This guide uses facts already published on the RKG site: fixed written quotes after measured site visits, surface-specific curing guidance, planned drainage checks, 10-year written product guarantee references, small deposits, staged payments and handover advice.
Quick answer
Before accepting handover, check that the driveway matches the written quote, the surface is ready to use, the drainage route is visible and sensible, levels and edges are tidy, the next payment stage is clear, and guarantee or aftercare notes are kept with the quote.
Handover checks by topic
| Check | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Surface readiness | Ask when the driveway can be walked on and driven on. | RKG's tarmac guidance says the surface is taped off for 24–48 hours to cure before handover; sealed drives need 24 hours before driving. |
| Drainage route | Confirm where rainwater should go: through a permeable surface, to a border, channel drain, soakaway or away from the house and pavement. | RKG's planning and drainage guides stress that water needs a planned route before a driveway is signed off. |
| Levels and thresholds | Check door thresholds, garage edges, kerbs, falls and any visible edges against the written quote. | Levels affect daily access, puddling risk and whether water is being directed safely. |
| Edges and borders | Check kerbs, hidden edging, block borders or shingle restraints are stable and tidy. | RKG's edging guidance links restraint quality with keeping the driveway surface in place. |
| Paperwork | Keep the fixed written quote, guarantee notes, surface choice and aftercare advice together. | RKG references a 10-year written product guarantee and staged payments, so paperwork should match the actual specification. |
1. Confirm the curing window
Some finishes look ready before they should take vehicle traffic. RKG's tarmac service guidance says the driveway is taped off for 24–48 hours to fully cure before handover. RKG's cleaning and sealing guidance says a sealed drive needs 24 hours to cure before driving on it.
For resin, block paving, shingle or mixed landscaping work, ask for surface-specific advice rather than assuming every finish has the same handover timing. The new driveway aftercare guide covers the main surface differences.
2. Walk the drainage route
RKG's planning, drainage, permeable driveway and access guides all repeat the same principle: water needs a planned route. At handover, look at where water should travel in heavy rain and ask how the design avoids sending water towards the house, garage threshold, public pavement or a neighbour's property.
Useful related checks are covered in the drainage solutions guide, levels and thresholds guide and permeable driveway options guide.
3. Compare the finish with the written quote
The handover walk-through should connect back to the quote: surface choice, excavation, sub-base, edging, drainage, access and payment stages. RKG's quote page says a measured site visit is followed by a fixed written quote, with a small deposit to book materials and crew time and the balance staged through the job.
Before the final sign-off, keep the quote, handover notes, guarantee information and payment records together. The guarantees and insurance checklist explains why these documents are useful after the work is complete.
4. Ask what routine care starts next
Routine care depends on the surface. RKG's maintenance guidance covers cleaning, re-sanding and sealing; shingle guidance mentions raking, top-ups and stable edging; and drainage guidance explains why gutters, falls and outlets should stay clear.
If the driveway includes more than one material, ask for the aftercare note by area: main parking surface, edging or border, drainage channel, steps, patio or landscaped section.