Page 1 of 1
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:42 pm
by tunnie
Hi all,
I'm in the process of buying a new house, it's a new build and already comes with one parking space in front of the garage.
However I would like an additional off-road parking space, I'm considering converting the front garden into space.
The curb would need to be dropped, to allow better access.
Can anyone tell me what would be a rough ball park figure to have the below space tarmac'd? - The current drive is brick, however I don't think my budget could reach to that, needs to be at the budget end, so thinking tarmac or gravel.
Finally there are some inspection hatches in the front, I don't know what they are for (yet) but I assume stronger metal ones can be installed? Current ones look like plastic.
Thanks in advance.
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:37 pm
by Dave_L
Is that a street name plate on the grassed area? There would be consequences with that I'm afraid.
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:38 pm
by Dave_L
Budget around £2000+VAT for a simple parking space and dropped kerbing works based on what I see. No SUDS or drainage provision on the blocked area??
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:08 am
by tunnie
Dave_L wrote:Is that a street name plate on the grassed area? There would be consequences with that I'm afraid.
It's a private street. I was planning on leaving that corner really, just have space done to drive directly on and leave the sign where it is in a spot of grass
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:09 am
by tunnie
Dave_L wrote:Budget around £2000+VAT for a simple parking space and dropped kerbing works based on what I see. No SUDS or drainage provision on the blocked area??
There are some inspection hatches, which are plastic. I'm not sure what they are for, would need to investigate. I'm hoping they could be replaced by stronger metal ones?
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 9:17 am
by Dave_L
You would only be allowed to drop three kerbs in total; yes replacing the covers with B125 spec ones would be easy to achieve.
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 9:37 am
by tunnie
Dave_L wrote:You would only be allowed to drop three kerbs in total; yes replacing the covers with B125 spec ones would be easy to achieve.
3 kerbs? Is that a council rule? As currently there are 5 kerb lengths which are dropped currently. It's a private close, not run by the council.
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:19 pm
by Dave_L
But you'd be compromising the road sign if any more than three kerbs are dropped or is it an illusion?
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 4:10 pm
by tunnie
Dave_L wrote:But you'd be compromising the road sign if any more than three kerbs are dropped or is it an illusion?
One full length could be removed? with the "step down" then moved up? It would give just that little extra space?
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:46 pm
by dig dug dan
If its a private road, then the council have no say in the amount of drop kerbs that can be lowered, nor do they own the roadsign, which you are entitled to move, however, you would need consent from other residents who all have a "share" of the road , and of course, you would need to relocate the sign to a suitable location
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:15 am
by tunnie
Yes I understand that, given the signs location, I don't feel it's an issue.
I've been asking various people for possible solutions, one that's been flagged to me is "Grass block"
I've been reading the excellent overview here. Cellular Paving
My thoughts are, if I dug two "trenches" in straight lines as you drive in off the close, to the back of the garden. Prepared the base with something suitable (sharpe sand?) Put these blocks in and filled with soil/seeds. Would that result in change of use, meaning planning permission from council?
So something similar to this...
Using blocks like this:
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:51 pm
by tunnie
Further research suggests no, as this type or similar allows drainage into the ground, so no permission required from council planning.
I actually prefer "GrassGrid" - I prefer this, as it can be easily cut, so I can work around inspection hatches.
GrassGrid PDF
Install looks fairly straight forward too 
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:18 pm
by DNgroundworks
In my very limited experience with these forms of cellular "grass" paving you mention is that they are a bit naff, a friend of a friend of a friend had his garden done and after a while with driving and walking on the area it ended up all slimy and muddy, due too i reckon the grass growing over the plastic, getting trodden on and turning to mud. It might just be that ive only seen bad installations of this stuff, but im not a fan anyhow.
They had it done to extend a car park at a local cricket club, with 12 months they had re-excavated the area and installed a bitmac surface.
If it was me id lay two strips of 600x600x50mm council greys, wouldnt look that pretty but neither would two muddy strips in the garden lol
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:14 am
by tunnie
Thanks, I was thinking of going the gravel route. It would match the brick of the driveway, allow drainage but hopefully not turn into mud.
As I think grass would find it hard to grow.