New driveway and other stuff

[newbuyer17]

We are looking at making an offer on a property. The trouble is that parking and access is a nightmare, with a very slim driveway onto a main road, so no opportunity to turn cars around etc.

I'm now looking for rough costings (if it isn't against forum rules) for putting in a new parking area at the other side of the house. The council would be OK with droppping the kerb, so that would leave:

taking up lawn and putting down foundations for a 2 car drive.
the cheapest (asthetically at least) method of providing an area for 2 cars, with space to turn around said cars
OR
a smaller area for two cars with an electric car turntable

I would also need remote control electric gates - not really applicable for this forums but I thought people may have experience of installing or buying them.

I'm sure someone can have a stab at a rough price for the drive, but equally if anyone has an idea of gates and turntables then that would also be helpful.

I've done a few searches on the web and found some prices, but they all seem to be for 'luxury' finish and I'm after a cheaper solution. Its difficult to describe, but this wont end up being our front drive, so doesn't have to be too easy on the eye.

Is anyone able to give me a ball park figure of what I'd need to allow for this? As I said hopefully this isn't against forum rules, and I'm not after quotes, just ball park figures from someone who has done similar work.

Thanks

[lutonlagerlout]

I dunno what your budget is, but electric turntables cost a fortune
electric gates??
also loads of money and by law they cannot open onto the foot path or carriageway (patently dangerous)

ballpark
turntable 20+ K
electric gates with associated works 5-25 K
2 car drive = 45m2 roughly £2.5-4.5 K depending on many variables

if you are worried about security you can get drop down metal bollards
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

gates have to be 5.5metre back of the kerb line and your visibility splay will need to give on average a view 90 metres each way from a point 2.2 metres back from the kerb on the centre line of your new drive.

as tony says electric automation with cheapest wooden gates and the cheap external rams is going to be at best 3-5k, we did some on a house custom built wrought iron ones, large stone gate posts 600mm square x 3m best part of 30k.

there are some contractors on here based in your area if you want an actual quote or post pics for clarification

[newbuyer17]

Thanks guys,
As you've pointed out thats serious money. I did some quick searches and had seen turntables for 5K, but that was a quick quote. Most of the stuff I've found re gates seems to be all the bits and pieces rather than a completed figure. I'll obviously google a bit more but thought I'd just come on here and see what people could advise.

I think my budget is about 10K, but depends on so many factors. Basically we like this house and would put an offer in, but the parking/access thing makes it impossible, hence me looking for solutions.

I can forget the turntable as long I can get the larger paving and gate side of things done for £10K, but to be honest anything more makes it uneconomical. I'm surprised the gates cost as much as you mention. I should point out that I'm making it all sound rather grand but it isn't, its just a reasonable size house on a main road.

I'm happy to provide further details via PM if anyone local wants to have a look , but can't really post anything more on the public forums as I dont own the property.
Thanks for your help

[newbuyer17]

gates have to be 5.5metre back of the kerb line and your visibility splay will need to give on average a view 90 metres each way from a point 2.2 metres back from the kerb on the centre line of your new drive.

Is this even if they are opening inwards? That might also scupper my plans somewhat.

[GB_Groundworks]

yes as you have to pull off the road and clear the road as they open so you aren't blocking the road or sticking out into the rd while your gates open.

[lutonlagerlout]

not sure what giles meant there either,in luton you can have gates 1m high on your boundary as long as they open inwards

where did you see the turntable for 5k newbuyer?
the only 1 i have seen was in islington,north london and that cost 20 grand +vat lot of ancillary work in those beauts

there are loads of people with tight drives m8, if you live on a busy road you end up just getting the knack of reversing onto the drive fairly quickly

LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

on new opening/access for new highway and planning regs, dependent on the road as well 5.5 might be for 40mph or just macc council,

last 4 we have done have had to have this on new openings, signed off by highways officer

busy fast road its wider visibility splay etc existing obviously doesn;t apply



Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1267480781

[newbuyer17]

OK, will have to check with the council then. I've already checked re the kerb being dropped, but didn't think about gates.
As for turntables, it was a very quick search. I can't get to the sites I went to from work, but this one seems to be around the same ball park, perhaps slightly higher.
http://www.carturntables.co.uk/Pricelist.html

As I said it was a quick search so there may well be lots of extras

[GB_Groundworks]

i take it thats supply only cost, installation will be a few grand

[newbuyer17]

Not sure what is going on here - my new posts aren't appearing.

It says £2-3K, but I was hoping there would be a lot of duplication with driveway and gates at the same time so I came on here to get an idea of total costs for the lot.

That said, I can live without the turntable if there is room to turn a car around. If you'd seen the missus' driving you'd know why I do need a method to get the cars turned around.

[digerjones]

that turn table firm is local to me south cheshire. as it happens i did the ground work for one of their turntables for a 4x4. the ground work was no work at all. just dig out 3.5 metre circle fill with 6'' stone and compact. in middle of circle leave hole 18'' round 6'' deep. job done,

[newbuyer17]

Thanks dj.That helps a bit.

So if I go back to the original estimates by LLL earlier in the thread:

ballpark
turntable 20+ K
electric gates with associated works 5-25 K
2 car drive = 45m2 roughly £2.5-4.5 K depending on many variables

do we now think this could be done cheaper, both with and without the turntable?

Have I got much chance of getting the electric gates and drive big enough to turn car around (lets forget the turntable for now) for under £10K, or should I give up? Is there anyone in the east midlands who could give me an estimate/quote?

Dont get me wrong I intend to do some ringing around myself, but I haven't had time in business hours this week.

[lutonlagerlout]

looks like the turntables have come down a bit since i last saw one, why do you need electric gates?
planners dont like these as they make the street look like a prison
I would of thought you would get a nice drive for well inside your budget,but the gates could blow it
ATB
LLL

[newbuyer17]

Thanks again LLL
The house is on a main road, but it is pretty secluded in shubbery/trees, probably for noise insulation. I'd think it would be quite easy for someone to wander in and have a walk around unseen, which bothers us. Maybe its because we are coming from a quiet cul-de-sac and our drive is open and under a lamp post etc.

I guess it depends what you are used to. So we'd like to have it gated off from the main road. That doesn't neceserily mean it has to be like a prison, wooden gates would be fine, but we'd like to be able to lock the gates.

As for the electric side of things, it would be very difficult for us to stop the car, jump out, jump in, drive in, jump out, close gates. The road is just too busy, so I was looking at remote control electric gates.

I'm not trying to be a cheapskate as such, but as I said there's a house we like but in order for us to put an offer in we'd have to do this work. Other people might not be so bothered, but we are. The question is whether it would be viable on this budget. If not then we'll have to walk away.

Thanks again everyone.