Walk down most residential streets and you will see block paving on the drives, some of it laid well and some of it sinking in the wheel tracks. Dewsbury Landscaping & Driveways installs block paved driveways, paths, patios and parking areas across Chickenley from Dewsbury, and relays drives that other firms laid on too little base. We work in concrete blocks, clay paving blocks and permeable systems and lay everything to BS 7533.
Block paving is the right choice for homeowners who want a surface that lasts, can be matched to the house, and can be lifted and relaid in a small area if a pipe or cable ever needs attention.
This page covers how we build it in Chickenley, which blocks suit different types of house, the steps in the job and the factors behind the price.
How We Lay Block Paving in Chickenley
Block paving spreads load through interlock: each block is held by the blocks around it, the whole surface is held by edge restraints, and the weight passes down through a sand laying course to a compacted sub-base.
We dig out to 250 to 300 mm for a drive in Chickenley, less for a patio or path. A geotextile is laid where the ground is clay or disturbed. Type 1 MOT goes in at 150 mm minimum for cars, compacted in two passes with a plate compactor or roller. Edge courses are bedded in concrete and haunched behind. Sharp sand is screeded at 30 to 50 mm, the blocks are laid from a corner working to the pattern, cuts are made with a bench saw for clean edges, and the surface is compacted with a plate and a protective mat. Kiln-dried sand is brushed into the joints and the surface is compacted again.
For permeable paving we switch to blocks with spacer nibs, a coarse grit laying course and an open-graded sub-base so water drains straight through. This meets the front garden planning rules without any extra drainage and suits sites where there is nowhere else for water to go.
Blocks and Patterns for Chickenley Homes
If your house in Chickenley is brick, the colour of the block should sit comfortably with the brick rather than fight it. We bring samples to the site visit so you can see them against the wall in daylight. Brindle and charcoal tones are safe choices on red brick; buff and grey tones suit render and lighter brick. A contrasting border or soldier course frames the drive and hides the cuts along the edges.
For driveways we lay herringbone, at 45 degrees for the strongest interlock or 90 degrees for a crisper look on a square plot. Stretcher bond and basketweave are reserved for paths and patios with no vehicle load. Larger-format and mixed-size blocks give a more random, natural look on bigger drives and patios. If yours is a period house, clay paving blocks suit it and never fade, while tumbled concrete blocks give a softer, aged appearance at a lower cost.
Site constraints are checked too. Trees with preservation orders near the frontage mean shallow, no-dig build-ups in the root zone. Conservation area rules can affect front walls.
Block Paving: Step by Step
- Site visit in Chickenley to measure, assess levels, drainage and access, and look at block samples.
- Written quote with a layout drawing, block choice, pattern, border, sub-base depth and timeline.
- Excavation and spoil removal by our own crew as registered waste carriers.
- Membrane, drainage, sub-base and concrete-bedded edgings installed and compacted.
- Laying course screeded and blocks laid to pattern with clean cuts.
- Compaction, jointing with kiln-dried sand and a second compaction.
- Clean down, walk-round with you and the written guarantee handed over.
A typical drive in Chickenley takes four to six days, with the crew arriving from Dewsbury each morning. Block paving has no curing time, so you can drive on it as soon as we have finished. Light rain does not stop us, though we will not screed a sand bed in a downpour.
What Affects the Price of Block Paving in Chickenley
The area is the starting point, but shape and detail move the figure. Straight-edged rectangles in herringbone are efficient; curves, circles, steps and multiple borders mean more cutting, more waste and more time.
Block choice is the second lever. Standard concrete blocks are the most economical, with tumbled, large-format, textured and clay blocks at higher price points. Permeable systems use different materials below the surface.
Groundwork is the third. Deep clay, old concrete to be broken out, buried services and poor access in Chickenley all add labour and disposal. A dropped kerb, a soakaway or a channel drain is added where needed. No travel charge applies, as Dewsbury is close by. The quote separates each of these so you can see what is driving the total and where there is room to adjust.
Other Services in Chickenley
Block paving is one of four services Dewsbury Landscaping & Driveways offers in Chickenley. Driveway Installation covers every driveway surface, so if resin bound, tarmac, gravel or concrete would suit your frontage better, we can advise and install. Landscaping handles rear gardens: patios, lawns, walls, fencing and planting. Garden Maintenance keeps the whole plot tidy with regular visits through the year.
A block paved drive is often paired with a matching front path, a new boundary wall or a rear patio in the same block, and quoting it together from Dewsbury keeps the set-up costs down and the finish consistent.
If this is part of a bigger project, see our pages on block paving driveway installation.
Your Questions Answered
What is the difference between concrete and clay block paving?
Concrete blocks are moulded with pigment and come in many shapes, sizes and finishes at a lower cost; the colour can soften over many years. Clay paving blocks are fired, so the colour is permanent and the look is traditional, but there are fewer sizes and they cost more. Both are laid the same way and both suit Chickenley homes.
Why has my existing block paving sunk?
Almost always because the sub-base was too thin, poorly compacted or missing an edge restraint, so the sand bed has migrated under the load of car tyres. The blocks themselves are usually fine. We can inspect on a visit from Dewsbury, then lift them, rebuild the base and edges properly and relay the same blocks, which is a common job for us in Chickenley.
How do I look after a block paved driveway?
Sweep it regularly, pressure wash once or twice a year on a low setting to avoid blasting out the joints, top up the kiln-dried sand afterwards and treat any weeds that take hold in the joints. A sealer can be applied after the first year if you want to reduce staining and weed growth. We leave aftercare notes at handover.
Can block paving be used for a patio as well as a drive?
Yes. Block paving makes a hard-wearing patio or path and can be laid in decorative patterns such as basketweave or stretcher bond because there is no vehicle load. Many Chickenley customers use the same block for the front drive and the rear patio so the whole property matches.