Trade 09 of 10

Driveways, patios and groundworks in Leeds

Footings for an extension, a new block-paved drive, a patio that has sunk in the middle, drainage that floods the yard every time it rains, or a garden wall that has started to lean. Groundwork is the part nobody sees once it is finished, and the part that decides whether everything above it lasts.

Get a quote Call 0113 460 1042

It is priced on its own for drives and gardens, or as the first stage of a building job when there is an extension going up.

Scope of work

Extension foundations and footings
Block paving, tarmac and resin driveways
Patios in natural stone and porcelain
Drainage, soakaways and channel drains
Driveways lined up with a dropped kerb
Garden walls, retaining walls and steps
Fencing and gates

Signs the ground needs work

Paving that has sunk, rocked or grown weeds through the joints
Water pooling against the house after rain
A garden or retaining wall that is leaning or cracked
Tarmac breaking up at the edges

How the job is handled

A driveway lasts as long as the sub-base under it. Excavation depth, the type and thickness of the base, and where the water drains are all written into the quote.

Most new front driveways over five square metres need a permeable surface, or drainage into a lawn, border or soakaway; otherwise they need planning permission. The design takes that into account from the start.

In Leeds

Leeds is hilly, and a lot of front gardens slope towards the house or the road. Getting the falls right matters more here than on flat ground, and it is checked before any digging starts.

Often booked with

Trades that go with driveways & groundworks

Building & Extensions

Extensions, garage conversions, knock-throughs and structural work.

See building & extensions

Property Maintenance

Repairs and planned work for landlords, agents and businesses.

See property maintenance

Roofing

Leaks, slipped slates, flat roofs, chimneys, re-roofs and guttering.

See roofing

FAQs

Driveways & Groundworks questions

Do I need permission for a new driveway?

For a front garden over five square metres, you do not need planning permission if the surface is permeable or the water runs onto a lawn or border. A non-permeable surface draining onto the road does need permission.

What about a dropped kerb?

A dropped kerb needs approval from Leeds City Council before any work is done on the pavement, and the council sets out how that work is carried out. The driveway is built to line up with it.

Block paving, tarmac or resin?

All three work. Block paving is easy to repair in sections, tarmac is quick over a large area, and resin-bound gives a smooth, permeable finish. The survey looks at use, drainage and budget.

Do you dig footings for extensions?

Yes. Footings go down to the depth Building Control approves for the ground, and the inspection is booked before any concrete goes in.