Driveway Sinking? Here's How We Find Out Why and Fix It in Kenilworth

A sinking driveway is one of those problems where the visible defect and the actual problem live at different depths. The surface drops because the layers beneath it — the bedding and the load-bearing subbase — have eroded, compacted unevenly or washed away. That is why pouring fresh tarmac or concrete over a sinking area almost never works: the new surface simply joins the old one on its way down. This page explains what typically causes driveways to sink, how we find out which cause you have, and what an honest repair looks like.

Why driveways sink

The usual suspects are water and weight acting on a weak base. If the drive was laid over soft ground, or the subbase was too thin or not properly compacted, the layers slowly compress under vehicles and the surface follows. Water accelerates everything: a drive without an adequate fall, or with cracked or open edges, lets rain soak beneath the surface, and that water washes fine material out of the subbase or softens the ground below until cavities form and the surface dips into them. Old service trenches that were backfilled loosely can sink years later in neat rectangles. Leaking drains or water pipes underneath are a less common but important cause — a dip that keeps growing steadily deserves a look at what is buried beneath it. And nearby tree roots, once removed, can leave voids the surface slowly settles into.

How we diagnose the sinking

We start by mapping the extent of the movement — a dip confined to one bay of a concrete drive tells a different story from a broad sag across the whole wheel path. We probe the surface to find where the base is sound and where it has gone soft or hollow, check the fall and drainage to see how water is getting under the surface, and look at edges, joints and any trench lines. We ask about when it started and whether it grows after heavy rain, which often points to water rather than simple settlement. Where the pattern suggests it, we will recommend checking for a leak below before any rebuild, because building on an undetected leak is rebuilding on a timer.

The repair

An honest fix for a sinking driveway means rebuilding the failed layers. We excavate the affected section down to sound material, remove the contaminated or uncompacted base, rebuild in properly compacted layers — geotextile and appropriate hardcore where ground conditions call for it — and resurface to match or blend with the existing drive. Where the sinking is caused by water, we also correct the fall, edges and drainage so the new base is not fed by the same leak. Excavation involves underground services: we locate carefully and use detectors where appropriate, but no scan can guarantee exactly what is below, so utilities' plans and a safe dig approach form part of the responsibilities we set out with you. On drives with widespread subbase failure, we will say plainly when sectional repairs stop being economical and replacement becomes the better value; that decision, and the price, comes after a proper survey.

What we cannot promise

We do not guarantee that a rebuilt section will never move again — ground settlement, weathering and traffic keep acting on any driveway, especially where the surrounding ground is soft or the water situation is difficult. What we do promise is a rebuild to appropriate depths and compaction, drainage corrected as part of the work, and honest advice on monitoring afterwards. If a repaired area starts moving again within a short period, we want to know, because that tells us something new is happening below.

Before we arrive

Keep vehicles off the sinking area — every pass accelerates the movement and can turn a repairable dip into a collapse. Note where water pools after rain and whether the dip grows, and mention any known pipes, drains or cables under the drive when you book.

Booking and costs

You pay a booking fee when you book, and labour is charged hourly at a rate that depends on how soon you need the visit. The assessment visit itself is charged at that rate. Any repair work is quoted in full and approved before we start, with materials quoted separately; a sectional rebuild or full replacement is a larger project quoted after survey, and multi-day work is staged with clear checkpoints.