Planning a new or wider vehicle crossing?
What homeowners should check with the council, what can block a location, and what to have ready before a contractor starts.
See the homeowner checklist
Practical Canterbury project guides
Straight answers before you price or build.
Useful checks for homeowners, property managers and developers choosing driveway surfaces, planning drainage, arranging vehicle crossings or comparing civil-work quotes.
Made for real decisionsEach guide explains what to check, what to ask and what can change the job.
Local requirements linkedRelevant council, WorkSafe and MBIE pages are linked so details can be checked.
No made-up price promisesAccess, ground, drainage, loading and scope all affect the right solution.
Project help
Six guides to help you make a better call.
Start with the question closest to your job. Each article finishes with a short checklist you can use when talking to a contractor.
Stop driveway water becoming a problem
How to spot ponding and runoff risks, why levels matter, and the questions to answer before asphalt or concrete goes down.
Check your driveway planChoosing a subdivision civil contractor
A practical comparison list covering scope gaps, approvals, testing, buried-work records, variations and handover.
Use the contractor checklist
What good driveway preparation should include
What sits below the finished surface, why soft spots and water matter, and what a clear quote should say about preparation.
Understand the groundwork
Underground services: a homeowner checklist
Why plans alone are not enough, what safe locating involves, and the information a contractor needs before excavation.
Read the digging checklist
Asphalt or concrete: which suits your driveway?
A plain-English comparison of appearance, access, use, maintenance, future repairs and the groundwork both options need.
Compare the two options