Making a concrete driveway is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to provide a hard standing for your car, away from possible damage on the public roads. And if you’re DIY minded, it’s simple to make it yourself too.
In the UK, an average 5.5m2 concrete driveway costs £90-£140 per m2 or £500-£800 for a simple finish which takes up to two days to complete. In comparison, an estimate for a 25m2 driveway takes up to four days with average costs of £2,300-£2,700. But if you want a coloured or imprinted finish, typical costs will be correspondingly more due to the increased labour.
Once upon a time, concrete surfaces were drab and featureless. But, now, a new product has made its way from Europe and the USA and made concrete popular again. These days you can choose from dozens of vivid colours and hundreds of stamped or imprinted patterns to make your concrete drive genuinely unique. Also, you can upgrade an old-fashioned and worn cement driveway by laying a brand new top layer. Concrete driveway resurfacing costs are much more affordable than replacing your drive, but you need a reasonably sound base to start with. So perhaps resurfacing your driveway is the cheapest option of all.
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Topics
How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost?*
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We’ve created the table below so you can use it as a concrete driveway cost calculator.
| Driveway Size | Pattern or Colour | Duration | Labour Cost | Material Cost | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5m2 | None | 1-2 days | £350 | £325 | £675 |
| 12.5m2 | None | 2-3 days | £675 | £750 | £1425 |
| 25m2 | None | 3-4 days | £1125 | £1400 | £2525 |
| 50m2 | None | 4-5 days | £2000 | £2500 | £4500 |
| 40m2 | Yes | 4-5 days | £2650 | £2300 | £3800 |
| 60m2 | Yes | 5-6 days | £3550 | £2500 | £5050 |
| 100m2 | Yes | 7-8 days | £3800 | £4800 | £8600 |
* All figures shown are estimates and exclude VAT. Prices will vary depending on the colouring, complexity of the pattern, and thickness of hardcore & concrete. Other factors may also affect the costs to build a concrete driveway. Therefore, use the prices and durations as a starting point for your own research.
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Concrete Driveway Price Factors
A few factors affect the cost of a new concrete driveway. Let’s look at these before you contact a driveway installer. Furthermore, remember that some of these factors require on-site assessment by a qualified installer before you receive an estimate.
Location
The price of materials remains pretty much constant across the country. The only significant difference will be the labour costs. If you live in London and southeast England, you’ll find that labour charges are in line with the cost of living and can be as much as 20% more than other parts of the country.
You’ll also find that prices vary in line with supply and demand. If there are many driveway installation companies in your area, the overall cost will be less as companies compete with each other.
Size
The driveway’s area is probably one of the most significant factors that affect the price. A typical driveway of 5.5m2, that’s large enough to hold one car, costs around £750, while a two to three-car driveway of 25m2 costs around £2500.
Current driveway condition
A substantial driveway needs good foundations if you want it to last for many years. If your existing drive’s in good condition, it probably has sound foundations. Therefore, you probably only need resurfacing your driveway.
However, if your driveway is old and worn, it’s better to remove it entirely. You should remember that until a contractor excavates the existing concrete and hardcore, he won’t know how deep to go and how much hardcore is needed to refill the excavation, so be prepared for additional costs.
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Reinforcement
Large areas of concrete need steel mesh reinforcement. Typically mesh costs from £1-£3/m2 to buy.
Excavation
Removing the ground ready for the foundation sub-base is easier with a mechanical excavator. Soil removal usually costs around £65/m3, plus the hire of a waste skip.
Waste skip hire
You might be able to reuse some of the concrete from your old driveway as hardcore in the foundation. But, if not, you need a skip to remove the waste. The skip size and number of loads depend on the existing driveway’s area and the depth to which you must excavate. Typically, the smallest size skip costs around £120 per load but check with your local supplier for a more accurate estimate.
Sub-base foundation
Concrete needs a stable base to rest on. Usually, this consists of stone, or crushed concrete compacted using a mechanical compactor. This stage costs from £150/m3.
Geotextile membrane
You need a membrane designed to prevent the hardcore from mixing with the concrete and allowing weeds to push through cracks. Geotextile membrane costs around £2-£5/m2.
Edging
Laying concrete requires an edge to contain the liquid while it cures. You do this with shuttering, usually lengths of timber, which are removed afterwards. But, for a more permanent job, use curbstones or an existing wall to make a boundary.
Time of year
Concrete contains a lot of water, which needs protection from cold weather and freezing until the mixture cures. At 4⁰C, water forms ice crystals and expands, so the mixture cracks if you make concrete below this temperature. Therefore, the best time to pour concrete in some parts of the UK is from spring to autumn. Fortunately, some regions rarely become this cold, even in winter, so take the advice of your local driveaway installer, who will know what’s expected in your area. If you live somewhere that regularly gets cold, be prepared to “fit in” between cold spells as you might find some good discounts.
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Colours
Concrete’s natural colour depends on the colour of sand and ballast used. But now, you can choose from a range of coloured dyes to liven up your concrete drive.
You can add colour to the concrete mix using various methods:
- Add to the mix.
- Dust onto the surfaced.
- Hand-apply using brushes, trowels or sprayers.
Driveway depth
A good driveway needs a stable foundation deep enough to withstand earth movement. Typically, in the UK, this will be at least 150mm of DT Type 1 (MOT) hardcore comprising sand/stone mix up to 4cm diameter, depending on the soil conditions.
Machinery access
Depending on how far the driveway is from the public road, you might have to make access for excavators, waste skip and concrete delivery. Factor this into your calculations.
Extra drainage
Concrete is a non-porous surface, so without drainage, the rainwater will discharge onto the public road or into the surface water drainage system. Both of these are not allowed under the current planning regulations unless your driveway is smaller than 5m2. Therefore, you must install drainage channels to divert the surface water to natural drainage areas such as a lawn or flower bed. Ensure you apply for planning permission if you need it, and don’t start work until the local authority approves your project. See later on in this article about Planning Permission.
Complex pattern
If you intend to have a pattern on your concrete driveway, look at those available before proceeding, as you won’t be able to choose a different design once the contractor has started. There are many to choose from, including herringbone, cobbles, and woodgrain. Simple patterns will be cheaper than complex patterns.
Vetting Driveway Specialists
The driveway installation industry has more than its fair share of rogue traders. Therefore, ensure you check the company’s history and make enquiries from its previous customers.
Although you can’t deduce what your finished driveway will look like from the company’s trade association memberships, it helps. Generally, a company that takes the time to join trade associations, pay the membership fees, and abide by the Codes Of Conduct and other rules, is worth doing business with. You’ll also find that these companies hold relevant insurance too. Therefore, check the installer’s memberships and qualifications at an early stage.
Trade Associations
Some relevant concrete driveway associations include:
- Constructionline promotes high standards among construction material suppliers. A subsidiary organisation, Acclaim Accreditation, deals with the health and safety accreditation of more than 3000 organisations.
- BALI (The British Association of Landscape Industries) is the leading association for contractors and specialists dealing with landscaping.
- BAA (the British Aggregates Association) is the UK trade association for independent quarry owners and associated suppliers, contractors and consultants.
Quality of work
Reputable contractors usually keep photographic evidence of their previous work and pass on happy customers’ contact details. Ensure you contact these people and find out the standard of work.
Don’t use companies that cold call by phone or tout for business on your doorstep. If you use them, expect a shoddy job and no after-sales service. Instead, use local companies that have been trading for many years or national companies with household names.
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Guarantees
Reputable installers offer guarantees to their customers. These reassure the customer and help if there are problems due to:
- Extreme weather damage.
- Work quality.
- Subsidence.
- Colour change.
- Surface cracks and degradation.
Quotes
Always get at least three quotes for the project. Nationally, the industry publishes guidelines to help customers with prices. Typically, an average price of £50-£80/m2 is acceptable. If the quote is too far out of this range, ask questions. However, your ground might take more work to stabilise, so don’t automatically dismiss a higher quote.
Concrete Driveway Advantages
Concrete has many advantages when compared to other driveway materials. Let’s look at a few here.
Price
Concrete is among the cheapest driveway surfaces you can choose. Other surfaces include cobbles, block paving, Tarmac and resin.
Skills
Pouring concrete takes skill for a quality surface. It’s easier than installing other types of driveway surfaces. And, the skills aren’t out of the reach of a good DIYer. So, if you have the skills, by all means, do it yourself.
Patterns and colours
You can buy a variety of different concrete dyes and pattern stamps from builder’s merchants, DIY stores and online. If you choose wisely, you’ll have a unique driveway that’s the envy of your neighbours.
Maintenance
If the driveway contractor builds yours according to the national guidelines, it needs very little maintenance. If you like tinkering with your car and expect some oil spills, you can prevent the liquids from soaking in and staining the surface by applying sealants. Sealing a concrete driveway is relatively easy, and you can use a coloured sealer if you want variety.
Finally, what about cracks? Concrete, like most materials, expands and contracts with temperature changes. But if you have a well-built driveway with expansion joints, cracks won’t happen, and they won’t need repair.
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Imprinted & Stamped Styles
Stamped concrete is often called imprinted or textured concrete. It’s a system of patterning to replicate the images of stones, cobbles, wood, brick, tile and many more textures.
Common Concrete Patterns
Popular concrete imprints include:
- Slate – Looks like large slates with a hand-cut edge.
- Cobblestones – Follows the traditional cobble image with a light texture.
- Woodgrain – Looks like 150mm wide open grain planks.
- Herringbone – Provides a smooth surface with sharp corners and edges. If the contractor is skilled, you can often not distinguish between this and real block paving.
- Random stone – Pleasingly random, it looks like a heavily textured stone.
Border & Edging
Many bordered and edging blocks are available with imprinted finishes, which you can buy from building merchants. Here are a few of the most popular:
- Old Town Limestone – Has a single-sided weathered limestone effect.
- Old Granite Paving – Looks like natural granite and has a rope profile running along the top edge.
- Victorian Edging – Is grey with a single-sided, scalloped leading edge.
- Old Town – Looks like traditional weathered slate paving.
Colour Options
Here are a few popular concrete dye and stain types:
- Acid Stain – Provides earth and soft blue-green tones.
- Concrete Dye – An almost limitless variety of colours mixed undiluted or diluted with liquid concrete.
- Water-Based Stain – Has a nearly unlimited palette. Plus, combine different stains to produce other hues.
- Integral Colours – Provide earth tones and pastel shades.
- Dry Shake Colour Hardener – Has more colours than Integral Colours and has tones more muted than Water-Based Stain and Concrete Dyes.
Timelines & Step by Step Guide
Pouring a concrete slab is straightforward if you have DIY skills, but it’s easy to go wrong and end up with a driveway that doesn’t last. However, the following gives the essential steps involved when pouring concrete.
Set out the perimeter
Drive wooden stakes into the ground to mark the driveway perimeter. Ensure you have them at corners and equally spaced along the sides.
Fix shuttering
When first poured, concrete is runny and will escape from the area unless fully enclosed. So, fix substantial lengths of timber to the stakes to completely enclose the area. Ensure they are level and follow the contours of the ground.
Excavate
Excavate the enclosed area until you reach the subsoil, which is much firmer than topsoil and is often a different colour. Remember, you need concrete at least 100mm thick, with at least 150mm of hardcore. So you must dig at least 250mm. Add the hardcore and compact it firm and level.
The planning regulations state that areas larger than 5m2 need drainage to soakaway areas. Therefore, now is the time to install drainage channels to divert the rainwater to soft ground.
Reinforcement
Cover the hardcore with a geotextile membrane to stop weeds from pushing through the concrete and preventing the concrete from mixing with the hardcore.
Lay steel reinforcing mesh onto the membrane, supporting it with 50mm spacers to allow the liquid concrete free access above and below the mesh. Use expanded polystyrene blocks for this. Tie the mesh together with galvanised wire to prevent movement. The reinforcing mesh spreads the load and prevents cracks from forming.
Pouring concrete
Ready-mixed concrete is probably the easiest way to ensure the correct consistency of mix. Explain to the supplier what the concrete is for, and they’ll supply the right proportions for the job. Pour the concrete slurry over the steel mesh, ensuring it fills all cavities. If necessary, use a pneumatic concrete vibrator to allow better slurry flow. Fill the enclosure to slightly above the shuttering.
Levelling off
You will need another person here. Take a straight length of 50mm by 100mm timber, long enough to reach across the width of the driveway. Place the wood across the concrete and move it along the shuttering with a sawing motion, levelling the surface as it goes. The excess concrete will move to the sides and fill all the cavities.
After reaching the driveway’s end, remove the timber and use a trowel to smooth the surface. If you intend to create a pattern, now is the time to do this.
Cut expansion grooves
Before the concrete has fully cured, cut expansion joints across the driveway width, 1m apart and about 25mm deep. Maken the grooves parallel and evenly spaced except when turning a corner or on a bend. With the grooves cleaned out, fill them with silicone sealant.
Curing
Allow the concrete to cure for one to two weeks before you drive a vehicle onto the surface. During this time, be aware of the weather. If the weather is hot and sunny, sprinkle water onto the surface to prevent it from drying too quickly and cracking. You can use wet blankets or a sheet of polythene for this. If you expect a frost, cover the surface with sacks or blankets to prevent the water from expanding and breaking the concrete.
Concrete sets by chemical reaction rather than by drying. So, allow curing to happen in its own time rather than by removing the moisture.
Remove the shuttering
When the concrete has cured, remove the temporary shuttering. Be careful as it’s easy to damage the edges. Take your time and be careful.
When can I use the driveway?
You can safely walk on the surface after two days. However, don’t drive onto it for up to two weeks. Finally, don’t park a vehicle for at least a month. This gives the slab a chance to reach its full curing strength.
Finishing Touches
Hide the rough edges by backfilling soil into the trench or cementing curbstones into place.
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Planning Permission & Building Regulations UK
To prevent floods in urban areas, you must comply with the SuDS regulations. The local authorities insist you apply for planning permission when building hard surfaces of greater than 5m2. Additionally, you must provide suitable surface water drainage into soft ground or a purpose-built soakaway. Therefore, your new driveway must comply with the following:
- Comply with the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Regulations. These help to prevent floods and pollution from surface water. You must incorporate the plans for suitable rainwater diversion when you submit the planning application.
- Usually, you don’t need Planning Permission for porous driveway surfaces and any surface of less than 5m2.
- You must ask permission from the council to install dropped curbstones if you cross the pavement to the road. Furthermore, the pavement will require reinforcing to protect buried services. The council, or their approved contractor, will do this work, and you will pay the invoice.
You should also check whether your project needs to comply with Building Regulations. It won’t usually need an inspection unless the new driveway makes entry into the property more difficult than it originally was, such as adding steps and changing levels. If it does, there are ways to make a property disabled access friendly. Consult an architect for advice on this.
Concrete Drive Q&A
Is it cheaper to pave or concrete a driveway?
It’s more expensive to pave a driveway than concrete unless you intend to add patterns to the concrete surface. In this case, the pattern price will vary depending on its complexity.
A typical block paving surface costs £45-£70 per square metre. In contrast, the cost of a concrete driveway per square metre is £35-£50 for plain concrete and £35 to £130 for imprinted.
Imprinted concrete and block paving are both more labour intensive than plain concrete. However, block paving usually lasts longer than concrete.
How long does a concrete driveway last?
A simple concrete driveway lasts about 30 years or more, with very little maintenance. It’s also easier to replace and maintain than other forms of driveway surface such as Tarmac and resin. However, imprinted concrete starts to look tatty and in need of replacement after ten years or so.
How thick should a concrete driveway be?
For a typical domestic driveway, the concrete slab should be about 100mm thick. But, if you intend to use heavy commercial vehicles, it’s better to increase the thickness accordingly. By increasing the thickness to 225mm, you increase its load capacity by 50%.
How long should you leave the driveway to set before driving on it?
The surface dries quickly so a person can walk on it after a day or so. However, don’t drive on it for up to two weeks. But, the surface is still not safe enough to park a heavy vehicle until a month has elapsed.
Next Steps
Choosing a good looking concrete driveway can be challenging for the ordinary person. They need advice on which colours and imprints are available and finally need someone to build it. We can help with this.
Complete the form on this page, and we’ll ensure you receive up to four concrete driveway quotes. You can then compare and contrast them and choose the best for your circumstances.
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