8 min read · Updated 12 May 2026
Resin vs Block Paving in Surrey: Which Lasts Longer?
What actually wears out first on Surrey driveways - and how the real cost per square metre compares once edges, sub-base and drainage are priced in.
Which surface wears out first?
On a properly built driveway in Surrey, block paving and resin-bound both have a credible 15-20 year working life. What kills either of them early is the same thing: a thin sub-base. We've lifted 8-year-old block paving in Woking where the original installer skipped the 150mm Type 1 and laid straight onto sand, and we've patched 5-year-old resin in Camberley that was poured over a tired tarmac base that should have been excavated out.
The honest answer: the surface choice matters less than the depth and compaction of what sits underneath it. Get the base right and either material outlasts the car that parks on it.
Real cost per m² in 2026
For a typical Guildford or Farnham driveway (40-60m², two cars, clean access), expect £140-£190/m² fitted for resin-bound on a new Type 1 sub-base, and £130-£170/m² fitted for block paving including edge restraint. Tarmac sits below both at £85-£120/m² and is still our most-installed surface across GU postcodes.
What pushes either above £200/m² is almost always invisible from the road: deeper excavation on clay-heavy plots up around Heath End and Frimley, ACO drainage at the threshold, or removing failed concrete that has to come out before anything new goes down.
Drainage and SuDS rules
Resin-bound is permeable by default - water moves through the surface into the sub-base, which means most installs sit cleanly inside permitted development. Block paving needs either permeable blocks or a drainage strategy (a soakaway, a channel drain, or directing run-off to a lawn) to satisfy SuDS.
On a flat Bracknell or Fleet estate with no front garden to drain into, that drainage detail is often the deciding factor between a clean install and a planning conversation with the local council.
Maintenance that actually matters
Block paving needs joint-sand topping up every 3-5 years and the odd weed pull. Resin needs a stiff brush every few months and a jet wash on a low setting once a year. Neither needs sealing on a residential drive unless you're chasing a specific look.
Where block paving wins long-term is repairability - a single sunken block can be lifted and re-laid in 20 minutes. Resin patches are visible for the first year before they weather in.
Our honest take
If your priorities are kerb appeal, a flat surface for pushchairs and bikes, and not seeing weeds for the next decade - go resin. If you want the longest realistic lifespan, the easiest spot repairs, and you don't mind the occasional weed - go block. For most Surrey and Hampshire driveways we end up quoting both options side by side so the owner picks on look, not on a sales pitch.
Whichever you choose, ask any installer to write the sub-base depth, geotextile spec and edge restraint on the quote. If they won't, that's the answer.