7 Things to Consider When Planning A Driveway

7 Things to Consider When Planning A Driveway is a guest blog is written by our Premier Brett Approved Installer ALS Landscaping, you can sign up here to their newsletter to receive landscaping advice & hints and tips!

1. Practicality & Style

When you install a new driveway, there are two main considerations you need to make. You need to think about the practicality of the driveway and what it will be used for. How many people live in your home? Doyou often have visitors? Families with older children need to take into account future cars. Those who are hoping to sell in the near future may just wish to improve their kerb appeal.

2. Ease of Access

There is no minimum width for a driveway, so your design need to be practical for the number and type of vehicles which will. Be using it. Don’t forget to consider how many vehicles will need to park next to each other and make sure doors can open easily. Make sure your design allows you easy access from the highway, and that you can revere in from the road. Driveway edging stones are a great way of separating your shrubbery or pathway from the driveway.

3. Trees and Shrubbery

Trees and shrubbery are an excellent way of creating some privacy within your front garden, but do bear in mind that any excavation for your driveway could damage existing roots, or any utility cables. A good gardener can advise on the correct planning for trees and shrubs that won’t send the roots under your nice, new driveway. Please raise any concerns before work commences.

4. Driveway Accessories

There are all sorts of way to make a new driveway more inviting. Lighting can be built into the driveway using encapsulating LED lights or you could install lights into the kerbs. And don’t forget there are lots of different types of kerbs to choose from too!

5. Contemporary or Traditional?

You should always be led by the style of your house when choosing a driveway. Cobble setts can create a traditional look, and often, people will choose natural stone paving for a more natural look. Concrete block paving is by far the most popular driveway paving option, and these can be played around with to create a unique look. For a more contemporary look, porcelain paving is a great, low maintenance option. 

Budget is also a massive deciding factor in building materials, and it is worth remembering the 80/20 rule cost guide: 20% of your cost price is made up of the materials and 80% comes from the sub-base and installation.

6. Planning Permission, Soakaway or Drainage?

It is definitely worth checking with your local council when planning a new driveway as the rules can vary by location. Generally, If you can keep your surface rain run-off within your curtilage and not flowing into the existing drainage systems, you will not need planning permission. Don’t worry our Brett Approved Installers can help you fit your drainage correctly and you won’t need planning permission. Our installer ALS Landscaping, fit soakaway crates which are large plastic crates, formed from a fine grid network that holds incoming drainage water, allowing it to slowly soak into the surrounding ground.

7. The Importance of Drainage

Drainage is a very important consideration when designing a driveway. The surface area of your driveway will determine what sort of drainage you need. If the incline of your driveway is towards your house, the drainage system needs to be strong enough to take the water away and not undermine the house. Permeable paving gives you the option of having the water drain straight back into the ground through your paving, saving over loading the systems.

If you’re looking for further inspiration for your driveway design, head over to our inspirations and discover at all the incredible garden & driveway projects our Brett Approved Installers have worked on using Brett Landscaping paving products.