A driveway is focal point in your home or office, and must be built to appeal to onlookers. Indeed, it creates a lasting impression. It also serves as a good and safe parking space for properties characterized with congestion and inadequate spaces. Accordingly, you must plan well when building a driveway. One of the best and popular options to utilize is the resin bound material. How much does it cost to build the driveway? Is it worth of the cost? Well, read on for the answers.
Resin bound driveway is beneficial in the following ways:
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Smooth Finish
Resin offers smooth finish that is necessary for all applications including access by the disabled and children.
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Low Maintenance
The driveway minimizes the growth of mould and weeds. A regular cleaning using a hose and a stiff brush will be enough to keep it in perfect condition.
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Flexibility in Design
You are at liberty to choose a design that blends in with your sense of taste and preferences.
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It is long-lasting
The driveway can last for more than 20 years, if properly installed and maintained. This means that a property owner can maintain an aesthetically appealing exterior space without necessarily incurring a lot of costs.
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The Heat Island Effect Is Minimized
The effect occurs when surfaces such as asphalt absorb strong heat. It is uncomfortable to live in such an environment. On the other hand, resin bound driveway allows the soil to breath and hence reduce surface temperatures
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Few or No Drainage Issues
The water goes through the resin effortlessly, reducing drainage issues in your problems.
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Quick Installations
Full installation of resin bound driveways can be completed within a few days. It eliminates the inconveniences associated with building other surfaces.
An example of a resin bound driveway is shown in the figure below:
Clearly, you will reap a lot of benefits by installing resin bound driveway. The next step is to budget for the project. How much does it cost? The answer lies in taking into account the following:
1. Preparation Costs
The existing surface must be suitable for resin bound application. This means that drainage must be available. This can be a drainage channelled towards a soak away or a bedding drainage. Further, all the cracks in the surface must be filled. It is also important to level the driveway to achieve an appealing look in your exterior space.
If your area has grass or stone, contractors will excavate the area before installing a compact stone base. This means that your driveway requires a lot of work before installing resin. A lightweight groundwork, on the other hand, requires less work.
With the preparation issues in mind, it is clear that the cost of resin installation will either be high or low depending on the condition of your surface. Contractors will test the site before making preparations, hence offering a chance to determine how much you will pay for the services.
2. The Surface Size
You will pay more if the driveway is expansive. Contractors will do the measurements during the planning stage, and hence inform you of the costs in advance.
3. Type of Resin
Typically, there are two types of resin available in the market namely; UV resin and non UV resin. The latter is cheaper than the former. This is because the surface is likely to turn yellow over time. This issue can be solved by using golden stone. However, it does not look as appealing as the UV resin.
4. Finishing Type
To achieve a neat and high quality look in your driveway, the finishing must be perfect. The edge restraint can be made from bricks and slabs among other materials.
A perfectly finished resin bound driveway is shown in the figure below:
5. Access to the Site
Some of the costs incurred in resin bound installation are related to the aspect of accessing a site. You will pay more if your house or office is located in a place where the contactor has to clear bushes and other materials. On the other hand, you are likely to be charged less if your driveway is easily accessible.
6. Ease of Disposing-Off Waste
In a world that is increasingly becoming sensitive towards environmental issues, there are concerns being raised that contractors are unable to deal with the waste from a site accordingly. Whereas organic matter such as soil and trees are easy to dispose, other types of wastes such as concrete and asphalt need a lot of energy to recycle or find appropriate landfills. The contractor will charge extra for such costs.
7. The Cost of Labour
Resin bound contractors charge differently for their services. You will pay more for the service if you are looking for a contractor with a high level of experience, skills, and good reputation. It is, however, worthwhile to engage them because you will get value for your money.
While some contractors charge a wholesome amount for labour, most prefer getting paid per hour. In the case of the latter, you will pay more if your size of project is lengthy. A fixed charge for the entire project can be cheap and ideal in such instances because you can budget properly.
8. Transport Costs
Contractors require you to pay for the cost of transporting materials to your site. Experienced professionals are unlikely to charge a lot of money because of their extensive networking capabilities. They also have trucks for the transportation services.
9. Design
As indicated earlier, a resin bound driveway offers you flexibility in design. You can go for a sophisticated or simple look to suit your needs. A complicated design is costly because the contractor has to spend a lot time in installation, and further purchase special materials to complete the project. This should not be deterrence to going for a design of your choice because the driveway will remain functional and outstanding for a long time.
10. The Depth
This aspect is determined by the use of a driveway. If you are likely to have heavy trucks packed in the space, more depth will be needed. This means that you will pay more for the service. Otherwise, a household with one or two cars does not need depth in their driveway.
11. Time of the Year
There are seasons of the year when construction is easy. Service providers will hence charge you a reasonable rate. Conversely, you will pay more during winter and other tough seasons because the contractor has to take more time to do a perfect job.
12. Unexpected costs
Just like it is the case with many projects, there are chances that unexpected costs will arise. Accidents occur at the site, leading to delays. It is also possible for the contractor to fail in meeting their end of bargain. You will be forced to make costly changes being prepared for such cases is worthwhile.
13. Geographical Location
Living costs and overheads are different in the United Kingdom. A worker living in the south is likely to ask for better compensation than a worker living in the north and other parts of the country. Transports costs will also vary.
Reducing On Costs of Labour
While it is worthwhile to spend your money on resin bound driveways, there is nothing wrong with saving on some costs. You can achieve this by:
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Making Installations Late In the Fall
Contractors will charge you less when your installations are done after or towards the end of the fall.
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Negotiate For Better Prices
You can always reduce on costs if you discuss your budget with your contactor.
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Find Materials from Affordable Suppliers
Request your friends or colleges who have installed resin bound driveway to recommend affordable suppliers. Even so, you must be assured that the resin is quality to avoid disappointments in the ultimate.
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Reduce the Size of the Driveway
It will cost you less of you focus on smaller areas. Determine how much space based on the number of cars you have and install resin in such areas. You can opt to have well-manicured grass in other areas to have a complete look.
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Have a Contractual Agreement with Your Contractor
Delays occur when a contractor is not bound by a contract to deliver the project within a specific time. They may opt to delay, charge exorbitantly for a small project, or even leave your project for another.
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Plan in Advance
You will save on costs if issues do not find you unprepared. This involves identifying the best contractors in your area, finding the money from financial institutions or from your savings, and gathering information on legal aspects of the project.
The Bottom Line
All in all, the costs of resin bound installation are not fixed. It depends on a range of factors including the state of your surface, accessibility, geographical location, time of the year, design and transportation costs among other things (Here are some pro’s and con’s of resin bound driveways). You must find the ideal company to get quality service and reduce on costs. Creative Paving comes in handy in this case. Over the years, the company has gained a good reputation for offering affordable and top-notch quality resin bound driveway installations. The work is guaranteed for five years.