Driveways
Tarmac repairs and resurfacing in Southport
Potholes, cracks, broken edges, tired drives and worn out car parks, any size of job. We find out why it failed, fix the base if it needs it, and repair it with hot tarmac, not a bag of cold filler. If patching is a waste of your money, we will say so.
Patch it, resurface it or replace it?
Patch repairs
For potholes, broken edges and cracked patches on a drive that is otherwise sound. The damaged bit is cut out square and filled with new hot tarmac.
Resurfacing
For a drive that is worn, faded or crazed all over but has not sunk. A new top layer of tarmac goes over the old one, as long as the levels at the doors and garage allow it.
Car parks and yards
From a few potholes to a whole car park. We dig out and prepare the base, sort the drainage, and lay and roll the new surface.
A new drive
If the drive has sunk, holds puddles, or keeps breaking up in the same places, the problem is underneath. Patching it is money wasted. See tarmac driveways.
How we repair tarmac
A repair lasts as long as the base under it and the seal round its edges.
- 1
Look and measure
We check why it failed. Water, roots, a soft base or just age. Then a written quote.
- 2
Cut out
The damaged area is cut back square to solid tarmac, so the repair has firm edges to sit against.
- 3
Fix the base
If the stone underneath is soft or wet, it is dug out and replaced with compacted Type 1 (crushed stone).
- 4
Tack coat
A sticky bitumen spray on the edges and base so the new tarmac bonds to the old.
- 5
Hot tarmac
New tarmac laid hot and rolled flush with the drive around it.
- 6
Seal the joints
The joins are sealed so water cannot get in and start the next pothole.
Questions people ask
Why does tarmac get potholes?
Water gets in through a crack, freezes, expands and breaks the tarmac up from underneath. Then traffic knocks the loose bits out. That is why sealing cracks early stops a small job turning into a big one.
Can you repair just one pothole?
Yes. No job is too small. If the drive has several, it is usually better value to do them all in one visit. We will tell you honestly whether patching is worth it or whether the drive needs resurfacing.
Will the repair match the rest of my drive?
Not exactly on day one. New tarmac is darker than old, faded tarmac. It weathers in and blends over the following months.
Can you put new tarmac over my old drive?
If the old drive is sound and has not sunk, yes. The new layer raises the level a little, so we check it stays below the damp course (the waterproof layer near the bottom of your wall) and still meets the door and garage properly.
What about the bags of cold tarmac from DIY shops?
They are fine for a quick fix to stop a trip hazard. They do not bond like hot tarmac and usually break out again within a year or two.
What affects the price?
How many repairs, how big, whether the base underneath needs replacing, and access. We give you a written quote after looking at it.
Also worth a look
Send us a photo of the damage
Phone lines open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm. WhatsApp photos of the job any time, we reply in office hours.