Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:11 am
This is my first post, I hope the experts can advise!
It's a 175 m2 domestic drive, laid in 1967.
There is a turning circle so a risk of power steering scuffing.
We've had on site concrete lorries and JCBs running on it with no effect, the base construction is 250mm of broken concrete and rubble with 150 mm of ballast over.
Solid - when we chased across for setts we had to use a jigger pick to loosen the stuff, hand picks just bounced off!
The 1967 surface appears to be one course 50mm thick, a mix of between 6mm and 20 mm stone in the Bitmac / Tarmacadam.
Trouble is the surface has just got old and tatty, needs replacing.
I've had a few quotes - same kinda money £6 - £8 k.
Some say dig out 100mm (top + 50mm into the ballast) then 70 + 30 mm courses.
Fine, this is the straightforward way of doing the job.
But one guy, whose work we've seen, came across and said "Don't disturb the ballast, it's great. It's done it's job for 50 years - take off the existing 50mm and simply lay the same thickness of 10mm hard stone SMA".
My gut feeling is this is sensible, replace like for like and leave the excellent base material well alone.
What do those in the know think, please?
It's a 175 m2 domestic drive, laid in 1967.
There is a turning circle so a risk of power steering scuffing.
We've had on site concrete lorries and JCBs running on it with no effect, the base construction is 250mm of broken concrete and rubble with 150 mm of ballast over.
Solid - when we chased across for setts we had to use a jigger pick to loosen the stuff, hand picks just bounced off!
The 1967 surface appears to be one course 50mm thick, a mix of between 6mm and 20 mm stone in the Bitmac / Tarmacadam.
Trouble is the surface has just got old and tatty, needs replacing.
I've had a few quotes - same kinda money £6 - £8 k.
Some say dig out 100mm (top + 50mm into the ballast) then 70 + 30 mm courses.
Fine, this is the straightforward way of doing the job.
But one guy, whose work we've seen, came across and said "Don't disturb the ballast, it's great. It's done it's job for 50 years - take off the existing 50mm and simply lay the same thickness of 10mm hard stone SMA".
My gut feeling is this is sensible, replace like for like and leave the excellent base material well alone.
What do those in the know think, please?