Driveways in Romford & East London
Block paving, tarmac, resin and imprinted concrete driveways, laid properly and built to last. Free quote, fixed price, and no money up front.
New Driveways Across Romford, Hornchurch & Upminster
Stonebase Driveways installs new driveways across Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster and the surrounding areas. Whether you’re replacing a tired surface, widening for a second car or starting from scratch, we handle the whole job — excavation, sub-base, drainage and finish — with our own team.
Most of our work comes through recommendations from previous customers, and every driveway we lay is covered by a 10-year guarantee.
Block Paving
Block paving gives you the most control over the finished look. Different block shapes, sizes and colours can be cut and laid to almost any pattern, from a simple stretcher bond to herringbone and circular features. It’s also the toughest option underfoot: a properly laid block drive handles heavy vehicles without complaint and will typically last well over 20 years. Individual blocks can be lifted and replaced if they’re ever damaged, so a repair doesn’t mean redoing the whole surface.
Tarmac
Tarmac is the most economical way to cover a large area, and the fastest — most drives can be surfaced in a day, so there’s minimal disruption. It needs very little looking after: no sealing, no re-sanding, and weeds struggle to get through. It’s slip-resistant, copes well with heat and cold, and gives a clean, uniform finish that suits longer drives and shared accesses.
Imprinted Concrete
Imprinted concrete is laid as a single continuous slab, then patterned and coloured while still wet to imitate stone, brick or tile. Because there are no joints, there’s nowhere for weeds to root and nothing to sink or shift over time. It’s a hard-wearing option that keeps its shape, and the range of patterns means you can match the look of the house without the upkeep the real material would need.
RESIN
Resin-bound surfacing is laid over a solid base to create a smooth, seamless finish with no loose stones. It’s porous, so rainwater drains straight through rather than pooling or running off — which usually means no planning permission is needed and no separate drainage has to be installed. It comes in a wide range of aggregate colours, and the finish suits contemporary homes particularly well.
Driveway Maintenance and Repairs
A full replacement isn’t always necessary. A driveway that looks past it is often just dirty, weedy or in need of a few localised repairs, and a day’s work can bring it back.
We maintain block paving, tarmac, resin and imprinted concrete — pressure cleaning, weed treatment, re-sanding, resealing, and replacing damaged sections or sunken areas. Catching a problem early is nearly always cheaper than letting it spread, so if something’s starting to sink or crack, it’s worth a look.
How much does a new driveway cost?
It depends on the size of the area, the material and how much groundwork is needed underneath. Tarmac is usually the most economical for a large area; block paving and resin sit higher. We don’t work from a price list, because the state of what’s already there makes a real difference. Everything we quote is a fixed price after a site visit, so the figure you agree is the figure you pay.
How long will it take?
A typical domestic driveway takes three to five days. Tarmac can often be finished quicker, while a large block paved drive with edging and pattern work will take longer. We’ll give you a start date and a realistic finish date with your quote.
Do I need planning permission?
For most front driveways, no — provided the surface is permeable, or surface water drains to a soakaway or border rather than into the road. Resin-bound and block paving with permeable jointing both meet this. If you’re planning a solid, non-porous surface over 5 square metres, permission may be needed, and we’ll flag it before you commit. Dropped kerbs are separate and need council approval.
Which driveway material lasts longest?
Block paving, generally — well over 20 years when laid on a proper base, and individual blocks can be lifted and replaced if damaged. That said, any surface will fail early if the groundwork beneath it is wrong, so the base matters more than the choice of material.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
No. We don’t take any money up front. You pay on completion, and you hold back 5% for 28 days to make sure you’re happy with the work.
Can you widen my existing driveway or do I need a full replacement?
Often we can extend or widen what’s there, though matching an existing surface exactly gets harder as it weathers. We’ll be straight with you about whether an extension will look right or whether relaying the whole area is the better result.
Will you clear away the old driveway?
Yes. Excavation, removal and disposal of the old surface are all included in your quote, and we leave the site clean each evening.
Is the work guaranteed?
Every driveway we install carries a 10-year guarantee, alongside our no-quibble quality guarantee.