We build driveways across greater Cape Town in paving brick, cobble, exposed aggregate and tar, from a single-car strip to a complex parking area. A driveway is not a patio with cars on it — it carries a live load, so the layer you never see, the compacted sub-base, is what decides whether it is still flat in five years. This page explains how we build one and what to check in any driveway quote.
What makes a driveway different from ordinary paving
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A garden path can sit on 50mm of bedding sand over firm soil. A driveway cannot. Every time a car turns its wheels while stationary it grinds the surface sideways, and every time a bakkie or a delivery truck comes in, the load has to spread through the layers instead of punching into the ground.
- Deeper excavation. We dig out to reach firm ground, not just enough to fit the paver.
- A compacted G5 stone sub-base. Laid and compacted in layers, this is the structural part of the driveway.
- Thicker pavers. 60mm and up where vehicles run, against 50mm for foot traffic.
- Herringbone pattern. Laid at 45° to the direction of travel, herringbone interlocks so that braking and turning forces are shared between bricks instead of shoving one brick at a time.
- Proper edge restraints. Without an edge, a driveway spreads outward at the sides and the joints open.
If a quote does not mention sub-base depth, that is the question to ask before you compare it with anything else.
Driveway paving options
| Option | Why choose it | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard paving brick | Best value, easy to repair, huge colour choice | The default for most Cape Town driveways |
| Cobble | Character, suits older and heritage homes | More cutting at edges, so labour is higher |
| Exposed aggregate | Seamless modern look, no joints to weed | Best on stable ground; repairs are less discreet |
| Tar / asphalt | Long runs, farm and smallholding access | Fast to lay, needs a sound base like anything else |
| Permeable / grass block | Lets stormwater through, keeps green cover | Useful on slopes and where run-off is a problem |
How we build a driveway
- Measure and set levels. We work out the fall first, so water runs away from the house and the garage door, not toward them.
- Strip and excavate. Old paving, grass or soft soil comes out. Rubble is removed from site.
- Sub-base. G5 stone placed and compacted in layers to suit the load the driveway will carry.
- Bedding layer. Screeded sand to an even depth — not used to hide an uneven base.
- Lay and cut. Pavers laid to pattern, then cut in at edges, manholes and the garage threshold.
- Edge restraints. Haunched edges so the driveway holds its shape.
- Joint and compact. Kiln-dried sand swept in and vibrated so the bricks lock together.
A straightforward single driveway is usually two to three days on site. A large or sloped job with old paving to lift runs longer.
Driveway drainage in Cape Town
Most driveway failures we are called out to fix are water problems, not paving problems.
- Falls toward the house. A driveway that drains at the garage door will flood it in a Cape winter. Fall is set at the start or not at all.
- Sloped sites. On the steeper southern-suburbs and Helderberg properties, a channel drain across the entrance is usually cheaper than dealing with what run-off does downhill.
- Sandy ground in Table View and Blouberg. It drains well but moves, so compaction matters more than it does inland.
- Permeable paving lets water through the surface itself and is often the simplest answer where run-off has nowhere to go.
Driveway paving questions
How long does a new driveway take?
Two to three days for a typical single or double driveway. Add a day if existing paving or concrete has to come out first.
Can you pave over an existing concrete driveway?
Sometimes. If the concrete is sound and levels allow, we can lay over it. If it is cracked or moving, it comes out — paving laid over failing concrete will follow the crack.
Can we park on it straight away?
Foot traffic the same day the joints are compacted. Vehicles the following day. Tar needs longer in warm weather.
Do you repair sunken driveways?
Yes. Sunken sections are lifted, the base is corrected, and the original bricks are re-laid. That is the advantage of paving over concrete — a repair is invisible.
Which areas do you cover?
Greater Cape Town, the northern suburbs, the southern suburbs, Helderberg, the Winelands and the West Coast, including Paarl, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Brackenfell and Durbanville.
Get a written driveway quote
Tell us the size and what is on the ground now, and we will come out, measure it, check the fall and give you a written price per square metre.
Prefer to talk? Call 021 825 1395 or 062 397 4233.