Pattern imprinted concrete driveways in Colchester and Essex
One continuous surface, stamped in the pattern and colour you choose and sealed to finish, with no joints for weeds to come through.
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 lay imprinted concrete driveways across Colchester and Essex: concrete poured in one piece over a compacted base, coloured, stamped with a pattern while it's still wet, then sealed. The result looks like cobbles, brick or stone but has no joints, so there's nowhere for weeds to come through.
It's a good choice for a large drive that you want to look smart with little upkeep. You choose the pattern, the base colour and the highlight colour on the survey, and the drive is sealed at the end to bring the colour out and protect the surface.
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 measure up and talk through patterns and colours, and the price goes in writing before anything is dug up.
Patterns, colours and finishes
What you choose on the survey.
Cobble and brick patterns
Stamped to look like cobbles or brick paving, in one continuous piece with no joints.
Slate and stone patterns
Slate and flagstone patterns for a natural stone look across the whole drive.
Base and highlight colours
A base colour, with a second colour worked into the pattern for the darker highlights.
Kerbs and borders
A kerb or border in a contrasting colour frames the drive and marks it off from the pavement.
Sealed finish
A sealer goes on at the end to bring the colour out and protect the surface from stains.
Drives, paths and patios
The same finish works on paths and patios, so the front and back can match.
How a pattern imprinted drive is laid
The finish you see is only as good as the ground underneath, so the job starts with the dig-out. The old drive comes up, a compacted sub-base goes in, and the levels and falls are set so rain runs off the drive, not towards the house.
The concrete is poured in one go and the colour goes on while it's wet. A release agent in the second colour is spread over it, then the pattern is pressed in with stamping mats before the concrete sets. Joints are cut to let the slab move without cracking.
Once it has cured, the drive is washed off to reveal the two-tone pattern and sealed. Imprinted concrete doesn't let water through, so the falls take the rain to a border, a lawn or a drain. If you'd rather have a drive you can lift block by block, see block paving.
How an imprinted concrete drive goes in
Six steps from the survey to the sealed drive.
Step 01 / 06
Free survey
Tom measures up, checks levels and drainage, and talks through patterns and colours.
Step 02 / 06
Written quote
Pattern and colours named, price in writing. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Step 03 / 06
Dig out and sub-base
The old drive comes up and a compacted sub-base goes in, with falls set for the rain.
Step 04 / 06
Pour and colour
Concrete poured in one go, with the colour and the release agent worked in while it's wet.
Step 05 / 06
Stamp and joint
The pattern pressed in with stamping mats, then joints cut so the slab can move.
Step 06 / 06
Seal and hand over
Washed off to show the pattern, sealed, and the site swept.
Imprinted concrete or block paving?
Both look like paving from the road. They behave differently over the years.
Imprinted concrete
- One continuous surface with no joints for weeds
- Pattern and colour across the whole drive
- Reseal every few years to keep the colour
- A crack or repair is hard to colour-match
Suits a big, simple drive you want to look smart with little upkeep.
Block paving
- Individual blocks can be lifted and replaced
- Permeable options for front drives
- Herringbone, borders and inlays
- A written 10-year workmanship guarantee
Suits a drive where you want to repair a patch without it showing.
Block paving drivewaysWhat customers say about their new drives
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
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.
Richard Parker
December 2023 · Driveway
This was a big task on a long wide driveway. The team were careful in the extensive preparatory work, not rushing any part of the process, and working steadily each day. The team leader was responsive to questions and clarified what they were doing at each stage and why. They obviously were concerned to do the work to a high standard. We are delighted with the result.
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.
Why people pick First4Driveways for imprinted concrete
What customers mention in their reviews, and what we put in writing.
A proper base first
The old drive comes up and a compacted sub-base goes in before any concrete is poured.
A price before the dig
A free survey and a written quote. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Tom quotes in person
He measures up and talks through patterns and colours himself. 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.
Imprinted concrete questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most.
How much does an imprinted concrete driveway cost?
Our rate is around £130 per m², and larger areas come in lower per m². The price card gives you a guide in seconds; the free survey fixes the price in writing.
What are the downsides of imprinted concrete?
It doesn't let water through, so the falls and drainage have to be right. It needs resealing every few years to keep the colour. And if it cracks or needs a repair, matching the colour and pattern exactly is hard, which block paving doesn't suffer from.
Is imprinted concrete better than block paving?
It depends on the drive. Imprinted concrete gives one continuous surface with no weeds through the joints; block paving lets you lift and replace a single block and comes in permeable options. Tom will talk through both on the survey.
Do I need planning permission for an imprinted concrete drive?
In England, a new front drive over 5 m² needs permission if it's impermeable and the water runs onto the road. If the rain is directed to a lawn, border or soakaway, it doesn't. We set the falls and drainage to suit.
Does imprinted concrete need resealing?
Yes. A reseal every few years keeps the colour strong and protects the surface from stains.
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
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
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
Cleaning and resealing
Priced on the survey
Block paving and patios pressure cleaned, re-sanded and resealed. Tarmac drives recoloured and resealed. The cheap way to make an old drive look new again.
Cleaning and resealing
Imprinted concrete across Colchester and Essex
Based in Colchester. We lay imprinted concrete 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.