The Importance Of A Great Driveway

Why your driveway is important

Although the driveway is something that property owners rarely think about, (a new living room sofa suite or a re-decorated hallway often seem to take priority), a driveway is in fact a very important aspect of home living:

1) First Impressions

Critically, it is the first thing an individual notices when approaching a property and a dressed up driveway is always going to help a house stand out from the rest. As it is the first thing you see, the state of the driveway is a sign of things to come and so can reflect what’s inside the house, which is crucial at face value if you are looking to sell a property. A tired and broken outside can often mean a tired and broken inside. First impressions are everything and if a driveway can take your breath away, chances are, the rest of the property will. An elegant driveway sets the standards for the entire home.

2) Add Value To The Property

Following on from the above point, many people choose to upgrade and update their drive if they are looking to sell their property. A lot of buyers want to move straight in to properties that they don’t have to spend any time on because of their hectic lives. A pleasant driveway makes a home more attractive and therefore more likely to sell. If the house doesn’t look too great on the outside, a great looking driveway can really spruce it up at a low cost. Typically a driveway can add anything up to 10% in property value.

3) Functionality And Parking

A great driveway won’t just be beautiful but it will also be functional. The surface needs to be safe to walk, play and drive on. It often has to fit between one and two cars on, which will most likely drive on it everyday, so it must be robust and resilient. It can sometimes take up a fair share of the land that a property has and so it is critical that it is cosmetic as well as practical.

4) Friendly Competition With The Neighbours

This has never been more so relevant if there are competing houses for sale on one particular road. The one with the most beautiful driveway will stand out from the rest.

5) Legalities

Legally now new driveways have to comply with legislation, such as the SuDS –Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 relating to the requirement for sustainable drainage, which came into force on 1 October 2012. This is imperative for flood prevention and management and is therefore a unique selling point over properties that have driveway’s that aren’t permeable and don’t comply with SuDS. Another aspect is safety. With mostly cold, rainy and frosty weather here in the UK, the ground is often full of water or ice. The benefits of having a permeable driveway tie in with the safety factor. This is because the water filters through, reducing puddles and water collection on the surface and thus there is nothing on the surface to freeze, preventing slips and skid accidents. Eco paving is the way forward!

6) Low Maintenance

As property owners are time conscious, and looking for convenience in all aspects of their lives, the last thing they want to be doing is spending their Saturday cleaning and conserving the driveway when the football is on. Not only that, as we grow old and become less mobile, it’s increasingly difficult to keep on top the upkeep, hence a low maintenance driveway is key. Resin bound paving is an ideal solution for this because they prevent weed growth and only need maintaining by jet washing.

7) Because You Will Feel Great!

Ultimately, a nice looking driveway will make your property look the best, which will make you feel very content indeed!

Having diluted the above, the only paving option that ticks all the boxes when it comes to deciding on your new driveway material is a resin bound driveway. Resin driveways offer a highly decorative finish with a smooth surface, are eco friendly, slip-resistant, low maintenance, permeable and SuDS compliant, durable and long lasting.

Choosing a colour for your resin bound drive can be daunting, so before you start out it’s always worthwhile considering the landscape and the period and style which the property was built. The size of your resin bound driveway will also impact the design choice. It could be recommended though, that as a driveway, the main bulk of it is kept simple, as it will be the foundation for other design elements. The resin drives cost will vary from project to project dependant on the size of the driveway, the amount of preparation work needed, choice of sub-base, whether you chose non-UV or UV resin and also the choice of resin bound colour. Here are some designs for you to peruse to get you started:

If would like any information on the above projects, let us know and we will be more than happy to assist. To view all of our resin bound colours and for more inspiration please have a look at our stunning range of resin bound colours. You can purchase all of your resin drives materials from The Resin Mill so please don’t hesitate to get in touch!