Our services
Tarmac & Resin-Bound Drivewaysin Newton Abbot, Torbay& Exeter
A driveway excavated to depth, built on a compacted, drained sub-base and surfaced to carry a vehicle, not a thin skin of black over the old one.
30 years' experience · Drainage included as standard · £2 million public liability
30 years
Hands-on experience in Devon
5.0 rating
Average score on Google reviews
Fixed prices
Agreed in writing before we start
£2 million public liability
Fully insured, self-employed team covered
Tarmac and resin-bound driveways over a properly excavated, compacted and drained base.
What a driveway build involves
A driveway is a load-bearing structure. Below the surface sits an excavation to the right depth, a sub-base compacted in layers, edge restraints to stop the whole thing spreading sideways, and a drainage strategy for everything that lands on it.
On top of that we lay either tarmac: dense, seamless and cost-effective over large areas, or resin-bound gravel, a stone-and-resin surface trowelled out to a smooth, permeable finish.
When a driveway needs replacing rather than patching
The signals are consistent: ruts where the wheels sit, cracking that spreads year on year, pooling water, a surface breaking up at the edges, or a drive that has sunk below the garage threshold and now floods it.
Once the base has failed, resurfacing is money spent twice. A new layer over a moving base moves with it, usually within a couple of winters.
Drainage is not an extra
A driveway is a large impermeable area, often sloping toward a house. Where that water goes has to be answered before any surfacing is ordered. Since 2008 there have also been rules about draining new front-garden hard surfacing to the highway, which is one reason permeable surfaces are so common now.
We consider water displacement on every driveway we build: falls, channel drains, soakaways or a permeable surface, and build it in at base stage rather than selling it back to you afterwards.
What's included
- Tarmac and resin-bound surfacing
- Excavation and sub-base specified for vehicle loading
- Drainage and falls designed in as standard
- Edgings, kerbs and a clean transition to the highway
What it costs to leave it
Rutting and sinking under vehicle load
Too shallow an excavation, or sub-base laid in one deep uncompacted layer, and the drive deforms where the tyres run. That is a rebuild, not a repair.
Water driven at the house
A large hard surface falling toward the building sends every downpour at the wall and, in the worst cases, into the garage. Damp at the base of the wall is the usual first sign.
Edges break away first
Without edge restraints or kerbs, the surface crumbles at the perimeter where the load is least supported, and the damage works inward from there.
The common mistake: resurfacing over a failed base
An overlay on a moving base is the cheapest quote and the shortest-lived driveway. It is also the one we most often get called to dig out.
How the job runs
- Step 1
Site visit, levels and drainage check
Phil measures the area, checks the fall relative to the house and the highway, looks at ground conditions and works out where surface water can legitimately go.
- Step 2
Specification and fixed price
Surface type, excavation depth, edgings and drainage are agreed, then you get one fixed price from measured area and labour, with a realistic programme.
- Step 3
Excavation, spoil removal and sub-base
We dig out to the depth vehicle loading needs, take the spoil away, then lay and compact the sub-base in layers with falls set at this stage.
- Step 4
Edgings, drainage and surfacing
Kerbs and edge restraints are set, drainage installed, then the surface is laid: tarmac laid and rolled hot, or resin-bound aggregate mixed on site and trowelled to an even depth.
- Step 5
Handover
We clear the site, walk the finished work with you and explain any aftercare. If anything needs attention afterwards, Phil is the person who answers the phone.
What you get out of it
Built for vehicle loading
Excavation depth and sub-base specified for the weight that will actually sit on it, not for a footpath.
Water managed on the plot
Falls, drainage or a permeable surface designed in as standard, keeping run-off away from the house.
A clean frontage
Kerbs, edgings and a considered transition to the highway, so the drive finishes properly instead of trailing off into the verge.
Two strong surface options
Tarmac for value and durability over large areas; resin-bound for a smoother, permeable, more decorative finish.
Spoil taken away
Excavated material is removed and disposed of, not spread around the garden to hide it.
Tarmac and resin-bound compared
Both are laid over the same quality of base. The difference is the surface and how it behaves.
- Tarmac, a dense bituminous surface laid hot and rolled. Cost-effective over larger areas, seamless, quick to lay, and a well-built tarmac drive lasts a long time.
- Resin-bound gravel: natural aggregate mixed with clear resin and trowelled out. Smooth, loose-stone-free, permeable and available in a range of stone colours.
- Permeability: resin-bound lets water through to the base below, which helps with surface-water rules on new front-garden hard standing.
- Maintenance: tarmac wants keeping free of oil spills and tree-root heave; resin-bound wants an occasional wash and weeding at the edges.
- Appearance: tarmac reads practical and understated; resin-bound reads decorative and suits a period frontage or a smaller, more visible drive.
Access, kerbs and parking layout
Where the drive meets the public highway, a dropped kerb may be needed, and that is a matter for the local highway authority. We'll flag it early so it isn't discovered halfway through.
Turning space, parking bays and the separation between vehicles and planting are set out on site. Getting a car in and out without a three-point turn on a Devon lane is often the biggest practical gain.
Where the drive meets a garage threshold or a front door, levels and drainage are detailed so water is intercepted rather than run at the opening.
Examples of our work
Slide through photos of finished projects across South Devon.
Where we do this work
Related services
Back to the PC Landscaping homepage, see all services or get in touch with Phil.
Driveways: common questions
How much does a new driveway cost?
It depends on area, excavation depth, spoil removal, drainage, edgings and whether you choose tarmac or resin-bound. Phil measures on site and gives one fixed price before work starts.
Tarmac or resin-bound, which is better?
Tarmac is the value option and excellent over larger areas. Resin-bound costs more but is smoother, permeable and more decorative. Phil will talk through which makes sense for your frontage.
How long does a driveway take?
Most domestic drives are a matter of days: excavation and base first, then surfacing. Weather affects tarmac and resin laying, and we'll be straight with you about timings.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway?
Front-garden hard surfacing has surface-water rules attached, and a dropped kerb needs highway authority approval. We'll flag anything on your property that needs checking before work is agreed.
Do you remove the old driveway?
Yes. Breaking out the old surface, excavating and taking the spoil away is part of the job and included in the fixed price.
Can you lay tarmac over my existing drive?
Only where the existing base is genuinely sound. If it has failed, an overlay will fail with it: Phil will tell you which situation you're in rather than take the easy sale.
Will the driveway need drainage?
Water displacement is considered on every driveway we build as standard. What form it takes depends on your levels, your ground and where water can safely go.
Where do you build driveways?
Across Teignbridge, Torbay, Exeter and the South Hams, from our base in Denbury near Newton Abbot.
Client feedback
Recent words from South Devon gardens
“Phil finished the remainder of my featherboard fence. Started the job promptly, arrived on time and finished the job professionally.”
Big Steve
Featherboard fencing · Google review
“Fitted our hardwood deck and it looks great! Decent price and took just a couple of days plus they cleaned up after themselves.”
Steve Marson
Hardwood decking · Google review
“Phil and Nigel did a complete redesign of our garden, did a very professional job from start to finish… this is the second job they have done for us and we have another project for later in the year.”
Robert Down
Full garden redesign · repeat client · Google review
“Fab job for my pathway around my house and patio… Phil's suggestion and explanation of the construction work was the most solid.”
Hung Alice
Pathway & patio · Google review
Get a fixed price for your new driveway
Phil visits, checks levels and drainage, and quotes one fixed figure covering excavation, base and surfacing.
30 years' experience · £2 million public liability · 8am–6pm, Monday to Friday