I’m still in the process of preparingadvice needed

[Paul Miller]

I’m still in the process of preparing the groundworks for my DIY project and will not be ready to start laying blocks for some time. The project comprises of an approximate 8 x 8 metre front garden & driveway. The garden part of the area will have a feature in the centre to break up the monotony.

However, before I commit myself to actually buying blocks, I’m after some opinions.

I know what I’m going to ask is all down to personal taste and preference, but I thought I would see what the experts think.

Initially I was looking at laying Marshalls Driveline 50 blocks in brindle, in a 45 degree herringbone pattern, with a charcoal border. But is this all a bit boring? And am I likely regret this choice.

Mainly the reason for choosing the Driveline 50 is to at keep the cost down. I realise that this is the cheaper end of the market, but can I do better in terms of quality of block and colour without spending a fortune?

The house itself is a 1950’s 3 bed semi with the lower in brick and the upper rendered and painted pale yellow (Cornish cream).

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Many thanks

Paul

[Paul Miller]

Hmm. Don't know what happended to the title. It should have read 'Advise Needed'

[lutonlagerlout]

clay all the way paul
the digging out and prep still cost the same
we charge around £70 per metre for standard blocks and £80 per metre for clays,so for 15% more outlay you get a visible product that is double the cost
back to you
LLL

[Tony McC]

It's worth researching your choice of block very thoroughly, as all the other costs (excavation, drainage, sub-base, etc) are the same and spending 10 quid a metre extra on blocks really isn't going to add a huge whack to the total cost.

Driveline 50 are Britain's best selling block, and they've achieved that venerable status by providing good quality at a reasonable price. The brindle varies from factory to factory but is still the most popular choice for a multi-colour. The flip side of that particular coin is that, you can see the brindle-and-charcoal combination on virtually every street in the land, so if you were looking for summat a little more individual, you'd need to reconsider the colour, or perhaps the block format?

If you were able to post a photie of the house, perhaps a few of the Brew Cabin Irregulars could suggest their own preference ion terms of style and colour?