Driveway and patio cleaning and resealing in Colchester
Block paving and patios cleaned, re-sanded and resealed, and tired tarmac recoloured and resealed, by the firm that lays them.
What are you looking to have done?
Two quick questions and you'll see a guide price.
Which surface for your driveway?
Not sure? Pick the closest; Tom talks through the options on the survey.
Block paving: roughly what size?
A typical two-car drive is 40 to 50 m². A guess is fine; the free survey measures it properly.
Guide price
Pick a surface
Guide range. Larger areas come in lower per m²; the free survey fixes the price in writing.
Our typical rates per square metre
- Block paving: around £130
- Tumbled paving: around £150
- Resin bound: around £200
- Tarmac: around £130
- Imprinted concrete: around £130
- Gravel: priced on the phone
- Indian sandstone: around £180
- Porcelain: around £200
We do driveway cleaning across Colchester and Essex: block paving drives and patios pressure cleaned, the moss and weeds cleared, re-sanded and resealed, and faded tarmac recoloured and resealed. It's often the cheapest way to make an old drive look new again.
Because we lay drives as well as clean them, we'll tell you straight whether a clean will do the job. If the blocks are sound and level, a clean, re-sand and reseal brings them back. If the drive has sunk or spread, cleaning won't fix it, and we'll say so.
We're a family-run firm based in Colchester, working across the Essex towns around it, including Chelmsford, Braintree and Harlow. Tom comes out to look at the drive or patio and the price goes in writing before we start.
What we clean and reseal
Drives, patios and paths, block paving and tarmac.
Block paving drives
Pressure cleaned, the old joint sand and weeds out, then re-sanded and resealed.
Patios
Block paving and stone patios cleaned of moss and algae and resealed, so the colour comes back.
Tarmac recolouring
Faded, grey tarmac recoloured and resealed, so it looks black and new again.
Moss, algae and weeds
Cleared out of the surface and the joints before anything goes back in.
Re-sanding
The joints refilled with kiln-dried sand, which locks the blocks together again.
Sealing
A sealer over the top holds the joint sand in and helps keep stains and weeds out.
When a clean will do, and when it won't
Most tired block paving is fine underneath. It's green, stained and the joint sand has washed out, so weeds have moved in. A clean, re-sand and reseal fixes all of that for a fraction of the cost of a new drive.
A drive that has sunk, rutted or spread at the edges is a different job. The problem is the base, and no amount of cleaning will level it. That needs lifting and relaying on a proper sub-base, which is what our block paving work is built on.
Tarmac is similar. If it's sound but faded, recolouring and resealing brings it back; with a sealcoat every three to five years, a tarmac drive should last 20 to 25 years. If it's breaking up, see tarmac driveways.
How a clean and reseal works
Six steps from the survey to the sealed drive.
Step 01 / 06
Free survey
Tom looks at the drive or patio and tells you whether it needs a clean or a relay.
Step 02 / 06
Written quote
What we'll do and the price, in writing. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Step 03 / 06
Clear
Moss, algae and weeds cleared from the surface and out of the joints.
Step 04 / 06
Clean
Pressure cleaned to lift the dirt and the old joint sand.
Step 05 / 06
Re-sand
The joints refilled with kiln-dried sand to lock the blocks back together.
Step 06 / 06
Seal
Sealed to hold the sand in and keep stains out; tarmac recoloured and resealed.
Clean and reseal, or relay?
The honest answer depends on what's under the surface. Tom will tell you which on the survey.
Clean, re-sand and reseal
- The blocks are sound and still level
- It's green, stained or the joint sand has washed out
- Weeds are coming through the joints
- Tarmac that's faded but still solid
The quicker, cheaper way to make an old drive look new.
Book a free surveyLift and relay
- The drive has sunk or rutted where the car parks
- The edges have spread or broken away
- Puddles sit in the same place every time it rains
- Tarmac that's cracked right through or breaking up
The base has failed, so it needs a new one. That's our block paving and tarmac work.
Block paving drivewaysWhat customers say about First4Driveways
Verbatim from Google. Names as they appear on the review.
4.9 from 30 Google reviews5.0 from 90 on Yell5.0 from 16 on Facebook
Wendy Youngman
May 2025 · Resin driveway
We have just had our old driveway re-resined and are extremely pleased with the result. The men who laid the resin were super efficient and polite. They cleared everything away when finished and done an outstanding job
Glyn Evans
July 2019 · Driveway
Tom and his team did a brilliant job. Competitively priced, turned up when they said they would, tailored the drive to our requirements, gave great advice and we are really happy with the end result. Always polite and friendly and I would recommend Tom to anybody.
Jake Talbot
March 2024 · Driveway
Tom came to quote for a new driveway, found him very friendly and approachable. We went ahead and the end result was superb. Hard working guys. Fully recommend.
Why people pick First4Driveways to clean their drive
What customers mention in their reviews, and what we put in writing.
We lay drives too
So we know when a clean will do and when it won't, and we'll tell you before you spend anything.
Price in writing
A free survey and a written quote. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Tom comes out himself
He looks at the drive and tells you straight. Nine Google reviewers mention him by name.
Insured, tidy, on time
Public liability cover on every job. Reviewers mention sites cleared away and work done when promised.
Driveway cleaning questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most.
Is cleaning and resealing a driveway worth it?
If the blocks are sound and level, yes: a clean, re-sand and reseal makes an old drive look new for a fraction of the cost of relaying it. If the drive has sunk or spread, cleaning won't fix it, and we'll tell you so on the survey.
Do you recolour tarmac drives?
Yes. Faded, grey tarmac can be recoloured and resealed. With a sealcoat every three to five years, a tarmac drive should last 20 to 25 years.
Why does block paving need re-sanding after a clean?
Pressure cleaning lifts the dirt and the old joint sand together. Refilling the joints with kiln-dried sand locks the blocks back together, and the sealer holds it in.
Will the weeds come back?
Clearing them out, re-sanding the joints and sealing the surface leaves far less room for them. A sweep now and then keeps it that way.
How much does driveway cleaning cost?
Cleaning and resealing is priced on the free survey, because size and condition vary so much. Call 07427 694766 or send the form and Tom will come and look.
Other jobs we do
One team for the drive, the patio and the garden. Every job starts with a free survey and a written quote.
Block paving
10-year written guarantee
Herringbone, basketweave or stretcher bond on a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base, with concrete-haunched edges and a soldier-course border. Standard or tumbled blocks.
Block paving
Patios
10-year written guarantee
Indian sandstone, porcelain, tumbled block paving or granite setts on a compacted hardcore base and semi-dry mortar bed, with falls away from the house. Steps and raised beds too.
Patios
Tarmac driveways
5-year written guarantee
Hot-mix asphalt laid as a binder course then a wearing course over MOT Type 1, with drainage falls and a block paving border if you want one. Usually done in one to two days.
Tarmac driveways
Resin driveways
10-year written guarantee
Resin bound only, never bonded. UV-stable resin and natural aggregate hand-trowelled to 18mm over a solid base. Walk on it after 24 hours, park on it after 48.
Resin driveways
Driveway cleaning across Colchester and Essex
Based in Colchester. We clean and reseal across Essex; the towns below have their own pages.
Colchester
Our base. Every service, across the town and the villages around it.
Our base
Chelmsford
Block paving, resin driveways and patios across Chelmsford. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Chelmsford
Braintree
About 16 miles from our Colchester base. Driveways, patios and landscaping with the same written guarantee.
Driveways in Braintree
Harlow
Block paving, resin driveways and patios across Harlow and Old Harlow. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Harlow
Hertford
Driveways, patios and landscaping across Hertford, Ware and the Hertfordshire villages around them.
Driveways in Hertford
St Albans
Block paving, resin driveways and patios across St Albans, Harpenden and the villages. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in St Albans
Bishop's Stortford
About 36 miles from our Colchester base along the A120. Driveways, patios and landscaping with the same written guarantee.
Driveways in Bishop's Stortford
Southend
Block paving, resin driveways and patios from Leigh-on-Sea to Shoeburyness. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Southend
Brentwood
About 37 miles down the A12. Driveways and patios across Brentwood, Shenfield, Hutton and Ingatestone.
Driveways in Brentwood
Stevenage
Block paving, resin driveways and patios from the Old Town to Great Ashby. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Stevenage
Cambridge
Driveways, patios and landscaping across Cambridge and its villages, with the same written guarantee.
Driveways in Cambridge
Also covering: Witham, Clacton-on-Sea, Maldon, Halstead, Basildon, Billericay, Wickford, Rayleigh, Saffron Walden, Burnham-on-Crouch and the villages between. Not listed? Call and ask.
Get a free quote
Let's talk about your drive or patio
First4Driveways is a family-run business based in Colchester. Tom comes out to quote every job in person, talks through the options and materials, and puts the price in writing before anything is dug up. Block paving, resin and patios carry a written 10-year workmanship guarantee; tarmac and gravel carry five years.
- Free survey and a written quote
- Written guarantee on every job
- Fully insured, public liability cover
- Family-run, based in Colchester
Need to talk now?
Call Tom directly
Start your free quote
Tell us about the drive or garden and we'll arrange a free survey.