How deep should a driveway sub-base be?

150mm compacted MOT Type 1 minimum for standard cars. 200mm+ for heavy vehicles, over clay ground or where a geotextile membrane isn't sufficient. We measure and design to the site.

What is MOT Type 1 and why does it matter?

It's a graded crushed limestone/granite aggregate meeting the Department for Transport specification. It compacts to a dense, load-bearing layer, unlike the 'crushed hardcore' cheap installers sometimes use, which doesn't bind.

Do I need a soakaway?

If your surface is non-permeable (concrete, tarmac, non-permeable block paving) and covers more than 5m², yes, either a soakaway or connection to existing drainage. We design this into the quote where it applies.

What about tree roots and existing drainage?

We survey both during the site visit and design around them, cutting roots where safe, re-routing drainage where required, and flagging any drains that need re-lining before we build over them.

Can you correct drainage on an existing patio or drive?

Yes, from lifting and re-laying with correct falls, to adding aco channels and soakaways where surface water has nowhere to go. Full survey included.

How long does groundwork take?

Depends on scope, 1–2 days for a patio base, 2–3 days for a driveway base, longer for larger schemes with drainage runs. Timelines are written into every quote.

Do you dispose of the spoil?

Yes, all excavation waste is removed from site and disposed of responsibly, priced into the quote. You won't be left with a mountain of muck.

What guarantee do you provide on groundwork?

Up to 10-year workmanship guarantee in writing on the base and drainage build. £1M public liability insurance in place.

Which areas do you cover?

Basingstoke, Hook, Fleet, Farnborough, Camberley, Frimley, Andover, Reading, Winchester and surrounding Hampshire.

Service · Hampshire

Ground Preparation & DrainageThe Foundation Every Surface Depends On

Name: Direct Paving Group UK
Address: Hook, Hampshire, GB
Telephone: 07554 952489
Price range: ££
Rating: 4.8

Full excavation, MOT Type 1 sub-base, edging, soakaways and linear drainage, engineered properly so the surface above lasts. Whether you're building a driveway, patio, garden room base or industrial hardstanding, this is the layer that decides how long it survives.

Get My Free Quote 07554 952489

Rated 4.8★ on Google · £1M insured · Up to 10-year workmanship guarantee

Compacted sand bed screeded ready for block paving installation

4.8★

Google Rating

10 Yrs

Guarantee

£1M

Public Liability

24–48h

Quote Turnaround

Charlie

Owner-Led

Overview

Everything you need to know before you commit

What it is

Ground preparation is the excavation, sub-base build and drainage design that sits underneath every driveway, patio or hard surface we install. It's the invisible 80% of the job, and the reason our surfaces are still tight and level a decade after we hand them over.

Who it's for

Homeowners rebuilding a driveway or patio, garden designers preparing bases for outbuildings, and anyone whose existing surface is failing because the base underneath was never built properly. Also available as a standalone service for owner-builders and self-installers.

When you need it

Whenever a new hard surface is going in, an existing one is failing (sinking, cracking, pooling water), or drainage needs to be corrected before further landscaping work. Also for garden room / summerhouse / hot-tub bases and outdoor kitchen slabs.

Why get it done properly

Every failed drive we're called to repair fails for the same reason: the base wasn't built to the correct depth, wasn't compacted in engineered lifts, or didn't include the drainage the site needed. Fix the base and the surface above lasts for decades.

The cost of leaving it

What happens if you delay, or hire the wrong crew

You cannot see the base, so it's the first thing corner-cutting installers skip. A missing 50mm here, an un-compacted lift there, no soakaway where the ground demanded one, and your beautiful new surface starts failing before the guarantee runs out.

Risks of putting it off

Water pooling in the wrong place, migrating towards house foundations
Whole-drive sinking where the sub-base was shallow or un-compacted
Cracking and heaving through frost action on inadequately drained ground
Blocked existing gullies and aco channels missed during the survey
Trees and root disturbance that should have been factored into the design

Common mistakes homeowners make

Assuming the existing drive can be re-used as the sub-base
Skipping the geotextile membrane over soft or made-up ground
Not running a soakaway where surface water has nowhere else to go
Compacting the whole depth in one lift instead of engineered layers
Ignoring falls, surface water is either your friend or your enemy

Our process

Owner-led, from first visit to final sweep

01
Site survey and levels check
Charlie inspects the ground, checks existing drainage, marks out gullies and soakaway locations, and sets fall lines so water goes exactly where it should.
02
Written specification
You get a written spec covering excavation depth, sub-base type, compaction lifts, membrane, drainage runs and any additional site-specific measures, before a spade goes in the ground.
03
Excavation and spoil removal
We dig to the correct depth, remove all spoil from site and dispose of it responsibly, no piles of muck left behind and no unexpected extras added to the invoice.
04
Membrane and sub-base build
Geotextile membrane laid over soft or made-up ground, then MOT Type 1 sub-base compacted in engineered 100–150mm lifts to full depth, never in one loose dump.
05
Drainage installation
Linear channel drains, soakaways, gully connections and land drains installed and tested before the surface layer goes in. Falls double-checked with a laser level.
06
Handover and warranty
Whether the top layer is our resin, block, gravel or someone else's, the base is handed over documented and photographed, with a written guarantee on the workmanship.

Why homeowners choose us

The measurable benefits you get

Engineered to load

Sub-base depth designed to the loading, driveways, HGV yards, garden rooms, hot-tub bases and outdoor kitchens all specified to what actually sits on top.

Drainage that actually drains

Soakaways, aco channels, gully connections and land drains, designed and installed so no square metre ends up ponding water.

Correct falls set with a laser

Falls set with laser levels, not eye-balled with a spirit level. Water goes where we want it to, not into your walls.

Photographed and documented

Base builds are photographed at each stage so you have a permanent record of what you paid for, this matters if you ever sell.

Standalone or bundled

Available as a standalone service to owner-builders, other contractors and homeowners who want the base right before another trade takes over.

10-year workmanship guarantee

In writing on the base build, plus £1M public liability insurance. If the base fails, we come back, that's the promise.

In detail

Materials, methods and specification

This is where our jobs are won or lost. Here's exactly what we do beneath every surface we lay.

Sub-base specification

MOT Type 1 crushed limestone or granite as standard, 100–150mm for footpaths and patios, 150–200mm for driveways, 250mm+ for heavier vehicular use. Compacted in engineered lifts with a plate compactor or ride-on roller as the site demands.

Geotextile membrane

Heavy-duty non-woven geotextile laid over soft, clay or made-up ground to prevent sub-base migration and improve load spreading. On very poor ground we may specify a geo-grid layer for additional stability.

Drainage design

Linear channel drains (Aco Brickslot, HexDrain), soakaways sized to BRE Digest 365, connections to existing gullies where available, and land drains where surface flooding is an issue. Falls set with laser levels, minimum 1:80 for patios, 1:60 for driveways.

Excavation and spoil

Full excavation to correct depth using mini-diggers where access allows, hand-dug where it doesn't. All spoil removed from site, never left in a pile in the garden or on the drive.

Concrete bases and edging

Reinforced concrete bases for garden rooms, summerhouses, hot tubs and outdoor kitchens, poured to a laser-checked level with tie bars where required by manufacturer specifications. Edge restraints concreted in on all block, resin and gravel drives.

Residential vs commercial

Commercial and industrial groundwork uses thicker sub-base, geo-grid reinforcement and heavier drainage. Same principles, sized to the loading. We work both markets and price transparently.

We cover Hook, Basingstoke, Camberley, Fleet, Farnborough, Frimley, Andover, Reading, Winchester and surrounding Hampshire.

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