Our services
Block Paving, Resin-Bound & Tarmac Drivewaysin Newton Abbot, Torbay& Exeter
Block paving, resin-bound and tarmac driveways built on solid foundations, giving your home a smart, welcoming first impression.
30 years' experience · Drainage included as standard · Fully insured
30 years
Hands-on experience in Devon
5.0 rating
Average score on Google reviews
Fixed prices
Agreed in writing before we start
Fully insured
Self-employed team covered
Block paving, resin-bound and tarmac driveways over a properly excavated, compacted and drained base.
What a driveway build involves
A driveway is a load-bearing structure. Below the surface sits an excavation to the right depth, a sub-base compacted in layers, edge restraints to keep everything neatly in place, and a drainage strategy for everything that lands on it.
On top of that we lay block paving, resin-bound gravel (a stone-and-resin surface trowelled out to a smooth, permeable finish) or tarmac, which is dense, seamless and cost-effective over large areas.
When it's time for a new driveway
The signals to look out for are ruts where the wheels sit, cracking that spreads year on year, pooling water, a surface breaking up at the edges, or a drive that has settled below the garage threshold.
Once the base needs attention, a full rebuild with proper foundations gives a far better, longer-lasting result than resurfacing over a base that will simply move again within a couple of winters.
Keeping water safely away from your home
A driveway is a large impermeable area, often sloping toward a house, so where that water goes is worked out before any surfacing is ordered. Since 2008 there have also been rules about draining new front-garden hard surfacing to the highway, which is one reason permeable surfaces are so popular now.
We build in water displacement on every driveway: falls, channel drains, soakaways or a permeable surface, planned at base stage so it's part of the job from the start rather than an afterthought.
What's included
- Block paving, resin-bound and tarmac surfacing
- Excavation and sub-base specified for vehicle loading
- Drainage and falls designed in as standard
- Edgings, kerbs and a clean transition to the highway
Doing it right from the start
Built to carry vehicle load
A properly deep excavation and a sub-base compacted in layers gives the drive the strength to carry vehicles comfortably without rutting or sinking, keeping it looking good for years of everyday use.
Falls that guide water away from the house
Getting the falls right sends every downpour away from the building rather than toward it, keeping the wall and garage dry and giving you peace of mind.
Edge restraints keep the perimeter firm
Proper edge restraints or kerbs support the surface right to the edge, so the whole driveway stays sound and tidy rather than crumbling at the perimeter.
A solid base built once, done properly
Building a new, properly specified base from the start gives you a driveway that performs well for the long term, rather than an overlay on an older base that would need attention again sooner.
How your project comes together
- Step 1
Site visit, levels and drainage check
The team measures the area, checks the fall relative to the house and the highway, looks at ground conditions and works out where surface water can legitimately go.
- Step 2
Specification and fixed price
Surface type, excavation depth, edgings and drainage are agreed, then you get one fixed price from measured area and labour, with a realistic programme.
- Step 3
Excavation, spoil removal and sub-base
We dig out to the depth vehicle loading needs, take the spoil away, then lay and compact the sub-base in layers with falls set at this stage.
- Step 4
Edgings, drainage and surfacing
Kerbs and edge restraints are set, drainage installed, then the surface is laid: block paving set out and compacted, resin-bound aggregate mixed on site and trowelled to an even depth, or tarmac laid and rolled hot.
- Step 5
Handover
We clear the site, walk the finished work with you and explain any aftercare. We want you to enjoy your new space from day one.
What you'll enjoy
Built for vehicle loading
Excavation depth and sub-base specified for the weight that will actually sit on it, not for a footpath.
Water managed on the plot
Falls, drainage or a permeable surface designed in as standard, keeping run-off away from the house.
A clean frontage
Kerbs, edgings and a considered transition to the highway, so the drive finishes properly instead of trailing off into the verge.
Three surface options
Block paving for a classic, hard-wearing finish; resin-bound for a smoother, permeable, more decorative finish; tarmac for value and durability over large areas.
Spoil taken away
Excavated material is removed and disposed of, not spread around the garden to hide it.
Block paving driveways
Block paving is a classic choice for a driveway: individual concrete or clay blocks laid in a pattern over a compacted sub-base and a bed of sharp sand, held in place by firm edge restraints and locked together with jointing sand.
Because it's made up of individual blocks, it's hard-wearing and practical to live with, and it comes in a wide range of colours, textures and laying patterns to suit your home and frontage.
- Choice of look: different block styles and colours, laid in patterns such as herringbone or stretcher bond, with contrasting borders if you'd like them.
- Built on the same foundations: excavated to depth, with a compacted sub-base and proper edge restraints, just like every driveway we build.
- Easy to repair: individual blocks can be lifted and relaid if something underneath ever needs attention.
- Drainage planned in: falls and drainage are designed with the layout, or a permeable block can be used where it suits the site.
Resin-bound and tarmac compared
Both are laid over the same quality of base. The difference is the surface and how it behaves.
- Resin-bound gravel: natural aggregate mixed with clear resin and trowelled out. Smooth, loose-stone-free, permeable and available in a range of stone colours.
- Tarmac, a dense bituminous surface laid hot and rolled. Cost-effective over larger areas, seamless, quick to lay, and a well-built tarmac drive lasts a long time.
- Permeability: resin-bound lets water through to the base below, which helps with surface-water rules on new front-garden hard standing.
- Maintenance: resin-bound wants an occasional wash and weeding at the edges; tarmac wants keeping free of oil spills and tree-root heave.
- Appearance: resin-bound reads decorative and suits a period frontage or a smaller, more visible drive; tarmac reads practical and understated.
Access, kerbs and parking layout
Where the drive meets the public highway, a dropped kerb may be needed, and that is a matter for the local highway authority. We'll flag it early so it isn't discovered halfway through.
Turning space, parking bays and the separation between vehicles and planting are set out on site. Getting a car in and out without a three-point turn on a Devon lane is often the biggest practical gain.
Where the drive meets a garage threshold or a front door, levels and drainage are detailed so water is intercepted rather than run at the opening.
Examples of our work
Slide through photos of finished projects across South Devon.
Where we do this work
Related services
Back to the PC Landscaping homepage, see all services or get in touch with Phil.
Driveways: common questions
How much does a new driveway cost?
It depends on area, excavation depth, spoil removal, drainage, edgings and whether you choose block paving, resin-bound or tarmac. The team measures on site and gives one fixed price before work starts.
Block paving, resin-bound or tarmac: which is best for my driveway?
Each has its strengths. Block paving is hard-wearing, comes in a wide range of colours and patterns, and individual blocks can be lifted and relaid if needed. Resin-bound is smooth, free of loose stones, permeable and more decorative. Tarmac is the value option, seamless and excellent over larger areas. We'll talk through which suits your home, frontage and budget when we visit.
How long does a driveway take?
Most domestic drives are a matter of days: excavation and base first, then surfacing. Weather affects resin and tarmac laying, and we'll be straight with you about timings.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway?
Front-garden hard surfacing has surface-water rules attached, and a dropped kerb needs highway authority approval. We'll flag anything on your property that needs checking before work is agreed.
Do you remove the old driveway?
Yes. Breaking out the old surface, excavating and taking the spoil away is part of the job and included in the fixed price.
Can you lay tarmac over my existing drive?
Only where the existing base is genuinely sound. We'll tell you honestly which situation you're in, so if the base needs attention, we'll say so rather than take the easy option.
Will the driveway need drainage?
Water displacement is considered on every driveway we build as standard. What form it takes depends on your levels, your ground and where water can safely go.
Where do you build driveways?
Across Teignbridge, Torbay, Exeter and the South Hams, from our base near Newton Abbot.
Client feedback
Recent words from South Devon gardens
“Phil finished the remainder of my featherboard fence. Started the job promptly, arrived on time and finished the job professionally.”
Big Steve
Featherboard fencing · Google review
“Fitted our hardwood deck and it looks great! Decent price and took just a couple of days plus they cleaned up after themselves.”
Steve Marson
Hardwood decking · Google review
“Phil and Nigel did a complete redesign of our garden, did a very professional job from start to finish… this is the second job they have done for us and we have another project for later in the year.”
Robert Down
Full garden redesign · repeat client · Google review
“Fab job for my pathway around my house and patio… Phil's suggestion and explanation of the construction work was the most solid.”
Hung Alice
Pathway & patio · Google review
Get a fixed price for your new driveway
We visit, check levels and drainage, and quote one fixed figure covering excavation, base and surfacing.
30 years' experience · Fully insured · 8am–6pm, Monday to Friday