Almost every failed driveway we are called out to has the same root cause, and it is not the surface material.
The base was too shallow
A driveway carries a car, and a car is heavy. If the sub base is not deep enough or was not compacted in layers, the surface above it flexes every time a wheel passes. Flexing turns into cracking, and cracking lets water in.
Water got in and stayed in
Once water sits under a surface it softens the ground beneath, and in winter it freezes and expands. This is why a hairline crack in October is a pothole by March.
The edges were not restrained
Tarmac and block paving both need something solid holding the edge. Without a haunched edging or kerb, the surface slowly spreads sideways and the edge crumbles away.
The falls were wrong
Surface water has to go somewhere, and it should not be towards your house. Getting the falls right at the start costs nothing extra and prevents ponding, ice and damp.
How to compare quotes properly
Ask every contractor the same four questions: how deep are you excavating, what sub base are you using and to what depth, how are you restraining the edges, and where is the water going. The answers will tell you far more than the price does.
We are happy to answer all four in writing. Call 07365 355017.