The true cost of gravel grids
How much do gravel grids cost?
Compared to other surfacing options such as tarmac, concrete, resin or block paving, gravel grids are extremely cost effective.
We conducted some research into the material costs of the various surfacing types for everything above the sub base.
| Material | Cost per m2 |
|---|---|
| Gravel Grids | £15/m2 |
| Block Paving | £50/m2 |
| Concrete | £55/m2 |
| Resin | £55/m2 |
| Tarmac | £60/m2 |
As with any other landscaping product, there are so many different brands and prices to choose from. Even with like for like product types available, it's easy to miss what the difference is in terms of price and offering but we know that our products have always been amongst the best value for money.
To make sure we can back these claims up, we did some market research into the average price of gravel grids in the UK market and what we found confirmed what we knew to be the case. IBRAN gravel grids are amongst the best and cheapest gravel grids available.
| Supplier | Price | Delivery Speed |
|---|---|---|
| IBRAN | £10.00/sqm | 1 day |
| Ecodeck | £10.00/sqm | 3 days |
| CHP Polymers | £11.70/sqm | 5 days |
| Amagard | £11.99/sqm | 7 days |
| Ideal Garden | £13.95/sqm | 1 day |
| GCL Products/Matsgrids | £14.36/sqm | 5 days |
| Nidagravel | £15.59/sqm | 2 days |
| Start Safety | £19.89/sqm | 3 days |
| Stone Warehouse | £20.33/sqm | 3 days |
| Gridforce | £20.88/sqm | 3 days |
| Country Supplies | £22.98/sqm | 1 day |
| Core LP | £27.89/sqm | 1 day |
We manufacture our gravel grids here in the UK and supply directly to you, cutting any middle men. This is what makes our grids both cost effective and very high quality.
Beyond this, we also learned that in terms of delivery we also ranked amongst the fastest! The average lead time for delivery of gravel grids was 3 workings days, whereas in 95% of deliveries, our grids arrive within 1 working day.
Breaking down the overall cost of creating a gravel driveway with grids
The cost of laying a sub base
Additional to the cost of grids, there is also (depending on whether you need it) the cost of laying a sub base where material costs are roughly:
| Layer Material | Price per m2 |
|---|---|
| Geotextile | £0.40 - £0.50/m2 |
| Type 1/2/3 MOT Sub Base | £8.00 - £15/m2 |
| 10mm Sharp Sand | £2.00 - £3.00/m2 |
| Weed Suppressant | £0.40 - £0.50/m2 |
Quantities of each of these materials can be accurately calculated using our sand, sub base and gravel calculators. Use these to get an idea of the rough cost of your project.
The cost of filling the grids with gravel
Lastly no gravel driveway is complete without finishing with gravel. A typical gravel driveway would require at least 40mm to 50mm of 20mm angular gravel. To fill any 40mm deep gravel grid, you will need at least 63kg per m2.
The average cost for different types of gravel:
| Gravel Size | Price per m2 |
|---|---|
| 10mm | £4.89 - £5.10/m2 |
| 20mm | £4.59 - £5.21/m2 |
| 30mm | £4.69 - £5.32/m2 |
The cost of not installing gravel grids
The real question is, what is the cost of not installing grids for your gravel driveway? Several factors come into play with this.
You could decide that throwing some stone down over the bare soil (or hardcore if you're really keen) will be enough for the job.
This might work well for a few months. We've all seen driveways and car parks where, if you drive over it, the stones start to quickly disappear. Large ruts may start to appear in your driveway which lead to costly damage to your car's suspension, steering and bodywork.
Why spend all that money on creating a great looking gravel driveway for it to break up when using a grid could have made all the difference?
Without them, you'll end up spending time and money on replacing the missing stone, making it a hassle. Imagine if you have to replace the stone on your 20m2 driveway every other year. That would be an additional £104 every year on top of the time and labour spent for something that should just be right. Using an IBRAN-X gravel driveway grid gets it right first time.
The biggest cost is often borne by those using a wheelchair. Sadly gravel and thin wheels don't get on very well with each other, unless there's a grid retaining the stone in place and providing grip. With a gravel retaining grid system, it feels like you're moving over a much more expensive tarmac, concrete or block surface.
The value gravel grids add to planning applications
Being part M compliant is just one of the many hurdles that you have to overcome when it comes to planning applications. Even if you're not a wheelchair user yourself, it is becoming the duty of all planning applicants to make sure that the surfacing around the development is accessible. Our gravel grids, strong as they are, are part M compliant meaning you have one less issue to worry about with planning.
Beyond this, the new SuDS legislation coming into effect is beginning to transform the way we approach surface water and drainage, particularly with driveways and homes. Any solid surfacing over 50m2 now needs planning permission whereas permeable surfacing does not.
With an open cellular design, gravel grids are naturally permeable. The water passes through unimpeded into the sub layers. That's your SuDS compliance requirements taken care of.
We recently had a client whose project was stuck in planning because the stormwater provisions weren't enough for the tarmac surfacing they had in the specifications. With a call to us and switching their specification to include grids as their permeable paving solution, the project was unlocked and free to proceed. If they'd been locked down for any longer, it may not have ever started. That's some cost!
So, are gravel grids expensive?
The answer, in our opinion, is that if you're resurfacing, using a gravel grid system is not only good value for money but it's also possibly the combination of all the best and most affordable, natural options you can choose.
