New Block Paving & Relaying
We lay new block paving and relay old paving that’s sunk, all over Northwich from Hartford to Rudheath. Thomas will call round, take measurements and put a written price together for free.
Northwich has a lot of estate houses with block paved drives that have started to sink by the gate or where the car sits. Usually the blocks themselves are fine. It’s the base under them that has given up.
We lay new block paved drives, patios and paths, and we lift and relay paving that’s gone uneven. Every new job gets dug out, a compacted stone base and edges set in concrete.
Parts of the town have a history of ground movement from the old salt workings. One good thing about blocks is that if the ground shifts, we can lift a section and put it back level. You can’t do that with a concrete drive.
Sinking blocks? WhatsApp us a photo for a quick look
Most of our Northwich work is one of these four. Often it’s two at once, like a new drive and a path round the side.
The old concrete or tarmac comes out, along with enough ground to fit a proper stone base. On estate houses we often widen the drive at the same time so two cars fit side by side.
A block paved patio is hard-wearing and copes with a bit of ground movement better than a concrete slab. We give it a slight fall away from the house so rain doesn’t sit against the back door.
Side paths to the bins, front paths to the door, and rows of blocks round lawns and gravel. Small jobs, but they make a garden easier to use and tidier to look at.
If your blocks have dropped, rutted or gone wavy, we lift them, find out why, fix the base and relay them. Most blocks can go back down again, so the repair matches the rest of the drive.
Send us a photo and Thomas will tell you straight. If it can be fixed, we’ll say so.
Sunken block paving nearly always comes down to a thin base. Here’s how we build ours.
Thomas measures the area and checks where the water will go, how high the door step and air bricks are, and where any manholes sit.
We dig down far enough for a full base, load the spoil onto the wagon and take it away.
Type 1 stone goes in and gets compacted in layers. Any drains or soakaways are fitted at this stage.
Kerbs or edge blocks are bedded and backed up with concrete. This is what stops the paving creeping outwards.
Sharp sand is screeded flat, then the blocks go down in your pattern. Edge pieces are cut to fit with a saw, not left with big gaps.
We run the plate over the blocks, brush kiln-dried sand into the joints, plate it again and sweep up.
We can’t give a fair price without seeing the job first. These are the things that move it up or down:
Thomas comes out for a free survey, then sends you a fixed written quote. The figure on the quote is the price for the job.
Get A Price For My Paving
People in Northwich often ask how block paving stacks up against the other two common drives. Here’s a quick look.
| Feature | Block Paving | Tarmac | Imprinted Concrete |
|---|---|---|---|
| If the ground moves | Blocks can be lifted and relaid | Can crack or dip | Can crack, hard to patch |
| Small repairs | Swap single blocks | Patches usually show | Patches usually show |
| Look | Lots of colours and patterns | Plain black | Stamped pattern, colour can fade |
| Drainage | Permeable blocks can be used | Needs falls and a drain | Needs falls and a drain |
| Weeds | In the joints if not kept sanded | Rare | Rare |
| Upkeep | Brush and re-sand now and then | Very little | Clean and reseal every few years |
Some of our recent block paving jobs. Tap a photo for a closer look.
Let us know which one and we’ll come out and price it up for your house.
None of this takes long. Do it now and then and the paving stays tidy.
We’re a small firm from Crewe, about half an hour down the road. Thomas prices the job, runs it, and is the one you ring if anything needs looking at afterwards.
“Thomas and team created a fantastic new block driveway for us. Every detail was discussed with us and professionally carried out, highly recommend. Thank you.”
“Explained the course of action required. Completed when it was promised and the lads which completed the work were excellent.”
“Very clear about what needed doing! Then did exactly that and was very clean and professional throughout!”
We lay and relay block paving in Northwich and the places around it:
Place not listed? Ask anyway and we’ll let you know.
Northwich is split across two postcodes, CW8 and CW9. These are the parts we’re asked to quote in most.
The old timber-framed buildings in the middle of town were built so they could be jacked up as the ground sank from salt extraction. Leftwich and Kingsmead are mostly newer estates, where relaying sunken patches and widening drives are typical jobs.
Local tip: If a housebuilder’s drive has dipped, it’s usually the base that needs putting right, not just the blocks.
Free block paving quote in CW9Hartford has a lot of larger detached and semi-detached houses with wide fronts. Herringbone with a darker border is popular here, and some people go for clay pavers to sit with older brick.
Local tip: A wide frontage can look busy in one colour, so a border or a band in a second colour helps break it up.
Free block paving quote in CW8Barnton is a big village of terraces, semis and bungalows, and Winnington has a lot of newer houses built on the old chemical works land. Front gardens tend to be smaller, so we plan carefully round steps, bins and parking.
Local tip: On a small front garden, permeable blocks keep you inside the planning rules even if you pave the whole thing.
Free block paving quote in CW8Davenham and Moulton are villages with older cottages alongside newer homes, while Rudheath is mostly family housing close to town. Drives, patios and side paths all come up a lot round here.
Local tip: Doing the drive and the patio together saves on deliveries and machine hire, which can bring the overall price down.
Free block paving quote in CW9We also lay block paving in Winsford (CW7), Middlewich (CW10), Tarporley (CW6) and Holmes Chapel (CW4). Just ask if you’re not sure.
It’s one of the better choices. Because it’s made of separate blocks on a sand bed, a section can be lifted and relaid if the ground under it moves. A cracked concrete or tarmac drive usually has to be cut out and patched. If you know your area has had movement, mention it at the survey.
Yes. We lift the blocks in that area, dig out the weak base, put in new compacted stone and relay the same blocks. Once the joints are re-sanded you’ll struggle to see where the repair was.
Cheshire West and Chester Council handle dropped kerbs here. It’s worth sorting before we start, so the new drive lines up with where the kerb will be.
Not if it drains properly. Once the area is over 5 square metres, it has to be permeable or drain into a lawn, flower bed or soakaway on your property. If the water would go onto the road instead, you’d need permission from Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Sometimes. Colours change between batches and old blocks fade, so an exact match isn’t always possible. Where it isn’t, a border or a band between old and new usually looks better than a near miss.
It depends on the ground. A drive needs room for a compacted stone base, a sand bed and the blocks themselves, and soft or wet ground needs more. Thomas will check this when he comes out.
Most drives are finished within a week, often sooner, depending on size and weather. Once the blocks have been compacted and sanded, you can drive on them straight away.
Message Thomas on WhatsApp with a photo of the job and he’ll get back to you.
Tell us where you are and what you want paved. Thomas will ring you back and book in a free visit to measure up.
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