The part nobody sees
Groundworks & Base Preparation
Nearly every resin failure — cracking, sinking, potholes, pooling — starts beneath the surface, not in it. The groundwork is invisible once the resin is down, which is exactly why it’s where corners get cut. This page explains what should be under your driveway.
Start here
Why the base decides everything
A beautiful surface on a poor base is a problem waiting to happen. Because none of it can be seen once the job is finished, groundwork is the easiest place for a cheap quote to economise — and the hardest place for you to check. Here’s what the work actually involves.
All of this sits beneath the finished surface — see how it comes together in a completed resin bound driveway.
The three stages of groundwork
Excavation
Digging out and clearing the ground.
- Dug to the correct depth for the loads
- Old surfaces broken out and removed
- Tree roots and soft ground dealt with
- Spoil taken away, site left tidy
The starting point — what gets buried here comes back to haunt the surface.
Sub-Base Construction
Building the load-bearing layer.
- MOT Type 3, tarmac, concrete or grid
- Compacted properly, in layers
- Permeable where SuDS matters
- Specified to the traffic it will carry
The layer that carries the weight — and the one most often skimped.
Drainage & Edging
Managing water and containing the surface.
- Channel drains and soakaways
- Permeable build-ups for SuDS
- Block paving or aluminium edge restraint
- Stops edges spreading or slumping
Where the water goes, and what holds the surface in place.
FAQs
Groundwork questions
Why is one quote so much cheaper than another?
Very often because the groundwork is being cut — a thinner sub-base, less compaction, or drainage left out. It’s invisible once surfaced, which is precisely why it’s where savings get hidden. Ask for an itemised quote and compare the base specification, not just the total.
Can’t I just lay resin over my existing ground?
Only if it’s genuinely sound. Soft, unstable or poorly draining ground needs proper excavation and an engineered build-up first, or the surface will move and fail. We assess and tell you honestly.
Does the base affect SuDS compliance?
Yes — and this is widely misunderstood. A permeable surface only stays SuDS-compliant if the layers beneath it drain too. A permeable top over a sealed base traps water and isn’t compliant in substance.
Is groundwork included in your quote?
Yes, and itemised — excavation, sub-base, drainage and edging are all specified, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for beneath the surface rather than trusting a vague ‘prepare base’ line.
Build on solid foundations
Book a free site survey. We’ll assess the ground, specify the right base and itemise it in a fixed written quote.