FAQs
Driveway, Patio & Garden FAQs
Straight answers on surfaces, surveys, quotes and the work itself, gathered from every service page.
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FAQs
General Questions
Which Areas Do You Cover?
Herts Paving & Landscaping is based near Stevenage and works across Hertfordshire, including Hitchin, Letchworth, St Albans, Hertford, Ware and Welwyn Garden City, and further out into Bedfordshire, Essex and north London, with Luton and Bedford among them. Call 01438 487210 to check a village nearby.
Is the Site Survey Free?
Yes. Every driveway, patio and landscaping job starts with a free visit to measure up and look at levels, drainage and access, and the quote that follows carries no obligation.
What Is the Difference Between Resin Bound & Block Paving?
Resin bound is natural aggregate mixed with clear resin and trowelled into one smooth, porous surface with no loose stones. Block paving is individual concrete or clay blocks laid on a sand bed in a chosen pattern, and a single block can be lifted and relaid if a repair is ever needed. Both suit most homes; the survey is the place to compare them for your drive.
Do I Need Planning Permission for a New Driveway?
In England, paving more than five square metres of a front garden needs planning permission only if the surface is impermeable and the water runs off onto the road. A permeable surface such as resin bound, permeable block paving or gravel, or a drive that drains onto a lawn or border, normally does not. A new or widened dropped kerb always needs the council’s approval.
Can You Help Me Design My Garden Before Any Work Starts?
Yes. Design ideas are free, so you can compare layouts, paving, lawn and planting areas, and materials for your house before deciding what to build.
Do You Clean Existing Driveways & Patios?
Yes. Driveway cleaning and patio cleaning lift moss, algae, weeds and grime from block paving, slabs and the joints between them, and are a good first step if the surface itself is still sound.
How Do I Get a Quote?
Ring 01438 487210, send photos on WhatsApp to 07828 555139, or email info@hertspavingandlandscaping.co.uk with your postcode and a short description of the job. A free site survey is then arranged before any price is set.
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Driveways
Driveways Questions
Driveways
Which Driveway Surface Is Best for My Home?
It depends on how you use the drive, the style of the house and what you want to spend. Block paving offers patterns and easy spot repairs, resin bound gives a smooth porous finish, tarmac suits larger areas, and gravel tends to cost least. Seeing the site helps narrow the choice.
Do I Need Planning Permission for a Driveway?
In England, a new front driveway larger than five square metres generally needs planning permission unless it uses a permeable surface or rainwater is directed to a soakaway or another permeable area on your property. Your local council can confirm the rules for your address, and the survey will flag which options are likely to comply.
Do I Need a Dropped Kerb for My Driveway?
If cars cross the pavement to reach your drive, the council normally requires a dropped kerb, also called a vehicle crossover. In Stevenage and the rest of the county you apply to Hertfordshire County Council as the highways authority. Check this before committing to the work, as parking without a legal crossing can cause problems.
New Driveways
What Affects the Cost of a New Driveway?
The main factors are the size of the area, the material you choose, how much digging and base work the ground needs, access for machinery and waste removal, and extras such as edging details or a soakaway. Measuring all of this on site means the quote reflects your drive rather than a rough guess.
How Deep Does a Driveway Sub-Base Need to Be?
It depends on the ground and the surface. For cars, a compacted crushed-stone base of around 150 millimetres or more is common, and the softer clay soils found in parts of Hertfordshire can need extra depth. The right figure for your drive is set once the ground has been looked at.
Can My Driveway Be Made Wider?
Usually, yes. Widening a drive means moving the edging and extending the sub-base so the new section matches the original in strength and level. If the change affects where cars cross the pavement, the dropped kerb may need extending too, which is arranged through the council.
Block Paving
What Is Permeable Block Paving?
Permeable blocks are laid with wider joints filled with fine grit instead of sand, over an open-graded stone base. Rain passes through the joints into the base and soaks away, which cuts surface run-off and can help a front driveway meet planning rules without a separate drain.
Why Do Weeds Grow Between Block Paving?
Seeds land in the joints and take root in the sand, especially where the sand has washed out or the drive stays damp. Keeping joints topped up with kiln-dried sand and sweeping regularly reduces the problem, and a sealant can harden the joints further.
Which Laying Pattern Is Strongest for a Driveway?
Herringbone, laid at 45 or 90 degrees, is widely regarded as the best pattern for drives because the blocks interlock in both directions and resist the twisting forces of turning tyres. Other patterns can still work well on a sound base, especially where cars mostly drive straight in.
Resin Bound Driveways
What Is the Difference Between Resin Bound & Resin Bonded?
Resin bound mixes the stones into the resin before laying, giving a smooth, porous surface with no loose gravel. Resin bonded spreads resin on the base first and scatters stones over it, leaving a rougher texture that is not porous and can shed loose stones as it ages.
Can Resin Bound Go Over My Existing Tarmac?
Often, yes, if the tarmac is sound, reasonably level and free of deep cracks or soft spots. Cracks in the old layer can show through the resin later, so a failing surface is better replaced with a new base. Looking at the drive in person shows which applies to yours.
How Long Before I Can Park on a New Resin Drive?
Resin needs time to cure before it can take the weight of a car, and the wait depends mainly on temperature, as the mix sets faster in warm weather and slower in cool conditions. You will be told when the surface is ready for foot traffic and when it is safe to drive on.
Tarmac Driveways
What Is the Difference Between Tarmac & Asphalt?
The terms are often used interchangeably. Traditional tarmac bound stone with tar, while modern driveway surfacing uses bitumen, which is technically asphalt. In everyday use in the UK, both names describe the same black, hard-wearing surface found on most drives and roads today.
Can Tarmac Be Laid Over My Old Driveway?
If the existing surface is stable, with no deep cracks, sinking or soft areas, a new tarmac layer can sometimes be laid over it once the edges and levels are checked. Where the old drive has failed, or an overlay would bring the level too close to the damp-proof course, digging out is the better choice.
Is Coloured Tarmac Available?
Yes. Red and green tarmac are the most common alternatives to black, and they can be used for the whole drive or to mark out a parking bay or border. Coloured mixes usually cost more and can show tyre marks, so black remains the practical choice for most homes.
Gravel Driveways
What Size Gravel Is Best for a Driveway?
Angular stone of roughly 14 to 20 millimetres is a common choice for drives. It locks together better than rounded pebbles, resists being pushed around by tyres and is less likely to get caught in shoe treads. Smaller pea shingle tends to move about more under cars.
Do Gravel Grids Stop Stones Moving?
Stabilising grids are honeycomb panels laid under the gravel. They hold the stones in cells, which reduces rutting, keeps the depth even and makes the surface easier for wheelchairs, buggies and narrow tyres. They are especially useful on slopes and where cars turn.
Will Gravel Get Carried Into My House?
A few stones can travel on shoes or tyres, mostly where gravel meets a doorstep or the road. Choosing angular stone, keeping the layer shallow and even, and adding a firm strip of blocks or setts at the entrance all help keep stones on the drive.
Driveway Cleaning
Will Pressure Washing Damage My Block Paving?
It can if the pressure is too high or the lance is held too close, as this strips sand from the joints and can scar the face of the blocks. Using a rotary surface cleaner at a suitable pressure, then re-sanding the joints, keeps the risk low.
Do I Need My Driveway Sealed After Cleaning?
Sealing is optional. On block paving it helps bind the new jointing sand, making it harder for weeds to take hold and for oil to soak in. A sealer will not stop every weed, but it makes later cleaning easier and helps the colour stay even.
Can Oil Stains Be Removed Completely?
Fresh oil stains usually lift well with a degreaser and hot or pressure washing. Old stains that have soaked deep into concrete or porous blocks may fade rather than vanish entirely. The result depends on the surface and how long the oil has been there.
Driveway Repairs
Why Has My Block Paving Sunk?
Sinking usually comes from a sub-base that was too thin, poorly compacted or laid on soft ground, or from a trench for pipes or cables that has settled. Heavy vehicles parking in one spot make it worse. Lifting the blocks shows the cause, which can then be corrected before relaying.
Can Cracks in Tarmac Be Repaired?
Fine surface cracks can often be sealed, and broken areas can be cut out squarely and patched with new tarmac. Where cracking runs across much of the drive, the base may be failing, and an overlay or full replacement could be the better long-term option.
Will a Repair Match the Rest of My Driveway?
On block paving, reusing the original blocks gives the closest match. With tarmac and resin, a patch is often visible at first because the existing surface has weathered, though the difference usually softens with use. Cleaning the whole drive afterwards can help everything look more even.
Patio Paving
Patio Paving Questions
Patio Paving
Do I Need Planning Permission for a Patio?
Most ground-level patios in a back garden fall under permitted development, so no application is needed. Raised platforms, listed homes and properties in a conservation area can be different, and paving a front garden has its own rules about where rainwater goes. If in doubt, check with your local council's planning team before work starts.
Which Patio Service Do I Need?
If the stone is sound but dirty or green, cleaning is usually enough. If slabs rock, sink or crack across a large area, relaying or a new patio makes more sense. A steep garden may need a retaining wall first, and changes in level often call for steps. The survey will point you to the right option.
Can a Patio, Path & Retaining Wall Be Done Together?
Yes. Planning them as one job means the levels all agree, so the patio meets the path, the steps land where they should and any wall holding back soil sits at the right height. It also avoids lifting finished work later to fit something new in alongside it.
New Patios
Porcelain or Sandstone, Which Is Better for a Patio?
Porcelain is dense and absorbs very little water, so it resists stains and green growth and keeps an even colour. It needs careful cutting and a bonding primer when laid. Sandstone is natural, with a textured face and colour that varies slab to slab, but it is more porous and benefits from occasional cleaning or sealing.
How Deep Should a Patio Base Be?
A typical garden patio sits on around 100 mm of compacted sub-base with a mortar bed of 30 to 50 mm on top, plus the slab itself. Soft or clay ground, or a patio that will carry heavy planters or a garden room, may need a deeper build-up. The survey confirms the right depth for your soil.
How Far Below the Damp-Proof Course Should a Patio Sit?
The usual guidance is that the finished patio should be at least 150 mm below the damp-proof course of the house. That gap stops rain splashing up above the barrier and soaking into the wall. Where a patio meets a door threshold, the levels need careful planning so you still get a comfortable step.
Patio Cleaning
Will Pressure Washing Damage My Patio?
It can if the pressure is too high for the stone. Softer sandstone and limestone can be etched, and weak pointing can be blasted out of the joints. That is why the setting, the nozzle and the distance are adjusted for each surface, and why a cleaning solution is used on stone that cannot take a hard wash.
How Often Should a Patio Be Cleaned?
There is no fixed rule. A shady patio under trees greens up faster than an open, sunny one, and porous sandstone holds more moisture than porcelain. Many homeowners find a brush and rinse each spring keeps things under control, with a deeper clean only when growth or staining comes back.
Can Black Spots Be Removed From Sandstone?
Black spots on sandstone are usually lichen rooted into the surface of the stone, so pressure washing alone tends to leave them behind. A dedicated treatment is applied and left to work, and the marks fade gradually. Very old or deep spots may lighten a great deal without disappearing completely.
Paths & Steps
What Is a Comfortable Height for Garden Steps?
Outdoor steps feel easiest with a lower rise and a deeper tread than indoor stairs. Many garden steps use risers of around 150 mm and treads of 300 mm or more. The most important point is that every step in a flight is the same height, because an odd one out is what catches people.
How Wide Should a Garden Path Be?
A path used mainly by one person at a time works at around 900 mm wide. If you want two people side by side, or room to wheel bins and a barrow comfortably, 1.2 metres or more is better. Width also depends on the space the path runs through and how it sits in the garden.
Can Steps Be Built Into a Steep Bank?
Yes. Steps cut into a bank need solid foundations and side support so the soil does not spill across the treads. On steeper ground the flight may be split with a landing, or combined with a low retaining wall on each side. The levels are measured first so every step works out the same height.
Retaining Walls
Do I Need Permission to Build a Retaining Wall?
Many garden retaining walls need no planning application, but height limits apply, particularly beside a road or footpath, and listed homes or conservation areas have extra rules. A wall close to a neighbour's land or holding up ground near a building may raise further questions. Checking with your local council before work begins is always worth doing.
Why Do Retaining Walls Lean or Crack?
Most failures come from water. When soil behind a wall gets saturated it becomes much heavier and pushes harder, and with no backfill or weep holes to let it out, the pressure builds until the wall bows, leans or cracks. An undersized footing or a wall too thin for its height makes the problem worse.
Which Retaining Wall Material Should I Choose?
Natural walling stone suits older homes and cottage gardens, while concrete block with a stone or rendered face gives a cleaner, modern line. Timber sleepers are quick to work with and soft in appearance for lower walls. Gabion baskets filled with stone handle large slopes well and let water pass straight through them.
Landscaping
Landscaping Questions
Landscaping
Can Landscaping Be Done in Stages?
Yes. Many homeowners split a garden into phases, perhaps the boundaries and drainage first, then decking or a new lawn later. Planning the whole layout at the start means each stage fits the next, and groundwork done early does not need disturbing when later features go in.
What Time of Year Is Best for Landscaping?
Most hard landscaping can go ahead in any season, though very wet or frozen ground can hold up digging and laying. Spring and summer are popular, so planning over the winter is a sensible way to have ideas, prices and choices settled before the garden is in heavy use.
How Do I Prepare My Garden Before Work Starts?
Clearing pots, furniture and anything personal from the work area helps, along with keeping pets and children away from open ground. Access matters too, so it is useful to know whether materials can come through a side gate or need carrying through the house. These details are covered at the survey.
Fencing
How High Can a Garden Fence Be?
In England, a garden fence can usually be up to two metres high without planning permission, or one metre where it sits next to a road. Different rules can apply to listed buildings and to some estates with covenants in the deeds, so check before choosing a taller design.
What Is the Difference Between Closeboard & Panel Fencing?
Closeboard fencing is built in place from overlapping vertical boards fixed to horizontal rails, which makes it strong and easy to fit to uneven ground. Panel fencing uses ready-made sections slotted between posts. Panels are simpler to replace one at a time, while closeboard suits longer or sloping runs.
Who Is Responsible for a Shared Boundary Fence?
Responsibility depends on your property deeds rather than which side the posts face, although a common convention places the smooth face towards the neighbour. Checking your title plan with HM Land Registry and agreeing the line with your neighbour before work begins helps avoid disputes later.
Groundworks & Drainage
What Are the Signs of Poor Garden Drainage?
Puddles that linger long after rain, a lawn that squelches underfoot, moss spreading across hard surfaces and damp patches on walls near ground level are the usual signs. Water standing against the house is the one to act on soonest, since it can lead to damp inside.
What Is a Soakaway & Do I Need One?
A soakaway is a pit filled with rubble or plastic crates that collects surface water and lets it soak slowly into the surrounding ground. It suits gardens where rainwater from roofs or hard surfaces has nowhere else to go. It works best in free-draining soil, so the ground is checked first.
What Is a French Drain?
A French drain is a gravel-filled trench, usually with a perforated pipe in the base, that gathers water from soggy ground and carries it away to a soakaway or other outlet. It is a common answer for a lawn or border that stays wet long after the rest of the garden has dried.
Swimming Pools
Does a Garden Pool Need Planning Permission?
Many private outdoor pools fall under permitted development, so they often do not need planning permission. Listed buildings, conservation areas and other designated land are exceptions, and rules can differ between councils, so check with your local planning department before committing to a design.
Where Is the Best Place for an Outdoor Pool?
Usually the sunniest part of the garden that is sheltered from wind and not overhung by trees, since falling leaves and shade both add work and cool the water. A spot visible from the house is useful for keeping an eye on swimmers, and level ground keeps preparation simpler.
Can an Above-Ground Pool Look Built In?
It can. Setting an above-ground pool partly into a slope, or surrounding it with decking or a raised surround at rim height, makes it read as part of the garden rather than a freestanding tank. It is often a good fit where a full in-ground pool is impractical.
Wooden Decking
Hardwood or Softwood Decking: Which Is Better?
Neither is better for every garden. Softwood is the more affordable choice and is usually pressure treated against rot, so it suits most family decks. Hardwood is denser, heavier and naturally more durable, with a richer grain, but costs more. The right pick depends on budget, look and upkeep.
How Is Composite Decking Different From Timber?
Composite boards combine wood fibre with plastic, often recycled, so they do not rot, splinter or need staining. They cost more to buy than softwood and can feel warmer underfoot in strong sun, but they suit anyone who wants a deck that only needs an occasional wash.
Does Decking Need Planning Permission?
Most garden decks are permitted development as long as the platform is no more than 30 centimetres above the ground and, together with other extensions and outbuildings, covers no more than half the garden. Higher decks, balconies and homes in conservation areas or listed buildings need checking with the council.
Artificial Grass
Is Artificial Grass Good for Dogs?
It can be a practical choice for dog owners, since there are no muddy paws or worn patches. Solid waste is picked up as normal, and urine drains through the backing, though rinsing the area with water now and then keeps smells down. A free-draining base matters most here.
Does Artificial Grass Get Hot in Summer?
Synthetic fibres can feel noticeably warmer than real grass in strong, direct sun, particularly on south-facing lawns. A quick spray of water cools the surface, and lighter-coloured or heat-reducing products are available. Shade from trees or a pergola also helps on the hottest afternoons.
Can Artificial Grass Go Over Concrete?
Yes, provided the concrete is sound and water can drain off it. A foam underlay is laid first to soften the feel underfoot and hide minor joins or cracks in the slab. Drainage holes may be needed where water would otherwise pool on a flat surface.
Landscape Design
Is a Design Worth It for a Small Garden?
Often more so than for a large one. In a small space every metre counts, and a plan helps fit seating, planting, storage and a lawn without the garden feeling crowded. Design ideas also show where a change of level or a raised bed could make the space feel bigger.
What Is the Difference Between Hard & Soft Landscaping?
Hard landscaping covers the built elements of a garden, such as walls, fences, decking and drainage. Soft landscaping covers the living parts, including lawns, planting and trees. A good design balances the two so the garden has structure without feeling bare or overgrown.
Can You Design Around Trees I Want to Keep?
Yes. Mature trees give a garden height, shade and privacy that new planting takes years to match. The layout keeps digging and heavy loads away from their roots, and features such as decking can sit lightly over root areas where solid foundations would cause harm.
Brickwork
Is Permission Needed for a Front Garden Wall?
A wall up to one metre high next to a road, or two metres elsewhere, is usually permitted development in England. Taller walls, those on listed properties and walls in conservation areas may need consent. A front wall can also affect visibility for drivers, so sight lines are worth considering.
What Is a Brick Bond?
A bond is the pattern in which bricks are laid so that the joints overlap and spread the load. Stretcher bond, with each brick offset by half, is the most common in gardens. English and Flemish bonds mix long and short faces and suit thicker walls and period homes.
How High Should a Raised Bed Be?
For most planting a raised bed of around 45 to 60 centimetres works well, deep enough for roots and low enough to reach across comfortably. Taller beds, up to waist height, save bending for anyone with back or knee trouble. Width matters too: you should reach the centre from one side.