Installing a resin driveway is not only a beautiful alternative to materials such as concrete, tarmac or stone flags, but it is also a sustainable long-term investment.

As a sustainable drainage system, resin drives are not only a worthwhile option for avoiding standing water but can sometimes be a necessity in order to avoid the hassle of getting planning permission for a particularly large or long paved surface.

One of the first steps before getting your driveway installed is getting a quote for the work, and with that in mind, here are some of the factors that can affect the price.

Size And Shape

Most quotes for resin-bound surfaces that can be found tend to discuss the price per square metre, so it is unsurprising that the larger the driveway, the more it will cost.

Similarly, if you want an unusual or uneven shape, require a particularly narrow section or want to account for a particularly strange incline on your drive, that may cost extra, but any additional costs will be explained to you before work starts.

Required Base Work

Resin surfaces can be laid on to a wide variety of existing surfaces to act as a base, but a resin drive is only a sustainable drainage surface if the base is also sustainable, 

In many cases, a resin-bound driveway should include a well-prepared base designed with drainage in mind, and this preparation and levelling work can add some additional materials and labour costs, which should be factored into your budget.

Edge Creation

One important element to the laying of a resin-bound surface is that there needs to be a suitable edging for the resin to be laid up to, and if that is lacking once the surface has been prepared, it will need to be added as part of the installation process.

There are a lot of options, which will vary in terms of cost and overall visual impact, but these will be discussed with you ahead of time.

Resin Quality

Typically, the best results for resin-bound surfaces are found with UV-stable resins, as they will be largely unaffected by sunlight and the surface will last longer.

Different resins have varying prices, colours and finishes, and an expert installer will work with you and your needs to ensure you have the right resin for your budget and your vision for the drive.

Aggregate Colour And Patterns

There are a lot of types of aggregate, but as they are based on different types of natural stone, some colours will cost more than others if they are less readily available in your local area.

As well as this, as multi-colour patterns require additional work, there is a further cost consideration if you are looking for a particular design.

Vehicle Weight

Typically, if you have no more than two standard cars on the drive at a time, the resin overlay will be installed with a 15mm depth. This is typically enough to hold cars that weigh less than 7.5 tonnes.

However, if you plan to park a van or a lorry that weighs more than this, the overlay will need to be deeper, which will inevitably cost more.