FAQs (frequently asked questions)

That depends on our work load at the time but once we have carried out the survey it will be between one week and two months. If you have a particular preference we may be able to bring your fitting date forward

Depends on the size of project, but we will stay on your project from start to finish. An average driveway is a five day project if the weather is good

As with most areas of the Building Industry the weather does affect us to a certain degree. If rain is forecast we will not pour concrete. Neither can we seal a driveway in the wet. We have to monitor the weather forecasts and carry out the pouring and sealing of concrete in between the rain! We can’t pour concrete when the temperature dips to a certain level either, as concrete can become frost damaged. The climate has changed considerably over the years and fortunately we don’t lose many days due to frost. We carry on installing all the year round but are obviously slowed down a little during bad weather i.e. in the winter months

Yes, unlike some of our competitors, we will not excavate a number of jobs then pour them in sequence after that. We will always work on one project at a time, weather permitting, so you will have our full attention through from start to finish.

An average excavation will be around 200mm deep. The beauty of pattern imprinted concrete is that, unlike block paving, it doesn't sink. Block is only as good as the ground underneath but concrete carries its strength from being a 100mm thick, fibre enmeshed concrete slab. The preparation still has to be carried out correctly and the right amount of hardcore used before pouring any concrete.
Fibre enmeshed concrete is literally a concrete that is enmeshed with billions of tiny fibres. As the concrete cures these tiny fibres enmesh together to give additional strength to the finished product. Once sealed it is claimed that this concrete is 25 to 30% harder than a standard concrete.

On a domestic driveway we pour the concrete to a minimum depth of 100mm and on patios or pathways to a minimum depth of 75mm

Our team will always accommodate the customer with regards to access, once the concrete has been poured. There are a number of options available, including the temporary removal of a neighbour’s fence panel or using planks which would be set up securely between a doorway and a dry area of land. There is always a solution!

This is where we give you the good news. Everyone knows that block paving looks good when first done but sure as eggs are eggs after a few months (or years, if you’re lucky), the moss and weeds will start to develop and once this has happened you are forever power washing and re sanding your driveway. Not with pattern imprinted concrete, as there are no weeds. Weeds cannot grow through a concrete slab and seeds cannot develop on the surface because it is a smooth surface with no gaps. It also doesn’t attract moss because of the smooth characteristics of the surface which has been sealed with an acrylic application.
Again, block paved and flagged surfaces are prone to sinking as they are individual items. If you constantly drive a vehicle over a particular spot on the driveway those block pavers under the wheels will be compacted more than any other which causes tyre tracks. (Prominent dips in the driveway where the wheels have been travelling up and down). Imagine how sound the preparation of the ground underneath would have to be, to guarantee this wouldn’t happen?!
That’s another benefit of pattern imprinted concrete, NO SINKING!
In fact pattern imprinted concrete is virtually maintenance free. The only maintenance necessary with our product is to contact us for a re seal between two and three years from the date of completion. If you feel the driveway looks a little jaded before this time then contact us for free advice. Of course there is no hard and fast rule to this as it can depend on how much the driveway is used, but rest assured that once re sealed the driveway will be restored to its original beauty. The re seal will bring the driveway up to look almost like new again!

The final stage of the project is to seal the driveway with an acrylic sealant. After a number of hours this will be perfectly OK to walk on. The one thing we recommend is to leave any vehicles off the driveway for about four days. This will give the sealant plenty of time to go off completely. Warm rubber tyres being driven over the newly applied sealant can cause “plucking”, which is where the sealant is plucked off the surface of the concrete.

Yes, we have qualified brick layers who carry out all our “bricklaying” requirements

No problem. We will offer professional advice and help you to design your own project

A lot of people are doing this nowadays to enable better parking facilities. Some customers also mention the benefits of going maintenance free! We will gladly carry out this work for you

Yes, if it is part of the project we have qualified brick layers who carry out all necessary brick laying requirements

Yes, we can advise on fencing and if it is part of the driveway project will be happy to quote on supply and fit

All necessary drainage requirements are installed at the preparation stage. The imprint team will install “deco” drain and or, “key” drain if necessary and “rake” the concrete when pouring, to gain the correct rainwater flows once complete. This will ensure the finished driveway does not hold water.

We can offer a dozen different patterns, including four types of cobble

In theory, hundreds of different colours could be made up by mixing single colours from the colour chart, but normally there are three main bands to choose from i.e. Grey’s, Reds or Buffs. The majority of work is coloured by choosing from around ten options, from these three main colour bands

Some people like to see some of our completed projects to check our quality of work and also to gain ideas. We will be more than happy to offer you a list of completed projects in your area

We don’t apologise for not being the cheapest pattern imprint specialists. There are many small firms jumping on the bandwagon of this product as it becomes increasingly popular with the public.
We know who our serious competitors are and are confident that our prices are comparable to theirs; in fact quite often our prices are more competitive.
We will not attempt to compete with new firms or small one man bands on price. We only use the highest quality product throughout the project and will not cut corners. Our teams of installers probably have more experience with pattern imprinted concrete than any other, and our customer service is second to none. We are confident of our quality and service and offer you peace of mind, knowing that your new driveway or patio will be installed professionally and will give you enjoyment for many years to come. Over the years we have seen many “cheaper options”, and all the problems that have gone with them. If I were investing my hard earned money into a new driveway I wouldn’t be taking chances to save a “few quid”. Like anything else in life you get what you pay for.