tarmacing a drive - advice Please

[seriesonewelder]

calling @spencer 427

We've had a quote to re-surface the drive, the present surface is nearly 50 years old (believed to be original). Cheapest option is make good the pot holes of which there a few, bringing the holes up-to level and then laying over the existing drive with 40mm.
Or, dig out and start again which is £3k more. The cheaper option does make sense as the subsurface base is already there.

Would the cheaper option be as good - will it last another 50 years??

It is a shared drive serving 5 houses so several vehicle movements a day.

 

[gaz1]

it would help if was to post up some pics of the situation that you have

pot holes can be down to a mix of things subsidence or poor material mix at that point

as goes for a shared drive costs should be between all of you as shared but we know some wont want to pay for it but will want to use it anyway

agree this action before you consider big costs and signed for docs all legal of coarse

 

[cumbriasteve]

If it's lasted 50 years it's been a proper job, that's the reason if it was me and the others agreed I would probably want another 'proper' job done and not just overlay what is breaking up.....but I know nothing about tarmacing so it's just my uneducated opinion.

 

[Nick67GT]

We had a similar situation with the access road to our house, which is shared between 6 properties. It's a private road so cost of upkeep / maintenance is down to us all on an equal share basis.

The surface had developed several potholes over the course of a couple of winter frosts and was starting to break up generally in heavy use / turning areas (it was 30+ years old).

We all agreed that the best option was to use the existing sub-base which was sound and resurface completely. To be fair, the contractor wasn't fussed either way, but pointed out the obvious disadvantage with localised repairs versus resurfacing. We ended up paying £1600 each.

That was 10 years ago an it looks just as good as the day it was first put down.

The main issue is the bin collection truck and delivery lorries which have scrubbed the surface slightly on the corner of the entrance.

Plus the occasional muppet that thinks it's OK to park up in our turning area whilst picking up their little snowflakes from the nearby school.

 

[fizzy]

Don't use your local caravan dwellers. I once did as it was cheap - lasted 3 years!

 

[God mode restorations]

calling @spencer 427

We've had a quote to re-surface the drive, the present surface is nearly 50 years old (believed to be original). Cheapest option is make good the pot holes of which there a few, bringing the holes up-to level and then laying over the existing drive with 40mm.
Or, dig out and start again which is £3k more. The cheaper option does make sense as the subsurface base is already there.

Would the cheaper option be as good - will it last another 50 years??

It is a shared drive serving 5 houses so several vehicle movements a day.

I will get back to you soon. Just in the middle of cutting metal

 

[seriesonewelder]

Thanks for the replies so far,

Its obvious why there are potholes - use/frost/age.
The deeds are quite clear as to shared costs, so not going near that on here.

Looking forward to Spencer's comments.

 

[God mode restorations]

Hi.
Ok. If the original has lasted 50 years then it's been done properly. Overlaying an existing drive is perfectly acceptable providing it's in reasonable condition .the pot holes ideally should be cut out and dug out to about 60mm. Throwing a bit of tarmac in them is a waste of time. You will need about 40mm upstand around the driveway to get a good level finish .upstand means you will need 40mm depth from the top of your edging curb or timber edge if you have them. Any old cracks or joints should be cleaned out and bitumen sealed. Once all the prep work is done the drive should be tac coated with k50 emulsion. Then the wearing course can be applied . The finish will only be as good as the base and prep work. The material should be 10mm DBM wearing course or 10mm SMA wearing course . If they try and talk you in to 6mm wearing course then say no as it's no good for driveways . Price depends on square meters . Hope this helps.

 

[seriesonewelder]

Hi.
Ok. If the original has lasted 50 years then it's been done properly. Overlaying an existing drive is perfectly acceptable providing it's in reasonable condition .the pot holes ideally should be cut out and dug out to about 60mm. Throwing a bit of tarmac in them is a waste of time. You will need about 40mm upstand around the driveway to get a good level finish .upstand means you will need 40mm depth from the top of your edging curb or timber edge if you have them. Any old cracks or joints should be cleaned out and bitumen sealed. Once all the prep work is done the drive should be tac coated with k50 emulsion. Then the wearing course can be applied . The finish will only be as good as the base and prep work. The material should be 10mm DBM wearing course or 10mm SMA wearing course . If they try and talk you in to 6mm wearing course then say no as it's no good for driveways . Price depends on square meters . Hope this helps.

He said (tarmac bloke) that they'd jet wash the old surface, clean out the holes and fill to existing level, tac coat and lay.
The written quote hasn't come yet so I don't know what material size he's planning on using yet.

The only thing I need to sort out is how will they 'tie-in' where they meet a part of the drive that we don't plan on renewing (due to the deeds side of it which I wont go into) given that they are planning on adding 40mm on top of present level.

Thanks for that - super stuff, perfect reply.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

how will they 'tie-in' where they meet a part of the drive that we don't plan on renewing

Surely it'll leave a 'step' which, although probably tapered off, will still lead to potential water 'shedding' in an unwanted direction - i.e. into the drive owned by a neighbour who might be....how to put this.... 'uncooperative'?

 

[God mode restorations]

He said (tarmac bloke) that they'd jet wash the old surface, clean out the holes and fill to existing level, tac coat and lay.
The written quote hasn't come yet so I don't know what material size he's planning on using yet.

The only thing I need to sort out is how will they 'tie-in' where they meet a part of the drive that we don't plan on renewing (due to the deeds side of it which I wont go into) given that they are planning on adding 40mm on top of present level.

Thanks for that - super stuff,
You would normally cut a keyway/ trench to tie into an existing drive. As 40mm is going on top that key/ trench would need to be a good meter wide. This will give a very small taper down .the wider the key the less of a taper. I have done a lot of overlay work with keys and all have been good . The only thing I will say is tarmac hates going over concrete .
Just check on what size aggregate the chap is using.

 

[seriesonewelder]

The written quote has come, 10mm dense tarmac.

 

[brightspark]

The written quote has come, 10mm dense tarmac.

just make sure they don't just turn up with a garden roller and some crappy tarmac softened with diesel

 

[God mode restorations]

The written quote has come, 10mm dense tarmac.

That's good.
Also as brightspark has pointed out. Make sure there equipment is correct . Should be a 90 bomag roller or equivalent . Unfortunately red diesel use to be used to keep tools clean and stops tarmac sticking. Unfortunately it totally ruins tarmac .

 

[seriesonewelder]

They are based near home, I walk the dog past the yard so I 'sort of' know them. The tarmac in the yard is spot-on.

Thanks all.

 

[God mode restorations]

They are based near home, I walk the dog past the yard so I 'sort of' know them. The tarmac in the yard is spot-on.

Thanks all.

All good. Let us know how it goes .

 

[seriesonewelder]

Had more quotes for the drive.
The most significant wear in the surface is at the turning point for the cars (90 degree turn as the car parking is at the rear), it has been recommended that block work would be better due to it being more resistant to the loads imposed.

What would be your opinion on this?

Price wise blockwork is also cheaper, one quote is £8500 for complete new tarmac and £6900 for blockwork, the area is 132 sqm.

Thanks

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Personally I'd have blocks over tarmac.
I'd be laying them myself so I'd be happy it'd done right.

 

[God mode restorations]

Had more quotes for the drive.
The most significant wear in the surface is at the turning point for the cars (90 degree turn as the car parking is at the rear), it has been recommended that block work would be better due to it being more resistant to the loads imposed.

What would be your opinion on this?

Price wise blockwork is also cheaper, one quote is £8500 for complete new tarmac and £6900 for blockwork, the area is 132 sqm.

Thanks

It depends on what size blocks they have quoted you for. If they are 50mm 80mm ECT .
Block paving is roughly £110 sqm.

 

[God mode restorations]

If you got 132 sqm. £110 for block paving. That's dig out. Prep. Lay . Sand and whack. Per sqm. Total being £14520 . Your price you been quoted is some what to cheap.