We're a local driveway and patio company. We lay block paving, resin bound, tarmac, gravel and imprinted concrete driveways for homes all over Harpenden, including Southdown, Batford, West Common and Kinsbourne Green. We also work in nearby Redbourn and Wheathampstead.
Over 25 years' experience
10-year guarantee on driveways, patios and walls
No deposit
Free site survey and written quote
Fully insured, with insurance certificates available on request
Call 01582 932001, or call or WhatsApp 07747 430338, email hello@5stardrivewaysandpatios.co.uk, or get your free quote.
Driveways we lay in Harpenden
Hard-wearing, with plenty of colours and laying patterns. A good all-rounder for Harpenden homes. Single blocks can be lifted and relaid if they're ever damaged.
Resin bound driveways (porous)
A smooth, modern finish that lets rainwater drain through and helps keep weeds down. We lay resin bound, the porous option, not resin bonded.
A tidy, practical surface for larger driveways and long runs. It can be smartened up with block or brick edging.
Quick to lay and great value, with a natural look. We lay gravel on a proper base with edging, so the stones stay where they should.
Imprinted concrete driveways
One solid concrete surface, coloured and pressed with a pattern while it's still soft, then sealed. There's a choice of patterns and colours.
Not sure which to choose? Our driveways page compares them side by side.
More than just the driveway
1. Drainage. We fit channel drains and soakaways, so water runs off properly.
2. Garden and retaining walls. New front walls, garden walls and retaining walls, including brickwork and pillars, built to match your driveway or patio.
3. Driveway and patio cleaning. We jet wash, re-sand and seal block paving and patios, to bring them back to life.
4. Patios, paths, decking and landscaping. We also lay patios, paths and steps. We build decking in timber and composite, and do landscaping to go with your new driveway.
Choosing the right driveway for your home
Every Harpenden driveway is different. Some are short drives in front of a terrace. Others are long, wide drives with room for several cars. On the free visit, we'll look at a few things with you.
1. How many cars use it, and whether vans or heavier vehicles come and go. That decides how deep the base needs to be.
2. The levels. If the drive slopes towards the house or the road, drainage, steps or a retaining wall may be part of the job.
3. Where the water goes now. Puddles, damp patches by the front door or water running onto the pavement all tell us what drainage is needed.
4. The look of the house. We'll help you choose a surface and colour that suits the brickwork, windows and front door.
5. How much upkeep you want. Resin bound and tarmac need little more than a sweep. Block paving and gravel like a bit more attention.
Then we'll recommend what we'd do if it were our own driveway, and put it all in a clear written quote.
Why choose 5 Star in Harpenden
1. Local. We cover the whole of Harpenden, from Batford to Kinsbourne Green.
2. Over 25 years' experience laying driveways and patios.
3. A 10-year guarantee covering our driveways, patios and walls.
4. No deposit. You don't pay anything up front.
5. Clear written quotes, so you know exactly what's included.
6. Tidy sites. We clear up properly at the end of every job.
Drainage and planning in Harpenden
A driveway should slope gently away from the house, so rain runs off rather than pooling or heading towards the walls. Where water can't run onto a lawn or border, we fit channel drains or a soakaway.
Resin bound is porous, so rainwater drains through the surface into the base below. That helps with puddles, and it matters for planning too. For a front garden, you usually don't need planning permission if the surface lets rain soak through, or the water runs onto a lawn or border. A solid surface over 5 square metres that drains nowhere else normally needs permission. Flats have different rules. You can read the government guidance on paving front gardens.
What affects the cost of a driveway in Harpenden?
We don't publish prices, because every driveway is different. These are the things that make the difference:
1. Size. The area to be covered.
2. Surface. Block paving, resin bound, tarmac, gravel or imprinted concrete.
3. Digging out. How much old surface has to come up and be taken away.
4. The base. How deep it needs to be for your ground and the number of cars.
5. Drainage. Whether channel drains or a soakaway are needed.
6. Access. How easily machinery and materials can reach the driveway.
7. Edging, walls and steps. Anything that finishes the job.
We'll measure up for free and give you a clear written quote, with no obligation.
How it works
1. Free visit and advice. We come out, measure up, check the levels and drainage, and talk you through the options.
2. Clear written quote. Everything is set out in writing. There's no deposit to pay.
3. Dig out. We remove the old surface and dig down to the depth the new base needs.
4. Lay a proper sub-base. This is the part that stops a driveway sinking later, so we lay and compact it carefully.
5. Edging and drainage. Firm edges go in, and we fit drainage where it's needed.
6. Lay and finish the surface. Your chosen surface goes down, and is jointed, sealed or left to set as needed.
7. Clean up and hand over. We leave the site tidy, walk you round and explain the aftercare. Your driveway comes with our 10-year guarantee.
Looking after your new driveway
1. Block paving. Sweep it, pull weeds early and top up the jointing sand if it washes out. Sealing can help with stains.
2. Resin bound. Brush it and rinse it now and then, so water can still drain through.
3. Tarmac. Keep it swept, and clean up oil spills quickly.
4. Gravel. Rake it level from time to time and top it up when needed.
5. Imprinted concrete. Clean it, and have it resealed when the finish starts to look dull.
When it needs more than that, our cleaning service can jet wash, re-sand and seal it for you.
Our promise
Our 10-year guarantee covers our driveways, patios and walls, and we never ask for a deposit. We have over 25 years' experience laying driveways and patios.
We're fully insured, and insurance certificates are available on request.
Photos
See more in our photo gallery.
Questions we get asked in Harpenden
How much does a new driveway cost in Harpenden?
It depends on the size, the material, how much digging and drainage is needed, and access. We'll measure up for free and give you a clear written quote.
How long does a driveway take?
Most jobs are completed within a working week, Monday to Friday. We'll give you a clear timeframe with your written quote.
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway in Harpenden?
Often not, if the surface lets water soak through or drains onto a lawn or border. See the notes above. We'll go through it with you on the survey.
Which is best: block paving, resin, tarmac or gravel?
It depends on your budget, the look you want and how the driveway will be used. We'll talk you through the options on the free visit.
Is resin bound porous?
Yes. Rainwater drains through the surface, which is why we lay resin bound rather than resin bonded.
Do you cover Batford, Southdown, West Common and Kinsbourne Green?
Yes, and the rest of Harpenden. We also cover nearby towns such as Redbourn, Wheathampstead and St Albans.
Is the work guaranteed, and do you ask for a deposit?
Our 10-year guarantee covers our driveways, patios and walls, and we never ask for a deposit. The details are set out with your written quote.
Areas we cover around Harpenden
Abbots Langley, Berkhamsted, Borehamwood, Bricket Wood, Bushey, Chorleywood, Croxley Green, Dunstable, Edgware, Harpenden, Harrow, Hemel Hempstead, How Wood, Kings Langley, Northwood, Pinner, Radlett, Redbourn, Rickmansworth, Shenley, St Albans, Stanmore, Watford, Wheathampstead.
Get your free quote
Tell us a little about the job and we'll arrange a free site survey and a clear written quote. There's no deposit to pay and 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.