Not only does a driveway look attractive, but it will also add value to your home. When it’s time to sell, being able to offer off-street parking is an advantage.
Driveways aren’t complicated to install and they don’t take a lot of maintenance. As long as you look after it and give it a once a year deep clean your driveway will look good for years.
Our guide covers the estimated costs of cleaning and sealing a driveway, including what affects the cost of this type of job, how you can save money and the best way to find a cleaner.
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How Much Does Driveway Cleaning and Sealing Cost?
The table below breaks down estimated costs for cleaning and sealing a driveway.
| Driveway Size | Cleaning Chemical/Fungicide Costs | Estimated Labour Costs | Time Required | Total Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15m2 (Single) | £10-£15 | £65-£105 | One to two hours | £75-120 |
| 20m2 (Double) | £15-£20 | £100-£160 | Two to three hours | £115-£180 |
| 25m2 (Triple) | £25-£30 | £150-£200 | Three to five hours | £175-£235 |
Although the time to get the job done looks fast, it isn’t if you’re cleaning a complete driveway. You have to leave each layer to dry completely.
So, there will be some waiting time. This can mean your driveway isn’t finished for a few days.
If you need to find a driveway cleaning specialist, let HouseholdQuotes help you. Fill in the online form and tell us what you need.
We’ll search our database for trusted driveway cleaning specialists to come and give you no-obligation quotes.
Click To Get QuotesWhat Affects the Cost of Driveway Cleaning and Sealing?
Many factors could impact the total cost of driveway cleaning and sealing. We take a closer look at these factors below.
Size of the Driveway
A cleaning and sealing specialist will calculate the costs of the work according to the size of your driveway. It will be cheaper to clean and seal a single driveway.
Costs will go up for bigger driveways. Ease of access will also influence how much you pay.
Your driveway may have places where cleaning is difficult. For example, a narrow passageway or around an obstacle; this means it could take more time to clean.
Condition of the Driveway
If the driveway is free of weeds and is regularly maintained, it won’t cost so much to clean it professionally. On the other hand, if there are lots of weeds, the driveway has oil and moss stains and is generally very dirty, it will cost more in products and labour to get the driveway clean.
Whether Re-Sanding Is Necessary
Most contractors will recommend re-sanding a block driveway. This is because regular cleaning removes the sand foundations.
If the foundations become unstable, the blocks will start to move and come away from the ground.
Location
Your location will affect the costs of cleaning and re-sealing your driveway. If you live in London, you should expect to pay between £35 and £55 more than someone living in the North of England.
How Can I Save Money on Driveway Cleaning?
If your driveway only has a few spots of oil and dirt that need cleaning you could clean them yourself. You should use a specialist liquid designed for the type of paving you have on your driveway.
You can also hire a pressure washer but be careful to use it correctly or you could end up damaging the driveway surface.
If you want a professional to pressure wash your drive, you can use HouseholdQuotes to help you. Fill in the online form and we’ll send trusted tradesmen to give you no-obligation quotes for the work.
Click To Get QuotesWhat Are the Different Types of Driveways?
Tarmac
Tarmac is the cheapest of all driveway materials, and, like concrete, there are colour options. They include standard colours like grey, green and brown.
You can also add decoration to a tarmac drive like paved borders or patterns and kerbs.
Concrete
Concrete is the most popular choice for a driveway. People often choose imprinted or patterned designs. There’s also a wide choice of colours. A concrete driveway is hard-wearing and low maintenance.
Resin-Bound and Resin-Bonded
Resin driveways are permeable and so they don’t need planning permission to install. They look like tiny pieces of shingle.
The resin bonds the stones together and then they are sealed.
Block
Block paving is also popular in the UK because of the large range of designs and colours available. You can have them laid using multi-coloured blocks to create an individual pattern for the driveway.
Brick
Brick pavers come in all sorts of colours and you can make patterns with them or simply lay them side by side. They are easy to install and repair, but they can be break especially if you park your car on your driveway.
Can I Pressure Wash Any Type of Driveway?
Yes, but it is not recommended to pressure wash driveways that are made of loose resin or gravel.
Before you start the pressure washer make sure you treat and stubborn stains with stain treatment or degreaser. Then loosen any sticks or stones from the ground and get rid of any weeds.
After this, you can apply detergent to your driveway. After about five minutes begin to hose the driveway. move back and forth so you cover the whole area.
Leave to dry and don’t put any objects back onto your driveway
Do I Really Need to Seal My Driveway?
If you seal your driveway it will last longer. There are various types of sealers on the market. A basic sealer won’t last as long as a more expensive product.
By sealing your driveway you are protecting it from water and the damage that water penetration does to the stone and the sand underneath.
Stains will also lift off more easily from a sealed surface because they can’t soak through to the stone below the seal.
Sealing will keep weeds to a minimum and sealing also preserves the colour of your stonework for longer.
What’s Involved in Cleaning a Driveway?
Firstly, a professional will remove any loose debris and treat weeds with weed killer.
They will then apply detergent and leave it to soak through.
The professional will then pressure wash the whole area taking care to clean the joints thoroughly.
The driveway will be left to dry for a day or two.
They will then apply kiln-dried sand to the surface and sweep it into the joint.
Some professionals will also use a vibrating plate to compact the sand.
Any excess sand will be swept away and they will spray sealant. Then, using a tool like a large squeegee draw it into the joints.
This will be left to dry for between one and four hours.
The professional will check the surface and if necessary re-apply sand in any missed joints.
They will then apply another coat of sealant and leave it to dry.
Your driveway will be fine to walk on after a couple of hours, but don’t drive your car onto it for at least 24 hours.
How Do I Find and Hire Someone to Clean and Seal My Driveway?
Ask your family, friends, and colleagues if they have any recommendations.
If not, then use HouseholdQuotes to help you find a driveway cleaning and sealing specialist. We have a large database of trusted tradesmen.
We’ll get you reasonable, no-obligation quotes from local specialists!
Click To Get QuotesEnsuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
Use the questions below to make sure you hire the best professional for the job:
- Talk to the driveway specialist about their experience and ask them if they have any case studies or customer testimonials you can read.
- If there’s a website, have a look for any photos of past work.
- Make sure they give you a written quote and ask them if that includes removing any rubbish that might accumulate.
- Finally, make sure they have public liability insurance.
Final Checklist
The checklist below covers the best steps to take to hire a contractor to clean and seal your driveway:
- If you’re using a professional make sure they have experience
- Cleaning away weeds and stains will reduce the amount of money you pay for cleaning
- If you have oil stains, you will need a specialist cleaner
- You can clean the driveway yourself using a pressure hose
- Bear in mind the products need time to dry and this may take a day
- Don’t drive on to your drive until 24 hours after the cleaning and sealing work
- Use HouseholdQuotes to save 40% off your project quote!
Click To Get QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
How Often Should I Clean My Driveway?
What’s the Difference Between Pressure Washing, Jet Washing and Power Washing?
- Pressure washer – a pressure washer as the name suggests, uses high pressure with cold water to clean surfaces.
- Power washer – a power washer also uses pressure, but the water used to clean is hot, not cold. This makes a power washer a good tool for cleaning away stubborn stains like grease and mildew.
- Jet washer – jet washers are like power washers. They use hot water to clean.
How Do I Remove Oil Stains From My Driveway?
Next, pressure wash it and leave it to dry. If there is still some staining, repeat the process.
It is best to remove oil stains as soon as possible. If you leave stains for a long time removing the stains will be more difficult.