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A Tired Driveway Does Not Have to Stay That Way
Cracked concrete, sunken slabs, weeds pushing up through every joint and a puddle that never quite drains. Most driveways in Basingstoke do not fail because of what is on top, they fail because of what is underneath. If yours has reached that stage, resin driveways in Basingstoke are one of the most practical ways to fix it properly, because you get a smooth, seamless, permeable surface laid over ground that has been prepared to take it.
We are Landscaping Basingstoke, a local team who spend most of the year digging out, rebuilding and resurfacing driveways across the town and the surrounding villages. Resin is one part of our wider hard landscaping work, so we will tell you honestly whether resin is the right answer for your drive or whether something else suits it better.
The rest of this page explains exactly what a resin driveway is, how we build one, where planning permission and drainage come into it, how resin compares with block paving, tarmac and gravel, and what actually drives the price up or down.
What Is a Resin Driveway?
A resin driveway is a decorative aggregate surface held together with a clear resin binder. There are two types and they are not the same thing, which is where a lot of confusion and a lot of disappointing driveways come from.
Resin bound is the proper method and the one we install. Washed, dried, graded stone is mixed with the resin in a forced action mixer on site so every single piece of stone is fully coated. That mix is then poured out and trowelled flat to an even depth, usually around 15 to 18mm. Because the stone is coated rather than glued to a surface, there are tiny voids between the pieces, so water drains straight through. The finish is smooth, seamless, joint free and comfortable to walk, push a pram or wheel a bin across.
Resin bonded is different. Resin is spread onto the base and loose stone is scattered over the top, so only the bottom of each stone is stuck down. It looks like gravel, it feels rough underfoot, it is not permeable, and it sheds loose stone onto your path and lawn over time. It is cheaper, and cheap quotes are sometimes quietly for bonded when the homeowner thinks they are getting bound. Always ask which one you are being priced for.
Resin bound also comes in a wide range of stone blends, from pale golds and buffs to greys and near blacks, so you can match brickwork, kerbs or a nearby patio without the surface looking like an afterthought.
Not sure whether resin bound is right for your drive? We will come and take a look, free.
Our Resin Driveway Installation Process, Step by Step
Almost every resin driveway failure we get called out to look at is a groundwork failure, not a resin failure. So this is how we build them.
Site assessment
We come out, look at what is there and dig a small inspection hole where we need to. We are checking the depth and condition of any existing base, how the ground drains, where the water currently goes, the finished levels against your door thresholds, air bricks and manholes, and how we get a machine and a grab lorry in. If your existing concrete or tarmac is sound, level and well drained, we can often lay straight over it, which saves a lot of digging and a lot of money. If it is cracked, sinking or sitting on soft ground, resin will simply follow those faults, so we say so up front.
Excavation and dig out
Where a new base is needed, we excavate down to a firm formation. For a domestic driveway carrying cars that normally means a dig of around 150 to 200mm below finished level for the sub-base and surfacing, and deeper where the ground is soft clay or there is old made ground or tree roots to get past. Everything comes out, including old slabs, broken concrete, topsoil and any soft spots. The formation is then checked and proof rolled so any weak areas show themselves now rather than under your car in two years.
Sub-base preparation
This is the part that decides whether a driveway lasts. A geotextile membrane goes down over the formation first, which stops the sub-base stone punching down into the soft ground beneath and stops fine material pumping up into the stone. On top of that we lay MOT Type 1 crushed hardcore, typically 100 to 150mm consolidated for a domestic drive, put down in layers rather than all at once and compacted with a vibrating plate or a roller. Compacting in layers matters, because a thick loose layer will never consolidate properly all the way through. We work the levels and falls in at this stage, so water is already being sent away from the house before any surfacing goes near it.
The base layer
Resin bound is a surface course, not a structural layer, so it needs something solid and stable directly underneath. For a new build up that is normally an open textured permeable macadam base laid over the compacted Type 1, which keeps the whole construction free draining from top to bottom. Where we are overlaying sound existing tarmac or concrete, we clean it back, treat any small cracks and joints, cut in and set the edge detail, and make sure there is somewhere for water to go. Edges are formed with a solid restraint, either a haunched kerb, an aluminium edging or an existing sound kerb line, because resin needs an edge to be trowelled up against.
Laying the resin
On the day, the stone and resin are batched by weight and mixed on site in a forced action mixer, a batch at a time, so nothing sits and starts to go off. The mix is barrowed out and trowelled to an even depth in a continuous pour so there are no cold joints across the middle of your drive. We work to the weather. Resin does not like rain landing on it or being laid on a damp base, and very cold days slow the cure right down, so occasionally we will move a day rather than lay it badly. Once trowelled, it is left to cure, then edges and thresholds are tidied and the site is swept and cleared.
Planning Permission and Drainage
This is the bit most homeowners are not told about until it is too late. Since 2008, laying a new driveway of more than five square metres in your front garden using an impermeable material, so traditional concrete, standard tarmac or block paving laid on impermeable bedding, has needed planning permission unless the surface water is dealt with on your own property. That means either draining it to a border, a soakaway or a permeable area rather than letting it run out onto the pavement and into the road.
The reason is flooding. All those front gardens turned into hard, sealed surfaces send rainwater straight into the drainage network instead of into the ground, and the network cannot cope with it.
Resin bound is permeable. Water passes through the surface, through the permeable base beneath it and into the ground, so a properly built resin bound driveway normally sits inside permitted development and avoids the planning issue altogether. Two caveats worth knowing. The whole build up has to be permeable, not just the top 18mm, which is exactly why we use an open textured base over compacted stone rather than sealing everything with concrete. And if your property is a listed building, in a conservation area, or has planning conditions attached from a new build development, the rules can be different, so it is always worth a quick check with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. We flag anything that looks like it needs checking when we quote.
Drainage also matters for your house, not just the paperwork. Levels are set so water runs away from the property, thresholds and air bricks are kept clear, and where a drive slopes towards a garage or a front door we will normally recommend a channel drain across the low point as well.
How Much Does a Resin Driveway Cost?
We will not put a headline figure on this page, because a number without a site visit behind it is a guess, and guesses turn into arguments later. What we can do is be straight about what moves the price.
Size and shape. Cost is largely per square metre, so area is the starting point. Awkward shapes, curves, tree pits and lots of cutting in around manholes or steps add labour.
Groundwork. This is the biggest single variable by a long way. Overlaying a sound existing base is a fraction of the work of excavating, carting away spoil and building a new sub-base and permeable base from scratch. Soft clay, old made ground, roots or a drive that has to be dug deeper all push it up.
Access. Whether we can get a machine and a lorry close to the work, or whether everything has to be barrowed through a side gate, changes the labour significantly.
Extras. Edgings and kerbs, channel or linear drainage, a new threshold, steps, lighting ducts, and the stone blend you choose all sit on top of the base cost.
The honest answer is that we come out, measure up, dig an inspection hole if we need to, and give you a clear written quote broken down so you can see what you are paying for. If you want a general sense of pricing across all our work first, our Basingstoke price guide and the garden cost calculator are a reasonable starting point. For the other surfaces, see our driveways and block paving pages.
Resin vs Block Paving, Tarmac and Gravel
There is no single best driveway surface, only the one that suits your house, your budget and how much upkeep you are willing to do. Here is the honest comparison.
| Surface | Cost | Durability | Maintenance | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resin bound | Mid to upper range | Very good on a properly built base, poor on a bad one | Low. Sweep it, occasional gentle wash | Smooth, seamless, modern, wide choice of stone colours |
| Block paving | Mid range, rises with pattern and cutting | Very good, and single blocks can be lifted and relaid | Higher. Weeds and moss in the joints, sand tops up, occasional wash | Traditional kerb appeal, borders and patterns |
| Tarmac | Usually the cheapest per square metre for a large area | Good, but softens in heat and can scuff under turning wheels | Low, though it fades and edges can crumble in time | Plain black, functional rather than decorative |
| Gravel | Cheapest to install | Depends entirely on edging and the base beneath | Highest. Raking, topping up, migration, weeds | Rural and informal, noisy underfoot, hard work with prams and bikes |
In short, resin suits you if you want a clean modern surface, easy access for prams, bikes and wheelchairs, very little upkeep and permeable drainage. Block paving suits you if you want traditional looks or the ability to lift sections later. Tarmac suits a long or awkward drive on a tight budget. Gravel suits a rural setting where a bit of raking does not bother you.
Still weighing up resin against block paving? Get a price for both and compare properly.
Why Choose Us for Resin Driveways in Basingstoke?
The base decides everything
Resin is only as good as what it sits on. We will tell you honestly if yours needs replacing first.
Permeable by design
Water drains through the surface and the base beneath, so it stays off your path and away from the house.
UV-stable resin
Quality UV-stable resin so the surface does not yellow after a couple of Hampshire summers.
Weed and puddle resistant
No joints and no bedding sand means nothing for weeds to root into and nowhere for puddles to sit.
Clear written quotes
Base preparation, materials, labour and waste removal all set out before we start.
Want to see what your own drive could look like? Book a free, no-obligation site visit.
Resin Driveways in Basingstoke - FAQs
Question not answered above? Give us a call and we will talk it through, no pressure.
Trusted by Basingstoke Homeowners
Adrian Smith
"Really helpful and attentive to detail work. Always kept me up to date on the work sending photos and messaging before he turned up each day. Will definitely be using this company in the future for further works."
Sue Jordan
"The two lads arrived promptly and cleared my front garden. They were good workers and I'm pleased with the result. They will be back to work on my back garden."
Amy Choules
"Landscaping Basingstoke came to the rescue with my jungle of a garden! I'd let winter get the best of the poor garden but now it's a fantastic space to spend the evening. Great advice on plants and flowers to suit a lazy gardener like me! Will definitely be using you guys again."
Leo Spallone
"Fantastic service in Basingstoke from start to finish! The team was professional, friendly, and transformed my garden beautifully. They listened to exactly what I wanted and delivered even better than I imagined. Highly recommend them for any landscaping work!"
Louise E
"They have transformed my out of control garden! Always arrive on time and are friendly and polite. Leave everything tidy and work really hard. I highly recommend their services."
Nori Abd
"The boys did an amazing job on my garden and the fence looks great. Fast, beautiful and really professional work. Highly recommend!"
Get a Free, No-Obligation Quote
If your driveway has had its day, the easiest next step is a chat and a look. We will come out, measure up, check what is under the surface and talk you through whether resin is genuinely the right call for your house, or whether block paving or something else would serve you better. No pressure, no hard sell, and no charge for the visit.
All the waste from your old driveway is taken away and disposed of properly as a licensed waste carrier, so you are not left with a pile of broken concrete on the front lawn waiting for a skip.
Give us a call on 01256 960457 or request a quote and we will get a time booked in that suits you.