Rain has to go somewhere. On a new driveway or patio, we plan where it goes from the start. We fit channel drains, and soakaways where the ground allows, for homes in Harpenden and across Hertfordshire, including Wheathampstead, Redbourn and St Albans.
On this page: why drainage matters, the drainage we fit, and how it's planned with a new drive or patio. The site survey is free, the quote is written, and we never ask for a deposit.
Call 01582 932001, or call or WhatsApp 07747 430338, email hello@5stardrivewaysandpatios.co.uk, or get your free quote.
Why drainage matters
When water sits on a hard surface, or runs the wrong way, it can cause trouble.
1. Puddles and ice. Standing water gets in the way, and it can be slippery in winter.
2. Water by the house. Rain that runs towards the walls or the door can add to damp.
3. Wear on the surface. Water that gets under a drive or patio can weaken what's beneath it.
4. Moss and algae. Surfaces that stay damp and shady can turn green and slippery.
5. Planning. On a front garden, where the water goes can decide whether you need planning permission.
The drainage we fit
The slope
Drainage starts with the slope. A new driveway or patio is laid with a gentle tilt away from the house, to send rain in the right direction.
Channel drains
A channel drain is a long, narrow drain set into the surface, with a grate on top. It catches water running across a drive or patio. You'll often see one across the bottom of a sloping drive, in front of a garage, or along the edge of a patio by the house.
Soakaways
A soakaway is a space below ground that holds water and lets it seep slowly into the soil. A channel drain can lead to a soakaway, where the ground allows.
Surfaces that let water through
Resin bound and gravel can let rain soak through, if the ground below can take it. Picking one of these can mean less drainage is needed.
Planned with your new drive or patio
The easiest time to get drainage right is when a new surface goes in. The levels and the drains can be worked out together.
1. Driveways. A gentle tilt away from the house, with channel drains, or soakaways where the ground allows, if water can't run onto a lawn or border.
2. Patios. A tilt away from the house, with a channel drain along the edge where water has nowhere else to go.
3. Sloping gardens. Retaining walls and steps, planned with where the water will go.
Drainage and planning
GOV.UK and the Planning Portal say you don't need planning permission to pave a front garden if the new surface lets water soak through, or if rain is sent to a lawn or border to drain away. A surface that doesn't let water through, covering more than 5 square metres and draining nowhere else, needs planning permission. Flats have different rules. You can read the government guidance on paving front gardens. Listed homes and conservation areas may have extra rules, so check with your local council.
What affects the cost?
We don't publish prices, because every job is different. Drainage on a new drive or patio depends on:
1. How much water there is, and where it comes from.
2. How much channel drain is needed.
3. Whether a soakaway is needed, and how big it is.
4. How much ground has to be cut out and taken away.
5. How easy it is to get machinery and materials in.
The free site survey ends with a written quote, and you don't have to go ahead.
How drainage goes in
1. Visit. We look at the slope, see where water goes now, and talk through the options.
2. Quote. It's all set out in writing. We never ask for a deposit.
3. Setting out. We mark where the drain goes and the slope it needs.
4. Groundwork. The trench is cut, plus any soakaway.
5. Fitting. The channel drain is laid on a slight slope and linked to where the water will go.
6. Finishing. The new surface goes down neatly around the drain.
7. Handover. We clear up and show you how to keep the grates clear.
Most jobs are completed within a working week, Monday to Friday.
Keeping drains clear
1. Lift the grates now and then and scoop out leaves and silt, mostly in autumn.
2. Keep mud, gravel and grass cuttings off the grates.
3. Brush resin bound often, to keep the gaps between the stones open.
Drainage we've fitted
Our photo gallery has more of our driveways and patios.
Drainage questions
Why does water collect at the bottom of my drive?
Water runs downhill. If a drive slopes towards the house or garage, rain gathers at the lowest point. On a new drive, the slope and any channel drain are planned so the water has somewhere to go.
Why do puddles sit on a patio?
Usually the patio is too flat in places, or tilts the wrong way, so water can't run off. On a new patio, the slope is set before the slabs go down.
Why do drain grates block?
Leaves, silt, gravel and grass cuttings wash into them. Lifting the grates and clearing them now and then can stop a build-up.
Do I need a soakaway?
It depends where the water can go. If it can't run onto a lawn or border, a soakaway may be an option, where the ground allows. We'll look at it with you on the survey.
Is planning permission needed for drainage?
On a front garden, where the water goes can decide whether a new drive needs permission. See "Drainage and planning" above.
How long does drainage work take?
Most jobs are completed within a working week, Monday to Friday.
What does the 10-year guarantee cover?
Our 10-year guarantee covers the driveways, patios and walls we build. There's no deposit. See our guarantee and insurance page.
Areas we cover
We fit drainage in Harpenden and 23 nearby towns. See our areas page.
Get your free quote
Tell us a little about the job and we'll arrange a free site survey and a clear written quote. We never ask for a deposit, and there's no obligation.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 01582 932001, or call or WhatsApp 07747 430338. You're welcome to send photos of your driveway or garden on WhatsApp first.