DrivewayRepairs&ResurfacinginBournemouth&Poole
Not every tired driveway needs digging out. We fix what has actually failed underneath, not just what you can see on top.
- Sub-base corrected, not just patched over
- 2-year workmanship warranty
- Fixed-price quote after a site visit
- 2 yearsWarranty on work
- Owner-ledOne team throughout
- In-houseBy our own team
- CSCS · SSSTS · NVQ 2Qualified team
What Driveway Repairs and Resurfacing Actually Involves
A driveway rarely fails on the surface. Blocks sink, joints open and tarmac cracks because something underneath has moved, usually the sub-base or the drainage below it. Resurfacing renews the top where that layer is still sound. A repair goes further, lifting the affected area and correcting what has actually failed. Where the whole sub-base has gone, the only honest fix is to dig it out and rebuild it properly, which is what stops the same patch sinking again next winter.
How We Handle a Repair, Start to Finish
Three steps, from first look to a walk-round once it's done.
01We look at what's failed
A site visit to work out whether it's the joints, the edge restraint or the sub-base underneath, not just what's visible on top.
- 02
Fixed-price quote
An itemised quote for what the driveway actually needs, repair or rebuild, with no hidden extras once the work has started.
03Fixed, and checked on
We walk it with you when it's finished, and it's covered for two years. If it moves, we come back.
15+
Years in groundworks and landscaping
35 miles
Working radius from our Bournemouth base
Fixed price
Itemised and agreed before work starts
4
Driveway surfaces we repair and resurface
Repair, Resurface or Rebuild
Not every driveway that has sunk or cracked needs digging out. Here is honestly what each option is for.
| Repair | Resurfacing | Full rebuild | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A few sunken slabs, cracked joints or a small patch that has failed | A surface that has faded or roughened, where the ground underneath is still sound | A driveway that has failed at the sub-base, not just on top |
| What we actually do | Lift the affected area, correct the sub-base and levels underneath, then relay it | Clean, re-joint or re-seal what is already there | Dig the whole thing out and rebuild the sub-base from scratch |
| How disruptive it is | A day or two of work in one area | The least disruptive option, no digging involved | The most disruptive option: the drive is out of use while the ground is open |
| Cover | 2-year workmanship warranty, priced at survey | 2-year workmanship warranty, priced at survey | 2-year workmanship warranty, priced at survey |
Swipe to see every column
What's Included
Standard on every repair or resurfacing job.
Fixed-price quote after a site visit
An itemised quote for the work needed, agreed before anything starts.
Sub-base corrected, not just the surface
Where the ground underneath has failed, it gets rebuilt, not covered over.
Falls and drainage checked
Water is sent where it should go, not left sitting on the repaired area.
2-year workmanship warranty
If it settles or shifts within two years, we come back and put it right.
Pricing
What Driveway Repairs and Resurfacing Cost
Priced once we know why it failed
A repair is priced off the cause, not the symptom. A dip from a thin sub-base needs that area lifting and rebuilding. Blocks pushed up by a root need the root dealing with first. We look at what actually went wrong, tell you whether a repair is worth doing or whether a rebuild is the honest answer, then quote in writing.
- We say plainly when a repair is not worth the money
- Written and itemised before anything is lifted
- The repaired area carries the same two-year workmanship warranty
How a Repair or Resurfacing Job Runs
Four steps, from the first look to the check-in once it has settled.
Site visit and diagnosis
We look at what's actually failed: the joints, the edge restraint, the sub-base underneath, or all three.
Fixed-price quote
An itemised quote for what the driveway needs, repair or rebuild, with no hidden extras.
The work
Lift and relay, resurface, or dig out and rebuild the sub-base, depending on what the diagnosis found.
Walk-round and check-in
We walk it with you when it's done, and check in once it's had a chance to settle.
Driveway Repairs and Resurfacing
A look at repair and resurfacing work across block paving and tarmac drives.
Reviews From Driveway Repair Customers
Feedback from homeowners whose sunken or cracked driveways we have repaired and resurfaced across Bournemouth and Poole.
Eileen Downie
Jacc and his team did an excellent job repairing my driveway and laying a brick border around my lawn. All of his team were very hard working and efficient, with helpful advice and the job was completed to a high standard.
Alex Ratcliff
Jacc and his colleagues worked really hard and efficiently to fence the whole of the back garden. It looks lovely from both my and my neighbours sides. They also repointed a wall, fixed a small area of driveway paving and finished a paving stone pathway around the raised beds. I highly recommend them and would have them back for other landscaping work in the future.
Driveway Repairs We've Carried Out
A sample of the sub-base and resurfacing work behind the finish.
Before You Get a Driveway Dug Up
The worries most people have before a repair starts.
Will the front of my house be a mess for days?
A dig-out is messy while it's open. We keep the site tidy while we work and leave it swept and clean at the end of each day.
Will it just sink again?
We don't resurface over a failed sub-base. Where the ground underneath has gone, we dig it out and rebuild it properly, which is what stops it happening twice.
How do you know if it needs repairing or replacing?
We look at what has actually failed, the joints, the edge restraint or the sub-base underneath, and quote honestly for what it needs rather than the bigger job.
Not Sure If It's a Repair or a Rebuild?
What to look for, and what it usually means.
Sunken or dipping patches in the driveway
What it actually isUsually the sub-base underneath was never compacted to the right depth, or has washed out over time.
What it needsLift the affected area, redo the sub-base properly and relay it, rather than just topping it up.
Weeds and loose joints between the blocks
What it actually isThe jointing sand has washed out, often because the falls were never set correctly and water sits on the surface.
What it needsRe-joint and re-compact, and correct the falls so water actually runs off.
Cracked or crumbling tarmac
What it actually isWater has got underneath through a crack and broken the surface up from below over a winter or two.
What it needsCut out and patch the affected section, or resurface the whole area where the damage is widespread.
Driveway Restoration: What Actually Causes a Driveway to Fail
Driveway restoration is really about what happened underneath before anything showed on top. A sub-base that was never compacted to the right depth, or a fall that was never set so water actually runs off, eventually shows as a dip, a crack or a puddle that won't drain. Fixing the surface without fixing that layer is why a repaired driveway sinks again within a season or two.
Whether a driveway needs a repair, a full resurface or a complete rebuild comes down to how much of that underlying layer has actually failed, not how bad the surface looks. A small area with a sound base underneath is usually a straightforward repair. A driveway that has sunk across most of its width, or where water is pooling in more than one spot, is more often a sign the sub-base itself needs digging out and rebuilding.
Resurfacing or replacing a driveway can also have a planning angle worth knowing about. Under the general permitted development rules, laying a new non-permeable surface over roughly 5 square metres at the front of a house can need planning permission unless the surface allows water to drain through it or is directed to a soakaway. It is worth checking with the local council, or asking us at the site visit, before work on a larger front driveway goes ahead.
Driveway Repair and Resurfacing Questions
What people usually ask before booking a repair.
Can a sunken driveway be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Often it can be repaired. If the sub-base underneath is still sound, we lift the affected area, correct it and relay it. Where the sub-base itself has failed across most of the drive, a full rebuild is the only fix that lasts.
How much does driveway resurfacing cost?
It depends on how much of the surface and sub-base actually needs work, and how easy the site is to access. We price every job after a site visit, with a fixed quote before anything starts.
Will a repaired driveway sink again?
Not if the cause underneath has actually been fixed. Everything we repair is covered for two years, and if it settles or shifts in that time, we come back and put it right.
What is the difference between driveway repair and resurfacing?
Resurfacing renews the top of a driveway where the ground underneath is still sound. A repair goes further, lifting and correcting the specific area that has actually failed.
How long does driveway repair or resurfacing take?
It depends on how much of the drive is affected. We confirm a realistic timescale at the site visit, once we know how much of the sub-base needs attention.
Are you on Checkatrade and Google?
Yes. We are an approved Checkatrade member and hold Google Guaranteed status. Behind that are over 15 years in groundworks and landscaping and the trade cards to go with it: CSCS, Street Works, SSSTS and NVQ Level 2.
Looking for a Different Driveway Option?
If yours isn't a repair job, these might be the page you actually need.
01Block Paving Driveways
A new block paving driveway, built on a proper sub-base from the start.
Learn more
02Tarmac Driveways
A tarmac driveway laid and finished for daily use, drives and hardstanding.
Learn more
03Patios
Natural stone or porcelain patios, laid with the same groundwork underneath.
Learn more
Driveway Repairs Across Bournemouth and Poole
And the surrounding towns we cover.
Poole
Older driveways across Poole often need the sub-base redone before a repair will actually hold.
Poole coverageChristchurch
We repair and resurface block paving and tarmac drives across Christchurch, on the coast and inland.
Christchurch coverageBroadstone
Established driveways around Broadstone that have started to sink or crack, fixed at the level they should be.
Broadstone coverageFerndown
Driveway repairs and resurfacing for homes across Ferndown and the surrounding villages.
Ferndown coverageGet a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk? Call Four Groundworks & Landscaping on 07886 075828
Repairs and resurfacing from the last few months
Most of these started as a drive the owner assumed needed digging out. We post what it actually took to our Instagram as each repair finishes.
See more on Instagram