Driveway Conversion
Refresh a tired tarmac drive without a full dig-out, when the base is sound, resin bound surfacing is a less disruptive route to a clean, permeable finish.
What Goes Wrong
The finish is only as good as the preparation beneath it, these are the points where shortcuts cause lasting problems.
Essex clay subsoil moves seasonally, and tarmac laid over it can shift. Overlaying a moving base transfers that movement straight into the resin finish.
The specialist maps cracking patterns and checks drainage falls before recommending overlay or full replacement, not after the resin is down.
Cracks filled with resin alone, without patch repairs, re-open under load and cause the new surface to delaminate along the same lines within months.
Damaged sections are cut back, patched with compatible material, and allowed to fully cure before any priming or resin laying begins.
Resin applied directly to bare tarmac without a primer bonds poorly, leading to lifting at edges and across the surface as traffic and weather stress the join.
A priming layer is applied to the prepared tarmac to create a mechanical bond, giving the resin bound aggregate a surface it can grip over the long term.
A single combined price hides how much of the budget is for preparation versus finish, so extra repair work discovered on the day comes as a surprise charge.
Base inspection, crack repairs, priming, and resin finish are each quoted as distinct line items so the scope and cost of each stage is clear before work starts.
What’s Included
The conversion spans several distinct stages, each one is assessed and quoted separately rather than bundled into a single price.
The existing tarmac is inspected for movement, cracking patterns, and drainage falls to confirm whether an overlay is viable.
Cracks and damaged sections are identified, patched with compatible material, and cured before any further work proceeds.
The tarmac is cleaned, any loose material removed, and a priming layer applied to ensure the resin bonds correctly to the existing surface.
Existing edge restraints are inspected and reset or replaced where needed to contain the resin bound finish at the perimeter.
UV-stable polyurethane resin mixed with aggregate is trowelled over the primed surface to a permeable, even finish.
Confirms water runs clear of the property before overlay.
Patches uneven or sunken sections before priming.
SuDS-compliant surface laid over prepared tarmac.
Why Choose Us
We connect customers with vetted local resin specialists who follow a fixed assessment and quotation process, no surprises once work starts.
Inspection, repairs, priming, and resin finish are each priced as distinct line items, so you see exactly what each stage costs before agreeing to anything.
If the tarmac base is not suitable for an overlay, the specialist says so. A conversion that will fail early is not recommended just to win the job.
Our partners understand how clay subsoil movement affects older tarmac bases in this area and factor that into their assessment from the outset.
The full scope, including any repair work identified during inspection, is agreed in writing before the specialist begins preparation or laying.
We connect customers with vetted independent local resin specialists, not a national call centre, so the person assessing your drive knows the area.
How It Works
01
Tell us the area size, what is down there now, and how it currently drains, we arrange a local specialist to carry out a base stability check.
02
The specialist assesses the tarmac, identifies any repairs needed, and quotes inspection, preparation, and resin finish as separate line items.
03
Once agreed, the specialist carries out crack repairs, applies the priming layer, and trowels the resin bound aggregate to a permeable finish.
Pricing Estimates
| Job | Typical cost | Typical area |
|---|---|---|
| Small conversion | £2,000-£3,500 | 20-30 m2 |
| Standard conversion | £3,500-£6,000 | 40-60 m2 |
| Large conversion | £6,000-£9,500 | 60-90 m2 |
Describe the area, what is down there now, and how it drains. We will arrange a local resin specialist to assess the base and quote each stage separately.