Resin bound driveways in Colchester and Essex
Smooth, permeable resin bound drives, paths and patios, hand-trowelled to 18mm over a solid base and guaranteed in writing for 10 years.
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 resin driveways across Colchester and Essex, and only one kind: resin bound. The natural aggregate is mixed with UV-stable resin before it goes down, then hand-trowelled to 18mm over a solid base, so you get a smooth, even finish that water drains straight through.
It suits drives, paths and patios alike, in silver, golden or black-and-gold blends, with aluminium, granite or block paving edging. You can walk on it after 24 hours and park on it after 48, and because it's permeable it's SuDS compliant, which matters for front drives.
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 look at what's there now, the price goes in writing, and every resin drive carries a written 10-year workmanship guarantee.
The resin we lay
Colours, edging and the places resin works best, from our own jobs.
Silver and grey blends
A light silver-grey finish that suits brick and rendered houses alike and stays bright.
Golden blends
Warm golden aggregate, laid here with a charcoal block edge to frame the drive.
Black and gold
A darker mix with flecks of gold that hides marks and looks smart against a white garage.
Paths and side passages
The same finish carried down the side of the house, so the drive and path match.
Resin patios
A smooth, level patio with no joints for weeds, laid here beside a new lawn.
Borders and edging
Aluminium, granite or a block paving border holds the edge and frames the colour.
Pick your colour
Choose a blend from the DALTEX Bespoke range of resin bound aggregates. Treat the swatches as a guide; we talk through colours and edging at the free survey.
Amalfi Coast
Platinum
Windsor Grey
Richmond
Gunmetal Grey
Grigio Grey
Ocean Pearl
Anthracite
Sovereign
Caramel Latte
Pink Opal
Orchid
Harbour Beach
Steel Blue
Solstice
Sunset
See all 59 coloursShow fewer colours
Azzuro Blue
Champagne Pink
White Gold
Alpine
London Clay
Athena
Fossil
Cappuccino
Mirage
Glacier
Rose Garden
Domino
Tundra
Harvest Gold
Santorini
Slate Grey
Shadow Blue
Pearl Blush
Aurora
Dune
Dark Grey
Moonshadow
Sienna
Seashore
Arctic White
Arcadia
Arizona
Oyster
Golden Pearl
Winter Sage
Polaris
Eden
Harlequin
Onyx
Morning Mist
Sorrento
Riviera
Merlot
Springtime
Sunlight
Eclipse
Titan Silver
Carnival
Swatches: DALTEX Bespoke blends by Derbyshire Specialist Aggregates. Screens show colour differently, so treat them as a guide.
Bound, not bonded: why it matters
Resin bonded and resin bound sound the same and are searched for just as often, but they're different jobs. Bonded sticks loose stone onto a layer of resin. It isn't permeable and it can shed stones over time.
Resin bound mixes the aggregate and the resin together before it goes down, then it's hand-trowelled to 18mm. The finish is smooth and even, water drains through it, and nothing comes loose. It's the only resin we lay.
The resin is UV-stable, so the colour holds in the sun, and it goes over a solid base. Resin needs a dry day above freezing to cure, so we plan resin jobs around the forecast. If your old surface is block paving that only needs bringing back, cleaning and resealing may be the better job.
Resin driveway before and after
Three of our own resin jobs, photographed at the start and the finish.
Overgrown front to silver resin
Weeds and rubble in front of a buff-brick semi, replaced with silver resin bound and a black resin border.
Before 
After Old slabs to golden resin
Tired concrete slabs at a bungalow came up; golden resin bound went down across the whole front.
Before 
After Patchy concrete to silver resin
A patched concrete front replaced with silver resin bound and a charcoal border.
Before 
After
How a resin driveway goes in
Six steps, the same on every drive. It's why the guarantee goes in writing.
Step 01 / 06
Free survey
Tom measures up, looks at what's there now and the drainage, and talks through colours and edging.
Step 02 / 06
Written quote
Aggregate and edging named, guarantee stated, price in writing. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Step 03 / 06
Prepare the base
The old surface comes up where it needs to and a solid base goes down for the resin.
Step 04 / 06
Edging
Aluminium, granite or a block paving border set along every side to hold the finish.
Step 05 / 06
Mix and trowel
Aggregate mixed with UV-stable resin on site and hand-trowelled to 18mm.
Step 06 / 06
Cure and hand over
Walk on it after 24 hours, park after 48. Site swept and the written guarantee handed over.
Resin bound or resin bonded?
They're searched for just as often. Here's the difference, and why we only lay one.
Resin bound (what we lay)
- Aggregate mixed with resin before it goes down
- Smooth, even finish, hand-trowelled to 18mm
- Permeable, so rain drains straight through
- No loose stones to kick onto the road
UV-stable resin and a written 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Resin bonded (what we don't)
- Loose stone scattered onto a layer of resin
- Rougher, gravel-like finish
- Not permeable
- Can shed stones as it wears
If you've been quoted for bonded, ask which one it really is.
Book a free surveyWhat 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
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
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.
Abas Kociaj
January 2025 · Drive and patio
I was looking for a company to replace my drive and patio my friend recommended Tom and his company who had done he's around 10 years ago and still looks brilliant so I decided to go with them and they fulfilled my best expectations highly recommend great service 10/10
Why people pick First4Driveways for resin
What customers mention in their reviews, and what we put in writing.
10 years, in writing
A written workmanship guarantee on every resin drive, handed over with the job.
Bound, never bonded
Mixed before it goes down and trowelled to 18mm with UV-stable resin, so it drains and stays put.
Tom quotes in person
He measures up and talks through colour and edging 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.
Resin driveways questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most.
How much does a resin driveway cost?
Our rate is around £200 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.
Is a resin driveway cheaper than block paving?
Not by our rates: resin is around £200 per m² and standard block paving around £130. Resin gives a smooth, joint-free finish; block paving gives you patterns and borders and lets you lift a single block.
What's the difference between resin bound and resin bonded?
Resin bound mixes the aggregate with the resin before it goes down, giving a smooth, permeable finish. Resin bonded sticks loose stone on top of a resin layer; it isn't permeable and can shed stones. We lay resin bound only.
When can I walk and park on a new resin drive?
You can walk on it after 24 hours and park on it after 48. Resin needs a dry day above freezing to cure, so we plan resin jobs around the forecast.
What are the downsides of a resin driveway?
It's only as good as the base under it, it can only be laid in dry weather above freezing, and cheaper resins that aren't UV-stable can change colour in the sun. We use UV-stable resin over a solid base, which is why the 10-year guarantee goes in writing.
Do I need planning permission for a resin driveway?
Not usually. Resin bound is permeable and SuDS compliant, so rainwater drains through it rather than running onto the road, which is what the front-garden planning rules are about.
Can I jet wash a resin drive?
A regular sweep and a gentle wash keep it looking right. If you use a pressure washer, keep it on a low setting and don't hold the jet close to the surface.
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
Imprinted concrete
Written guarantee
Pattern-imprinted concrete driveways and paths, poured in one piece and stamped in your pattern and colour, then sealed. No joints for weeds to take hold in.
Imprinted concrete
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
Resin driveways across Colchester and Essex
Based in Colchester. We lay resin 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.