Driveways, Patios and Gardens for Basingstoke Homes
Basingstoke changed quickly from the 1960s, when the town agreed to take in families moving out of London and new estates spread out around the old market centre. Decades on, the outside spaces of many of those homes are showing their age. Front lawns that made sense with one car now leave the second parked on the road, and the concrete slabs laid when the house was new have sunk, cracked or turned green.
Richard Pack Landscaping is based in Tadley, a few miles north of the town, and works across Basingstoke, from Chineham, Hatch Warren and Kempshott out to the village of Old Basing. The services we offer here are set out below, with driveways first.
New Driveway Installation in Basingstoke
A driveway has to take the weight of a car turning on it every day, in frost and in summer heat, so the work underneath matters more than the surface you see. We dig out to firm ground, lay and compact a sub base suited to the soil, and set falls so that rain runs where it should. Only then does the finished surface go down. There is more on how we build a drive, from the base to the finished surface, on our new driveway installation page.
Turning a front lawn into parking
Many Basingstoke estates were laid out with open plan fronts, where lawns run from house to pavement with no wall or hedge between neighbours. Turning one into parking works well, but it is worth checking your deeds first, as some estates have rules about what can be built at the front. We can then plan a drive that fits the width of the plot, leaves room to get past the car to the front door, and keeps a strip of planting if you want one.
Paving a front garden and the planning rules
In England you need planning permission to pave more than five square metres of a front garden with a surface that water cannot drain through, unless the rain is led to a lawn or border on your own land. Permeable surfaces of any size do not need permission. Permeable block paving and resin bound surfaces let rain soak through to the ground below, which keeps you inside the rules and takes pressure off the drains in a downpour.
Dropped kerbs and vehicle crossings
If the car has to cross a pavement or verge to reach your new drive, the kerb needs to be lowered, and that needs approval from the council as the highway authority before the work is done. It is best to apply early. We then plan the driveway around the approved crossing so the two line up.
Choosing a driveway surface
We lay block paving, porcelain and permeable surfaces, and we install resin driveways and patios. Block paving can be lifted and relaid if a pipe ever needs repairing underneath. Resin gives a smooth, even finish. Porcelain suits a modern house where the drive and the patio are meant to match.
Porcelain Patios & Patio Laying in Basingstoke
Plenty of Basingstoke gardens still have the patio that came with the house: grey slabs, often a little too small, often rocking underfoot. Replacing it is a chance to make the space the right size for the way you live now, whether that is room for a table and six chairs or a quiet corner that catches the evening sun.
The finished level needs to sit well below the damp proof course in the house wall, with a fall away from the building. Getting that wrong is one of the most common reasons a patio causes damp indoors, so we check it before anything else.
Porcelain is a good choice for a low upkeep patio. It holds its colour, resists staining and needs little more than a sweep and a wash. If your slabs are still sound but the joints have broken up, patio repointing may be all the patio needs.
Pond Builder & Pond Installation in Basingstoke
Richard trained in Fishery Management, which shapes how we build ponds: the right depth for the plants and fish you want, filtration matched to the size of the pond, and circulation that keeps the water clear. We build wildlife ponds, eco system ponds and pondless waterfalls, and for gardens used by children or pets we can fit a pond safety grid that sits just under the surface. Our ponds and water features page shows the full range.
Garden Irrigation & Outdoor Lighting Installation in Basingstoke
A timed watering system keeps new planting alive through its first summer and saves an evening with the hose in a dry spell. Low lighting along paths, steps and the edge of a patio makes the garden safer at night and lets you sit out longer. We lay the pipes and cables while the ground is open, so nothing is left on show. Read more on our garden irrigation and lighting page.
Landscapers and Landscaping Company in Basingstoke
Because we are based in Tadley, Basingstoke is close to home for us. Richard has worked as a contractor and an employee for landscaping firms and has led teams as a foreman, and since 2023 he has worked directly with homeowners again. That means you deal directly with Richard.
As a landscaping company we can take on one job or bring several together: a new drive at the front, a patio and lighting at the back, and a pond or new borders to finish. Planning it as one job means the groundwork is done once and the materials work together. Visit our landscaping page to see how a full garden comes together.
Why Basingstoke Homeowners Choose Richard Pack Landscaping
- Clear quotations with no pressure sales
- Free, no obligation quotes
- Minimum five year guarantee on workmanship
- Driveways and patios planned around the rules that apply to your plot
Basingstoke Driveway and Garden Questions
Do I need permission to pave my front garden?
Not if you use a permeable surface, or if rain from a solid surface runs to a lawn or border on your land. Over five square metres of solid paving with nowhere for the water to go does need planning permission. A new dropped kerb needs separate approval from the council.
Can a driveway and a patio be done together?
Yes. Doing both in one job means one set of groundwork and one delivery of materials, and the front and back can be laid in matching paving if you want them to look like a pair.
Does chalk ground drain well?
Much of the ground around Basingstoke is chalk, which drains well where it is near the surface. In places it sits under a layer of clay and flints that holds water. We check what is under your garden before choosing a base and deciding whether a soakaway will work.
Do you work in Old Basing and Chineham?
Yes. We cover the whole town, including Chineham, Hatch Warren and Kempshott, as well as Old Basing and the villages around Basingstoke.