Driveway Advice (1 Viewer)

[Barr_Beacon]

Shortly to get a motorhome but I need to build a level parking space on my lawn because my drive is on a slope. Can anyone recommend a contractor that builds small drives / parking spaces for motorhomes in the West Midlands?

 

[Hymer 1961]

I can’t recommend a builder. However, I would suggest not making the parking space dead level. A slight slope will encourage rain to run off the roof when it’s parked for longer periods.

 

[David and Sally]

Local block paver? Any competent drive company.

Any competent builder.

Or wait till the travellers come round with their 'spare tarmac'

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[David and Sally]

I can’t recommend a builder. However, I would suggest not making the parking space dead level. A slight slope will encourage rain to run off the roof when it’s parked for longer periods.

Ours tends to have a nose-down attitude when parked on a level surface. Depends on the moho I guess.

 

[Barr_Beacon]

Thanks for the prompt replies! What is the best strong material / method for the 'parking bay'? I've read so much conflicting information that I really am confused.
I've been told the surface must be permeable otherwise I may have to apply for planning permission. Cellular mats holding gravel built on a sturdy hardcore seem to be good but no contactor around here does them. Pavement slabs are ok but people have complained that they crack. Contractors seem to only offer block paving (complaints have been made that they sink) or patterned concrete (impermeable). The key to this seems to be lay a good sturdy hardcore.
At the moment, I seem to be going around in circles!

 

[Figaro]

Block paving is a bliddy nusiance, sinks randomly (probably bad prep) and is a nursery to all kinds of weeds and moss.
I know because I spend most of the year scraping it all out. Never have it again.
Imprinted concrete looks good but yes you do need a firm base.
A neighbour had a resin drive, lovely but very expensive.
Suppose you pays your money and takes you choise.

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[Figaro]

I've been told the surface must be permeable otherwise I may have to apply for planning permission.

I don't think you'll need pp.
There was a suggestion, I think country file raised it, that people concreting their house frontages was contributing to flooding.
I don't buy that argument when you look at the vast areas not concrete, the miniscule bit in front of houses is insignificant.
But I dare say some local authorities have jumped on the idea with enthusiasm so probably best to check with LA

 

[138go]

Cut out an area of grass out and put some waffle boards down, fill holes with soil, put grass seed down and let the grass grow through them. MH are rather heavy and we have managed to get four nice holes in the tarmac drive where we park. MH weighs 4250 so about a 1000kg on each wheel. There are any number of different combinations. The expensive way would be to hire a guy with a JCB and get him to carefully dig it out for you and put it in a skip. Then put a few tons of MOT Roadstone down but you need to compact it with a compactor as you go rather than just trying to compact it when its 300mm deep. Once you have done all that which should only take a day you can decide what sort of finish you want. You could but boards round it and put some granite chipping on it. Whatever you do don't use pea gravel or round stones they just move out the way. Cellular matts are good fun I helped put them down at our local sailing club. You need the pocket ones otherwise they start to lift our as ours did. I ordered mine and just had them delivered to site. Don't be put off if you cannot find anyone local none of it is rocket science to lay. If you don't fancy the job yourself I am sure you could find a few local lads who would be more than willing to work for a couple of days.

 

[Deneb]

I had my parking area block paved. It hasn't sunk, but I wouldn't expect it to because it was laid on over 30cm of foundations to take the weight of the van and more besides. It's not permeable, but because we retained flower borders on three sides and had a soakaway tank installed beneath it connected to a drainage channel on the edge nearest the highway, the council were quite happy.

I spoke to several local companies and then got quotes from three of them. The guy I went with knew what he was talking about and helped with the wording of the lawful development application regarding drainage and run off etc.

I'd recommend having a read through the FAQs at www.pavingexpert.com before speaking to any contractors. You'll then have an idea whether they're giving you a load of bull or listening to what you need and know what they're doing.

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[Wagoneer]

If your drive is on a slope then it follows that maybe your lawn is also on a slope. If this is so, you'll probably require a small retaining wall to allow a reasonably flat parking area.

Suggest you checkout the surface geology in your area from your local library or council. This may vary from clay to free draining gravel. This determines the depth of subbase required to help avoid settlement.

Your local council should be able to advise on parking bay construction for heavyish vehicles and comment on drainage implications.

 

[Ivory55]

I think you’re find if not permeable you just dig a soak away for the water run off.

 

[ambulancekidd]

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[Reallyretired]

No need for the motorhome to be level if its just parked, in fact better to drain the roof of rainwater if it slopes.

 

[raysalaugh]

We are looking at having a Resin driveway installed when we move home, these are supposed to be permeable. Have a look on YouTube there are a few videos of them being laid.

 

[Spriddler]

I just dug out lawn, laid roadstone and used paving slabs. Not especially attractive but when I'm at home the motorhome covers them and when the m/h is away I'm not at home to see them.
They drain fine and have supported my m/h no prob for the past 4 years.

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[DJA]

We had the cellular mats installed with gravel so it is called the beach. We have a 3500kg van and have been very pleased with the Mat system. We were at a local paving stockist and happened to bump into a small local paving contractor getting some slabs for their current job. Asked them to quote for a Patio job and decided to give them the work. During our chat we mentioned the need for our Van and they suggested the cellular method rather than slabs and it was cheaper than previous quotes we had been given for Paving etc.

Why not find a local stockist of the mats and ask them for names of possible installers.

Doug

 

[Barr_Beacon]

Thank you so much for all your helpful comments! We like the idea of cellular matting but can't find any contractors that lay them. Keep those ideas coming, please as they do help. The contractors so far want to lay block paving to match what we have on the drive. One contractor wanted to build a raised platform which would mean adding another 15" to reach the motorhome foot plate; also if you misjudged driving on to it, the MH would drop off! I did try to explain what the problems were to the contractor but this method was the only one he wanted to entertain.
I'm going to contact builders merchants who may have a list of contractors that fit them.

 

[Spriddler]

Since block paving became the fashion I've met many more people when I'm walking the dog around the village as they seem to be forever out the front de-weeding and de-mossing it with pressure hoses, long-handled wire brushes and weed killer sprays............life's too short as it is.

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[Deneb]

Since block paving became the fashion I've met many more people when I'm walking the dog around the village as they seem to be forever out the front de-weeding and de-mossing it with pressure hoses, long-handled wire brushes and weed killer sprays............life's too short as it is.

If they've used a pressure washer or wire brush on it, that will be why. It will also be weakened due to the sand having been washed or brushed out.

I brush leaves and debris off of mine with a soft bristle brush, spray weed killer from a watering can on it once a year, occasionally treat it with an algae remover if it starts to get slippery, and that's it. If a few bits of moss appear in the joints, so what.

 

[PhilMary]

Maybe ianthebuilder may be interested as he is well loved on this site.
Phil

 

[peterc10]

We just told the people who we got to quote exactly what we wanted. Dig it out about 200mm then lay and compact 150mm of Type 1 stone, followed by a topping of 20mm single sized gravel. We specified brick on edge set in concrete bed and haunch to be laid around the edge to keep the stone and gravel in place. Make sure the bricks are frost proof. Either stock or engineering bricks will do. Do not use Flettons.

They all want to lay block paving because there is more profit in it.

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[Deneb]

They all want to lay block paving because there is more profit in it.

My quote for heavy foundations, block paving and soakaway was less than quotes I was given for tarmac or gravel grids!

 

[swiftsteve]

Since block paving became the fashion I've met many more people when I'm walking the dog around the village as they seem to be forever out the front de-weeding and de-mossing it with pressure hoses, long-handled wire brushes and weed killer sprays............life's too short as it is.

I just spray mine with a solution of salt and detergent, it kills everything and all I have to do is sweep the dry/dead foliage into the road. Never had to weed it.

 

[Charlie9038]

Unsure where you live but it might be worth checking that your allowed to park a motorhome on the drive there are a lot of new builds where this is not allowed on the conveyancing.

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[mitzimad]

i did my drive weed screen fabric 4 inches of type one rammed down and covered in gravel three side have gravel boards and one i cemented block s on edge to form a ramp easier to let it raise than dig out and pay for muck away

 

[Sucoz]

Similar to other comments, we extended the width of our drive ( 1.5 x 8 metres) with plastic pavers from sure green. Dug the lawn down to their measurements and just followed their plans and advice. Eg. type1, weed suppressant etc. We are the most useless couple when it comes to DIY but we managed it OK. Cost about £300 max, lowest quote we had was £5000 as he said we needed the whole front concreted.

 

[DaveandJen]

Don’t ever consider giving the go ahead for a new driveway or similar work to be carried out following receiving a leaflet placed in your letterbox. Many travellers install driveways using this method and the chances of complaining about bad work / lack of infill under block paving etc are non-existent. If looking for a contractor locally visiting the Check a Trade website would be my first choice.

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[Helen Ariel]

No need for the motorhome to be level if its just parked, in fact better to drain the roof of rainwater if it slopes.

Looking at getting our 1st MH soon probably 7m. We have loads of space on the drive but it's steep. Would this be an issue at all? Would wedges under the tyres be a good idea? Sorry for thread hijack.

 

[HandyAndy]

Hire a mini digger and a large soil skip and get to work... Not hard to dig out a bit of dirt and then get a couple of ton of type 2 poured in the hole and spread about a bit..
Damn sight cheaper than paying some builder to do it that's for sure.

 

[TheBig1]

Looking at getting our 1st MH soon probably 7m. We have loads of space on the drive but it's steep. Would this be an issue at all? Would wedges under the tyres be a good idea? Sorry for thread hijack.

no as they will slide away as you drive on

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