Concrete Driveways Coventry
Heavy-duty concrete driveways from £120 per m². Built for caravans, vans and drives that take a beating.
We are DNA Driveways Coventry, the driveway and paving side of DNA Landscapes. When a drive has to carry real weight, plain concrete laid on a proper base with steel reinforcement is hard to beat on strength for the money.
Who it suits
A working driveway
Plain concrete is the drive for people who use their drive hard: a caravan or motorhome standing for months at a time, a work van, a trailer, or regular loading and unloading of heavy kit. Things will get dropped on it, and concrete shrugs that off far better than resin or tarmac.
Caravans and motorhomes
Takes concentrated weight on jockey wheels and stands without rutting.
Vans and trailers
Handles heavier vehicles and daily comings and goings.
Long side runs
An economical way to surface a long run down the side of a house.
30–40+ years
The longest typical lifespan of any surface we lay.
How we build it
What goes into a concrete drive
The right sub-base
Our surveyor checks the ground first to set the depth of crushed-stone sub-base and plan where the water will run off.
Steel reinforcement
A grid of steel rebar is laid over the sub-base. The concrete is poured around it, adding the tensile strength that resists cracking.
Expansion joints
Concrete expands slightly on hot days. Joints filled with flexible mastic let each section move without cracking its neighbour, and keep weeds out.
Concrete is solid, so rainwater runs off rather than through it. We lay it to fall towards a lawn, border, channel drain or soakaway. That also keeps a front drive of more than 5m² clear of the planning rule on surfaces that drain onto the road.
Guide price
What a concrete driveway costs
Our guide rate is £120 per m², supplied and laid, which makes plain concrete the most affordable surface we lay. A 50m² drive comes to about £6,000.
The final figure depends on the depth of sub-base the ground needs, access, drainage, any decorative edging and whether a dropped kerb is needed. We price every drive after a survey.
Curing and care
The first few weeks, and after
- Week one Keep vehicles off for at least the first week while the concrete cures.
- Heavy loads Allow a couple more weeks before parking a heavy van or loaded trailer on it.
- After a couple of months The concrete is stable enough to seal. It’s optional, but it keeps water and frost out.
- Every 5 years or so Re-seal to keep that protection going.
If something heavy does chip or crack it, get it patch-repaired rather than leaving it. Water that gets into a break freezes in winter and makes the damage spread.
Want it to look smarter?
Plain or patterned
Plain grey concrete is all about function. If you like the strength but not the look, imprinted concrete is laid the same way, then coloured and stamped with a stone, brick or slate pattern before it sets.
A block paving border around plain concrete is another way to lift the look without the full cost of a patterned finish.
Need a drive that can take a caravan or a van? Tell us what you’ll park on it and we’ll spec the base to match.
Questions
Concrete driveway questions
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Coventry?
Our guide rate is £120 per m², supplied and laid, so a 50m² drive is about £6,000. Sub-base depth, access, drainage, edging and any dropped kerb affect the final price.
How long before I can drive on new concrete?
Keep vehicles off for at least a week. For heavy vans, caravans or loaded trailers, allow a couple more weeks.
Will a concrete driveway crack?
Steel reinforcement and expansion joints make cracking far less likely. If something heavy does chip it, a patch repair stops water and frost making it worse.
Does a concrete driveway need sealing?
It isn’t essential, but we recommend sealing once it has cured for a couple of months, then re-sealing about every five years to keep water and frost out.
Is concrete cheaper than tarmac?
Yes. Plain concrete is our lowest guide rate at £120 per m², against £180 for a new tarmac drive, and it typically lasts longer, though it looks plainer.
Do I need planning permission for a concrete drive?
Not if it drains to a lawn, border, channel drain or soakaway. Planning permission is only needed if more than 5m² of front garden is paved with a surface that drains onto the road.
Areas we cover
Concrete driveways across Coventry and nearby towns
- Coventry
- Binley Woods
- Kenilworth
- Balsall Common
- Rugby
- Cawston
- Long Lawford
- Nuneaton
- Bedworth
- Bulkington
- Hinckley
Compare other surfaces
Get a concrete driveway quote
Ring 0247 542 6111 to book a survey. Tell us what you’ll be parking and we’ll design the base and drainage around it.
