Landscaping, Patios and Driveways
Levels, drainage and edges. Everything else is choosing a slab.
Landscaping is the work that shows fastest. A garden that was unusable in March can be finished, turfed and in use by June, and unlike most building work you see the whole result at once.
Typical works can include
Every project is different. Depending on the agreed scope, works may include:
- Excavation, levelling and muck away
- Compacted sub base and edge restraints
- Porcelain, sandstone and natural stone paving on a full wet bed
- Block paving, permeable paving and resin bound surfaces
- Brick and sleeper retaining walls
- Steps, piers and garden masonry
- Drainage, channel drains and soakaways
- Turfing, topsoil and planting beds
- Timber pergolas, slatted structures and covered seating areas
- Fencing and boundary work
Elements such as decoration, flooring, structural engineer fees, Building Control fees and any professional or design costs are dealt with according to the individual project, and are included only where the quotation says so.
Why patios fail
Bedding. A slab laid on five dabs of mortar rather than a full wet bed will rock, stain and eventually crack, and porcelain in particular needs a full bed and a slurry primer on the back of every slab. It takes longer. It is also why our patios are still flat in five years.
Then falls and drainage. Paving needs to fall away from the house at about 1 in 80, and it has to sit at least 150mm below the damp proof course. Butting a new patio up against the brickwork above the DPC is one of the most common ways a dry house becomes a damp one.
Driveways and the bit people forget
A block paved drive is only as good as its sub base and its edge restraint. Skimp on either and the blocks tend to spread and sink under a car within a couple of winters. Surface water is the other consideration: rules introduced in 2008 mean a new area of impermeable driveway over roughly five square metres can require planning permission unless the water drains to a permeable surface or a soakaway within your own boundary. Permeable block paving or a resin bound surface is usually the simpler route, though it is worth confirming the position for your property.
Levels, sleepers and structures
A lot of Milton Keynes gardens slope more than people realise. Sleeper retaining beds, terracing and re-levelling turn an awkward garden into a usable one. We also build timber garden structures, pergolas and slatted covered seating areas, which is a nice way to finish a garden off without going near planning permission.
Very good and reliable
Examples of this work
Some of these are mid build rather than finished, because that is where you can see how something was put together.
Worth knowing
Winter is the honest caveat. We will lay paving through the colder months, but turf, planting and anything needing mortar to cure all do better between March and October. If your garden is not urgent, spring is worth waiting for.
Common questions
How long will the work take?
It depends on the job, and anyone who gives you a number without seeing the house is guessing. As a rough guide: a bathroom is two to three weeks, a kitchen refit two to four, a single storey rear extension is usually ten to fourteen weeks from breaking ground, and a full house renovation runs three to six months depending on scale.
Weather, Building Control inspections and lead times on windows, doors and kitchens all move those numbers. We build realistic float into the programme rather than promising a date we cannot hold.
Do you do small jobs?
No. We do not take on handyman work, single repairs or odd jobs, and it is better to say so up front than leave you waiting for a quote that never comes.
We are set up for substantial building and renovation work: extensions, structural alterations, whole house projects, conversions and significant external works. For smaller repairs or handyman-type work, we would recommend using a tradesperson who specialises in that type of service, as our team is structured around larger building and renovation projects.
Are you insured, and what happens if something goes wrong afterwards?
We carry £5 million public liability insurance and we will send you the certificate on request, before you commit to anything.
On workmanship, we come back. If something we did is not right, call us and we will put it right. Manufacturer guarantees on windows, doors, boilers and appliances are passed on to you at handover.
Related work
Groundworks and external works
Foundations, drainage, bases and levels. The part nobody sees.
Read more
Brickwork and building works
Brickwork, blockwork, repairs and the matching that makes them invisible.
Read more
House extensions
Single and double storey extensions, built and managed start to finish.
Read moreTalk it through before you commit
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