed and backed with concrete |
| Drainage | Where the rain goes: soakaway, channel drain or lawn | Always into your ground, never the road |
| Waste | Digging out and taking the spoil away is a big part of the cost | Included |
| Guarantee | How long, what it covers, in writing | Ten years |
| Insurance | Ask to see the certificate | Fully insured |
| Start date and day count | When they start and how many days on site | In the quote |
| Payment terms | When you pay, and how much before the work starts | Nothing up front beyond materials; the balance when the job is finished and you are happy |
The cost guide has the same list and explains what moves the price on a drive in Milton Keynes.
Would you rather just ask Terry?
A photo and a question on WhatsApp gets a straight answer, usually the same day.
How do I check a driveway firm is real?
- Search the company name on Companies House. It is free. You will see the registered office and how long the company has existed.
- Click through to the reviews. A screenshot proves nothing. Read them on Google, MyBuilder or wherever they are, and look at the dates and the names.
- Ask who turns up. If the person quoting is a salesman, the person laying the drive is someone you have never met. Ask who will be on site and who is responsible for it.
- Ask to see a job nearby. A firm that has worked in your area for years can point you to a drive down the road, whether that is Bletchley, Wolverton or Newport Pagnell.
- Ask for the insurance certificate. A real one has the insurer's name and a policy number.
You can check us on every one of those. Unique Driveways MK Ltd has a registered office in Milton Keynes, 299 public reviews on five platforms that you can read on our reviews page, photos of finished jobs in our work, and I quote every job myself and am on site while my team lays it.
What should I do if a quote feels wrong?
Say you will think about it. A good firm expects that and gives you a 14-day cooling off period anyway. If the price drops the moment you hesitate, that tells you what the first price was.
Then get one more quote from someone who measures, writes it all down and does not mind waiting. Compare the two on the eight points above, not the number at the bottom. The one with all eight in writing is nearly always the one that lasts.
What if a bad drive has already been laid?
Stop paying, keep every message and photo, and speak to Citizens Advice or Trading Standards. If the drive is sinking, get someone reputable to look at it before anyone digs it up, so you have a record. We relay drives other firms got wrong more often than I would like, and the fix usually means a new base rather than new blocks. There is more on why that happens in why block paving driveways sink, and our driveway repairs page covers what we can do.
Not sure which material to ask for quotes on in the first place? Start with block paving, resin bound or tarmac.
