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At Southampton Driveway, they are a dedicated company in the UK providing Southampton residents with paving services. One of their objectives is to protect the investment of their clients, alongside enhancing their current projects to make each property increase its resale value.

One of the major problems of driveway clients is that their money is put to waste when they hire the wrong guy, turning out their driveway has lots of problems and is not ready for heavy rains.

Whether you have a damaged driveway or planning to get a new one, Southampton driveway fitters are here to help.

Read on to learn how to protect your property from driveway flooding.

Steps to prevent driveway flooding

Flooding will cause severe damage to your driveway if not given a solution to it. Save your driveway by adopting the following tips on flooding.

1. Find the source of water.
2. Redirect the water flow to a more effective drainage system.
3. Check gutters and downspouts. It is important to note that the terminal of the water coming from the downspouts is directed to the street and then to the main sewage.
4. Dig additional ditches to create a runoff if you think that’s the best path to the water flow.
5. Replace the driveway with more permeable paving.

What happens when your driveway doesn’t have a drainage system on its own?

A driveway that creates a pool of water results in problems with the integrity of the surface.

• Poor water runoff contributes to frequent flooding that can extend to your front door
• Ponds are a breeding site for insects
• Flood softens the paving of the driveway
• Will give you a slippery driveway
• Will destroy your home’s appeal

So, what can you do?

Follow these tips:

1. Redirect the water flow

• If you can find the cause of flooding, build a different path for water to flow. Wait for the rain and see if the diversion worked.
• If you notice the problem comes from the sloping of the driveway, then the path is not the problem. You need the help of a driveway builder to fix the surface levelling.
• Check the gutter and the downspout. If the water drops from a damaged gutter, it means the water does not fully flow to the downspout. Have your drain fixed to prevent the leak.
• But if the gutter is working fine, try to extend your downspout pipe that will lead the water to a proper drainage system.
• Avoid diverting the water runoff to another property or to the street. With proper channelling, you can prevent the driveway from damage and save yourself from local city fines.

2. Install a new drain

Most drainage systems are overused due to frequent flooding. You know how powerful water is that it will soon give away when it drenched a certain implement. Apart from wear and tear, your drainage could be overly clogged and old.

• Have your driveway builder create a trench drain in your landscape for effective de-flooding.
• Ensure the path is sloped downward to the street to prevent the water from entering the centre pavement. Lead the trench to the drainage point or a dry well.
• For effective water runoff, install a French drain and a dry well as its endpoint to ensure the soil absorbs the collected water from the heavy rain.

When it constantly rains, the French drain is an effective method in preventing flooding. Install the French drain to a location you think most of the water drips off. This drain is built by digging a long trench that goes towards the dry well. It has a perforated pipe where water can percolate when it drips down from the soil.

Before laying the pipe, place a geo-fabric for separating dirt from water that goes into the pipe.

Install a new driveway with a different surface

The most common problem of flooding is due to a non-permeable surface of the driveway. A permeable surface is one with a soil base. 

Materials like concrete collect standing water because the concrete is compact and less porous than block paving, tarmac, or gravel.

Though changing the surface is costly and labour intensive, consult a driveway fitter in Southampton before you do so. The driveway contractor you hire can also help you with planning permission if a requirement comes up.

Gravel and tarmacadam are suitable surfaces against flooding. The flood water will naturally flow down in between the stone aggregates to the soil. The soil will absorb the water fast and will prevent standing water on the surface.

Conclusion

With these tips, you have the option to do it by yourself if you have the necessary tools and equipment. But we highly suggest having someone expert in driveways do the job so they can assess beforehand what to fix.

If you need to talk to licensed driveway contractors, Southampton Driveway is here to help. Call our representatives or send your queries through the websites to take immediate action for your driveway flooding issue.

A driveway provider in Southampton warns potential customers of potential scams on paving.

Scammers are targeting residences and offering paving services for a cheap price. However, this trend had been happening since time immemorial where bogus companies try to lure potential customers.

Consumers must be highly cautious when engaging in a contract for a driveway repair or makeover according to Southampton Driveways and Patio Pro. Never make bad decisions and judgements.

How do you know that you are dealing with a pretentious contractor?

Beware of scammers!

Different signs of scams:

• Unable to provide a contract. After a long talk, given that you were convinced when the signing of the contract will take off, there’s not a piece of paper to show. These kinds of people who always talk a lot but have nothing to present are bogus. Don’t be fooled by flowery words.
• Suspiciously cheap offers. We know that prices drop at certain times, but it doesn’t mean they spiral downwards. Legit prices are never too low unless they want their service for free. Besides, construction materials are quite pricey this time due to the recent resurgent of businesses and supplies. Very low rates are doubtful.
• Convincing but not convincing enough. A little dubious in behaviour. It is the salesman’s nature to be pushy but not trying hard. If they insist on their merchandise after many NOs on your part, you bet it is not a genuine paver provider. Because an honest seller will let you sit down and discuss things and make proper assessments for your property. Reputable contractors would even send their written estimation in a week.
• Asks for upfront. It is very rare for legit businesses to ask for upfront. If there is, careful assessment has already been penned and studied, and its release would take some time. What they stipulate contain no hidden fees. This is mostly the reason why customers get scammed. After believing in the flowery talk, sales representatives would surprisingly ask for an advance or include unscrupulous details on the offer. Never deal with this kind of people. Once they have your cash, you will never see them again, ever.
• Going door to door. It is an old way to go door to door. Modern salesmen never offer their merchandise that way anymore. Besides, what they offer are services, not products. It is easier to sell products by the knock on the door if the item is already on hand. But a service like home improvement is different merchandise. Plus, websites and social media are already a thing! If people are searching for driveway companies, they would rather look up the Internet instead of the old school yellow pages.
• No service truck in tow. Official trucks or cars speak for a legit company. Make careful research of the company, ask for telephone numbers, get the physical address, and if possible talk to a live customer representative over the phone to ensure you are dealing with a genuine company.
• Shoddy works. You may not immediately hint that the people you deal with are scammers if they have the complete equipment and workmen. But look at their work if it passes quality. Poor workmanship can easily be seen if the paving crumbles after rain or a few passes from your vehicle, or a very shallow surface.

Reputable contractors will never present themselves as con men. More often, customers make queries online and seek them according to what the company can offer.

If a customer wants to begin a paving project, do a makeover driveway, he will ask for recommendations from driveway companies with good backgrounds and have a proven track record in their place.

If someone shows up and says they are going to give you some super good deal offer, say NO.

Investigate who you are dealing with. If you are keen on getting a new paving project for your home improvement, visit https://www.southamptondrivewaypro.co.uk/  and look for the best offers. More often, they post their promos there and you will get to see the list of services they have.

For more helpful tips on getting the best driveway and patio, call Southampton Driveway and Patio Pro. They will be more than happy to help.

With many fly-by-night companies, property owners have this fear of trusting a certain driveway company believing these hookers have sweet words to agree to a contract that is non-existent.

The competition out there is tough, as we know of. And it is quite a challenge to build some trust especially when customers have no idea that your business exists after all. That’s why, due to declining trust rates, some driveway businesses fail and shut down.

But not with Southampton Driveway & Patio Pro. To be able to offer our customers and future clients to keep believing and patronizing our services, we provide tips on hiring the right contractors.

Special questions become metrics when sizing up a driveway company.

So before you hire someone, saying that they have been here for quite some time, it is best to expect the worst and be vigilant on who and what you are getting into.

Someone who knows the ins and outs of home improvement is sometimes used as a mask to pretend that they are legit businesses. But with the following tips, you will be the judge.

Questions to Ask Before Signing a Contract

1. How long have you been serving Southampton and offering driveway and patio contracts?

The years of existence of any business in one location is a measure of the business’ stability. The longer they stay in the industry, the more clients they serve. If a company survives the ups and downs, there is no doubt they will forge a good reputation with their clients, colleagues, potential and old customers.

2. What types of services do you offer?

This is a crucial question. If a salesman cannot offer specific details of their services, you have all the right to doubt.

A business with legit undertakings can easily answer such a question. For example, a potential buyer or customer may ask about technical matters on the offer, such as the materials involved in building a patio or the prices that go along with each material. If they couldn’t furnish a sane answer, cut the engagement ASAP.

3. Can you send me your pricing and other charges?

One thing to fear is when customers refuse to pay because they have been hooked to bogus contractors that impose hidden charges. Hidden charges are a no-no in business because the more a business does that when it comes to requesting payments, customers will leave them right away.

If the contractor you are talking to is going around the bush, then you have the right to suspect that he doesn’t know his craft and is a fake.

4. Who are you working with?

Deceptive contractors cannot immediately have an answer to this question. It is only reasonable to inquire about the team so that you know who you are dealing with. After all, it is you who will be paying. And it can be that the person you are talking to has a team of non-qualified people. 

Finding that the builders you hired for are not certified, you have no way to run after a warranty if there is in a sense. With professional driveway fitters, work with class and do not leave any mess behind. You know it is part of their dedication to clean up and be courteous with the people they are servicing for.

5. Do you have a website or a satellite on-site office?

Check their website, call their numbers, and physical address and ask for more credentials to ensure that the contractor you found has a legit business.

Scammers proliferate the Internet and the ground, so in any way, you can be fooled. Someone who asks for upfront is a doubtful contractor because anytime they can be the no-show people when the scheduled job arrives.

6. Can you present some of your works?

Customers would often ask these, as this will serve as their reference in choosing the right driveway or patio for them. If the contractor has a prepared portfolio or could even invite you to their office, you know you are dealing with the right people.

7. Do you have a contract to which I can sign on?

A contract is a legal tender in closing a deal. This is the ultimate document your future contractor should present.

A legit driveway fitter has a contract to present and is not just a piece of paper that contains vague information but the specifics of the work, warranties, clauses, and other legal statements for the customer to carefully decide before signing.

The contract is binding and superseded all verbal agreements once it is signed.

Contractors who can’t produce a contract after letting you agree to pursue a project are fraudulent operators to earn money. 

In case they were able to build your patio or driveway, the company should still be reachable in case you want to have them polish a substandard work. If they are non-responsive, it means they are fake.

Trust on Southampton Driveway & Patio Pro

If you want someone to trust, come and see for yourself our past installations of patios and driveways. For two decades and counting, our solid reputation in the building industry hasn’t been tarnished by anyone.

At Southampton Driveway & Patio, you can expect excellent driveway jobs and excellent workmanship. You can choose from tarmacs, gravel, resin bound, block paving, or concrete for your driveway surface or patio pavements. 

If you are interested in what we do, check our website or call our representatives on this number: 02381 040245.

The end of the coronavirus pandemic has become pivotal for small businesses; either they thrive or fail. With more closed shops for almost two years in the run since the start of the infamous virus, half of those were able to hold on but accepted their fate with a small return.

As far as the industry rolls, where should we go from here?

Instead of using the lockdown as roadblocks to success, businesses like Southampton Driveways were forced to adapt to the changing times. Besides, their continued service will serve as a flicker of hope with peers to revive the economy. 

With companies open, goods and services made available to them, people will continue buying and patronizing. The same as breathing, nobody should stop. And this is a chain reaction.

Serving as a Silver Lining

Given that many firms closed due to a lack of strength to move forward brought by diminishing funds, others continue operating in different work steups just for the business to keep going. Thus, the work-from-home setup gave birth to many industries to continue operation.

All the more, they find a reason to get up on their sleeves because there’s more to it than just quitting.

In other words, the pandemic and the trivial perseverance of small companies, even the big ones, served as a silver lining to different industries. What are these industries?

Almost every industry.

• We have the food industry embarking on food deliveries in the absence of dine-in options.
• The furniture industry boomed its way to produce and build more office and home furnishings where employees transformed their home into a home office. With more time spent at home, people started discovering what they lack and how they can improve their workplace.
• Some countries that vetted for homeschooling gave way for parents to buy their children what they need: computers, printers, school supplies—though it was never the same while in school, somehow the demand at home became more.
• Remote shared offices and cafes sprouted like beans, finding the need to provide spaces for those who can’t afford to work at home.

What does it have to do with the building and construction industry, such as Southampton Driveways?

Though going to work has become a challenge, even for employees of construction companies, engaging with potential customers and suppliers don’t end. 

Southampton Driveway team and staff are always ready to accept clients for new contracts, connect with them through virtual meetings, and follow health protocols imposed by the government when there is a need to proceed on-site for owner-client interaction to close a deal.

Keeping Up with the Standards

It is the commitment of the Southampton Driveway team to work with a culture of trust and integrity. And part of this moral compass is to adhere to social and health protocols while their builders carry their jobs.

With pandemic or without, business continues, services improved, respect tightened, and excellence met at all times when doing installation or driveway surface repair in any home.

Even if communication has changed its face, which is only temporary, our contractors have more reasons to respect the shift in nature of delivering our services. All the more, our team knows what to do before they arrive at your place.

Customer Gain

How do the pre and post-pandemic affect property owners in the limited offerings of driveway contractors?

They are affected in many ways.

The pre-pandemic is the old normal for property owners to be complacent, assuring themselves that home improvement companies are just arms reached whenever they need them.

On the other hand, the post-pandemic brought more value to home improvers since homeowners saw the need for their services more than they did during the old normal.

A limited workforce that reports for work, scarcity in production of raw materials, and increased costs on materials and labor became the grinding point for driveway companies. Luckily, this struggle has been won, and the higher demand served as a trigger to revive the business.

The ultimate lesson we can get here is that we all can stretch our limits for the good of all. As been said, it is a chain reaction and a domino effect. But right now, so long for the dominoes and say hello to brighter days ahead.

So, if you are one of the homeowners who think someone needs to check your driveways, that’s been put on the back burner to a temporary halt to everything, feel free to ask us.

Our office is open to any planned bookings you have. Reach out to our representatives and discuss how you can improve your place with our various paving offers.

Whether you need a driveway facelift, patio, and paving addition, call the Southampton Driveway & Patio Pro staff anytime at this number: 02381 040245.