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[STEMO]

It's a minefield. Not just the quotes but the quality of the work. I wouldn't mind forking out the money for one of the higher quotes if I was sure that the job was done properly. But how do you know?
No doubt some builders would give you a guarantee but, as we all know, they are worthless. Trying to find, then successfully sue, a builder after X number of years is virtually impossible.
Even something as simple as tarmac can turn bad in very short order if the base is not done properly.

[dave the builder]

Tarmac is garbage for drives etc ,any ground movement will crack it and any cold weather will rip it up
that was why people started the block paving craze
any ground movement and the blocks settle evenly ,ok ,you end up with a dip but not a pothole 
block paving can be re-layed too after you decide to add fiber cable etc or replace that leaky water pipe 

[STEMO]

Tarmac is garbage for drives etc ,any ground movement will crack it and any cold weather will rip it up
that was why people started the block paving craze
any ground movement and the blocks settle evenly ,ok ,you end up with a dip but not a pothole 
block paving can be re-layed too after you decide to add fiber cable etc or replace that leaky water pipe 

And yet the tarmac drive we had at our old house was fine after 12 years.

[amba]

Yes agree we have a fair amount of preparation work.Current drive/hard standing is concrete and will need breaking up and removing so expect 2 days..possibly 2 skips and 2 guys so that should be £200 each man/£250 x 2 skips so to remove max 1k

Decent block paving at say £350/£400 a pack and will need 7 so £2800 tops so cant see where its costing £2400 to lay them ..or am I being unrealistic

[dave the builder]

Tarmac is garbage for drives etc ,any ground movement will crack it and any cold weather will rip it up
that was why people started the block paving craze
any ground movement and the blocks settle evenly ,ok ,you end up with a dip but not a pothole 
block paving can be re-layed too after you decide to add fiber cable etc or replace that leaky water pipe 

And yet the tarmac drive we had at our old house was fine after 12 years.

no ground movement ? been a drive for years ? slight slope to drain it ?

[STEMO]

Tarmac is garbage for drives etc ,any ground movement will crack it and any cold weather will rip it up
that was why people started the block paving craze
any ground movement and the blocks settle evenly ,ok ,you end up with a dip but not a pothole 
block paving can be re-layed too after you decide to add fiber cable etc or replace that leaky water pipe 

And yet the tarmac drive we had at our old house was fine after 12 years.

no ground movement ? been a drive for years ? slight slope to drain it ?

I was a builder before you were pupped. It was fine.

[dave the builder]

Tarmac is garbage for drives etc ,any ground movement will crack it and any cold weather will rip it up
that was why people started the block paving craze
any ground movement and the blocks settle evenly ,ok ,you end up with a dip but not a pothole 
block paving can be re-layed too after you decide to add fiber cable etc or replace that leaky water pipe 

And yet the tarmac drive we had at our old house was fine after 12 years.

no ground movement ? been a drive for years ? slight slope to drain it ?

I was a builder before you were pupped. It was fine.

point i was trying to make was that your old drive was just that,old compacted drive , not recently disturbed ground around a new build house that gets a few scoops of base and a smear of top coat whacked down with a pedestrian roller .

[Doctor Gollum]

Ours was laid over concrete and has been starting to break up over the last few years. Engine oil and repeated car jacking have taken its toll...

[STEMO]

Tarmac is garbage for drives etc ,any ground movement will crack it and any cold weather will rip it up
that was why people started the block paving craze
any ground movement and the blocks settle evenly ,ok ,you end up with a dip but not a pothole 
block paving can be re-layed too after you decide to add fiber cable etc or replace that leaky water pipe 

And yet the tarmac drive we had at our old house was fine after 12 years.

no ground movement ? been a drive for years ? slight slope to drain it ?

I was a builder before you were pupped. It was fine.

point i was trying to make was that your old drive was just that,old compacted drive , not recently disturbed ground around a new build house that gets a few scoops of base and a smear of top coat whacked down with a pedestrian roller .

And my point was : If it's done correctly, it will last fine.

[deviator]

I see people talking in square metre, surely concrete is a cubic metre?

I have to agree with Dave, recent-ish tarmac driveways are crap. Two houses, by two different housey companies, both tarmac, neither could take a jack and certainly not an axle stand. They both sunk.

Dave where abouts in Derbyshire are you? I might need some work doing.

[Gaffers]

Mine seems to be the exception then.  New build, 5 years old and the driveway is still intact.

[dave the builder]

I see people talking in square metre, surely concrete is a cubic metre?

I have to agree with Dave, recent-ish tarmac driveways are crap. Two houses, by two different housey companies, both tarmac, neither could take a jack and certainly not an axle stand. They both sunk.

Dave where abouts in Derbyshire are you? I might need some work doing.

I'm in Swadlincote,just outside Burton on trent, Happy to advise, give pointers  etc on any future project you had in mind BUT sorry ,I have too much work

OK, I hold my hands up 
Tarmac ,laid well (good compaction,no ground movement,good drainage,so laying it over concrete is not great drainage wise,) is ok as a surface.
I would still say block paving is a better choice long term
block paving has downsides too ,one being spilled oil staining ,you can seal block paving (there are good and bad sealers) how slippy block paving is once sealed is another story , worth having a few spare block pavers to replace any that get stained (bit of a garden path round the back ,so they weather ,and can be used to replace any stained ones, should that happen)
plus block paving is recyclable in that you can relay it if there is any movement or you need to excavate for services 
But each to there own , if you have good tarmac ,,great 
if your putting down a drive on what was a front garden, block paving may be for you 

[2boxerdogs]

Having a second  quote tomorrow, I would be happy if it's around the £3500 mark any more than that & I will be doing it myself, have seen this guys work & it is very good .

[2boxerdogs]

Second quote came in at £5850, but this guy really seems to know his stuff does  every type of surface showed pictures of his work one gravel driveway really looked impressive & we have seen it "in real life", want our drive widened by a metre as well cost for doing the complete job in the black & white gravel properly as at the moment it is a mess is £2000 so very happy with that and it saves me a lot of hard work + £1500 less than I expected to spend but suddenly SWMBO thinks the stairs & landing requires new carpets.😎