The brief
A 1970s concrete drive that had sunk badly on the left-hand side, ponding water against the garage wall every time it rained. The owners wanted it gone before winter and were worried about damp getting into the garage.
What we found
The original slab had been laid straight onto soft ground with almost no sub-base. Once we broke it out we found the fall ran towards the house rather than away from it — which is why water had been collecting against the wall for the best part of fifty years.
What we did
Full excavation to 250mm, geotextile membrane, 200mm of compacted MOT Type 1, and a re-graded fall running away from the property to a new channel drain at the garage threshold. Block paving edge restraint on both sides, then 60mm of base course and 25mm of surface course tarmac.
Day by day
- Day 1
Broke out and removed 14 tonnes of old concrete, excavated to depth, laid membrane and sub-base, compacted in layers and set the block edging.
- Day 2
Installed the channel drain, laid and rolled the tarmac in two courses, and cleaned down. Handed over at 4pm.
★★★★★Had the double driveway done last autumn — tarmac with block edging. Neat, clean job, done in two days. Nathan was straight with us from the start on price and materials. Looks great still.
Mark T. — Hillmorton, Rugby
The result
No standing water through a full winter, and the garage wall has dried out. The channel drain added £180 to the job and solved the actual problem.
