Driveway footprint stripped back to bare subsoil with a string line at the boundary

Hard surfacing for residential properties, built from the ground up

Driveways, patios, pathways and courtyard areas, installed in a fixed order: the ground layer is set out, excavated, built up and compacted before the surface layer is laid. Every project is measured on site and priced per square metre.

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Ground layer, first
Set out. Excavate. Sub-base. Compact.
Driveways·Patios·Courtyards·Pathways·Ground preparation·Excavation·Sub-base·Compaction·Drainage·Edge restraint·Jointing·Repairs·Resurfacing·Finishing
Surfaces fail from underneath.

Paving rarely fails on its own. It moves, dips or holds water because of what is beneath it. That is why the ground layer is planned, dug and compacted before a single slab or block is placed, and why the order of work is the part of the job we talk about first.

What we install, in the order we install it

01 — 06
Driveway installation — hard surfacing work
01

Driveway installation

The area is set out and excavated, a sub-base is built up and compacted in layers, falls are formed for drainage, and the paving is then laid, restrained at the edges and jointed.

Patios & courtyards — hard surfacing work
02

Patios & courtyards

Levels are agreed against the property first, the ground is excavated and compacted, and the paving is laid to consistent joints with edges held in place and falls taken away from the building.

Pathways & walkways — hard surfacing work
03

Pathways & walkways

The route is set out from the door or entrance, the ground is opened and compacted, and the surface is laid to a width and fall suited to how the path is walked.

Ground preparation — hard surfacing work
04

Ground preparation

Set out, excavation, sub-base, compaction and drainage are completed and checked as a stage of their own, before the surface layer is started.

Repairs & resurfacing — hard surfacing work
05

Repairs & resurfacing

The existing surface is examined, the failed areas are lifted, the base underneath is corrected, and the new surface is laid to meet the surrounding finish.

Finishing & detailing — hard surfacing work
06

Finishing & detailing

With the surface down, edges are restrained, joints are filled, levels are checked across the whole area, and the site is cleared.

Front garden mid-installation with one half paved and the other open sub-base
Process The sequence below is the same on every project. It does not change with the material; only the depths and the finish change.
Step 01 — Set out
01

Set out

The area is marked out and finished levels are agreed against the property.

Step 02 — Excavate
02

Excavate

The existing surface and any unsuitable ground are removed to the depth the new build-up requires.

Step 03 — Sub-base
03

Sub-base

A graded sub-base is brought in and spread in layers across the prepared area.

Step 04 — Compact
04

Compact

Each layer is compacted before the next is placed, so the build-up finishes dense and even.

Step 05 — Drainage
05

Drainage

Falls and any drainage runs are formed so water moves away from the building and off the surface.

Step 06 — Edge & joint
06

Edge & joint

Edges are restrained, joints are filled, and the finished levels are checked before handover.

Block paving — completed paving
Block paving
Modular paving laid on a compacted sub-base, where the joints and the edge restraint are part of the finished appearance. Commonly used for driveways and paths.
€55–115 per m²
Porcelain & flag — completed paving
Porcelain & flag
Large-format porcelain or flag paving, laid with tighter joints and a flatter finished surface on a prepared and compacted base. Often used for patios and courtyards.
€85–175 per m²
Natural stone & detailing — completed paving
Natural stone & detailing
Natural stone with cut edges, steps, borders or other detail work, where more of the time goes into setting out, cutting and finishing.
€130–195 per m²
Stacked pallets of paving blocks on a driveway ready for laying
Materials chosen for the surface, not for the catalogue
Work is carried out using suitable paving, stone, concrete and related surfacing materials, matched to the way the area is used and to the layout of the property. A driveway takes traffic and turning; a courtyard is walked on and looked at; a path is narrow and edged on both sides. The material is decided after the ground has been assessed, not before, because the build-up beneath it depends on what is already there.
Close texture of a natural stone paving surface
Close texture of grey and charcoal block paving
Start with a survey, not a price list.
There is no online ordering and no basket. Each project is measured on site, priced per square metre, and adjusted by the finish tier you choose.
Block paving €55–115 per m² · Porcelain & flag €85–175 per m² · Natural stone & detailing €130–195 per m² — see how we price a surface.
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9a The Village, Newcastle, United Kingdom, ST5 5AD

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