Do I need drainage as part of a new driveway installation?

If you are replacing more than a small area of permeable surface with a non-permeable one, planning rules generally require some form of sustainable drainage, such as a soakaway or permeable paving.

Can drainage be added to an existing patio or driveway?

Yes, but it usually means cutting into the existing surface to install a channel drain or connect to a soakaway, so it costs more than including it in a new install.

What is a soakaway and do I need one?

It is an underground pit or chamber that lets surface water disperse into the ground rather than running off into the street. Whether you need one depends on the size of the paved area and local drainage rules.

Drainage and soakaway installation for patios and driveways in Cheltenham

Standing water on a patio or driveway is usually a drainage problem, not just a paving one. This work covers installing channel drains along thresholds and low points, soakaways to disperse water on site, and permeable paving details that help meet drainage rules for larger hard-standing areas.

It sits across paving categories because a soakaway or channel drain is often installed at the same time as a new driveway, patio or block paved area, rather than being sold on its own. Contractors doing this work coordinate the drainage layout with the paving levels so water is directed away from the house and doesn't pool at doorways or boundary edges.

Common installs: linear channel drains at garage and patio thresholds, soakaway pits, permeable jointing or sub-base for driveways
Often required to meet planning rules on surface water runoff for new or replacement driveways
Best planned before paving goes down, since retrofitting drainage into a finished surface means digging it back up

What it costs

Cost depends on how much drainage run is needed, ground conditions (clay soil drains poorly and may need a bigger soakaway), and whether it is planned in with new paving or retrofitted into an existing surface. Retrofitting is more expensive because it involves cutting into and reinstating the existing paving.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for patio & garden paving.

1. BJ Surfacing
4.8★ · 148 reviews

88
2. Grass Scape
4.9★ · 35 reviews

84
3. Inventive drives and patios LTD
5.0★ · 20 reviews

77

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FAQ

Do I need drainage as part of a new driveway installation?: If you are replacing more than a small area of permeable surface with a non-permeable one, planning rules generally require some form of sustainable drainage, such as a soakaway or permeable paving.
Can drainage be added to an existing patio or driveway?: Yes, but it usually means cutting into the existing surface to install a channel drain or connect to a soakaway, so it costs more than including it in a new install.
What is a soakaway and do I need one?: It is an underground pit or chamber that lets surface water disperse into the ground rather than running off into the street. Whether you need one depends on the size of the paved area and local drainage rules.

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