Tarmac driveways, laid to a written spec
New tarmac drives, resurfacing, repairs, paths, small car parks and private roads. Every quote lists the dig depth, sub-base, binder course, surface course, edging and drainage, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
- Free survey for new surfacing
- Fixed written price once the spec is agreed
- Homes and light commercial, across the UK
A typical tarmac drive, layer by layer
Most tarmac fails from below. These are the depths a car drive usually needs, and the ones we write on your quote.
- Free survey for new surfacingDrives, roads and car parks
- Every layer in writingDepths and mixes on the quote
- Fixed price once agreedNo per-square-foot surprises
- Homes and light commercialDrives to small car parks
- UK-wide coverRemote areas by arrangement
Built from the ground up, priced line by line
Tarmac looks the same on the day it is laid whether the base is 50 mm or 150 mm. The difference shows a few winters later, so we put the build on paper.
Depths on paper
Your quote lists the dig depth, sub-base, binder course and surface course, so you can compare like with like.
Edges that hold
Kerbs, blocks or setts on a concrete haunch along every open edge, because tarmac fails from the sides first.
Water with somewhere to go
Falls, channels and soakaways planned before laying, and front-garden rules checked for your nation.
No doorstep deals
We never cold-call or sell leftover tarmac. Every job starts with a survey and a written quote you can take time over.
What we surface
Driveways and paths for homes, the edges and drainage that make them last, and light commercial work from small car parks to farm tracks.
Tarmac driveways and paths
All driveways and paths →
New tarmac driveways
Full dig-out, compacted stone sub-base, binder course and a fine surface course, edged and drained.
FROM £60–£95 PER M² INC VATLearn more →
Tarmac driveway resurfacing
A new tack-coated surface course over a drive whose base is still sound: less digging, lower cost.
FROM £25–£45 PER M² INC VATLearn more →
Tarmac driveway repairs
Potholes, sunken patches, cracks and crumbling edges cut out square and re-laid hot.
FROM £150–£400 EACH INC VATLearn more →
Red tarmac driveways
Pigmented red asphalt on the same full build, often framed with a charcoal block border.
FROM £75–£115 PER M² INC VATLearn more →
Permeable tarmac driveways
Open-graded porous asphalt on a deep permeable stone base, so rain soaks through on site.
FROM £80–£125 PER M² INC VATLearn more →
Tar and chip driveways
Hot bitumen sprayed and dressed with rolled stone chippings for a gravel look that stays put.
FROM £45–£75 PER M² INC VATLearn more →
Front garden to tarmac driveway
Turning a lawn or front garden into off-road parking: dig, base, tarmac, kerb crossing and planting.
FROM £60–£95 PER M² INC VATLearn more →
Tarmac paths and footpaths
Garden paths, side passages and footpaths in hot-laid tarmac, edged with timber, kerbs or blocks.
FROM £55–£90 PER M² INC VATLearn more →Edges, drainage and kerbs
All edges, drainage and kerbs →
Edging and kerbs for tarmac
Kerbs, blocks or setts set on a concrete haunch so the tarmac edge cannot spread or crumble.
FROM £25–£55 PER METRE INC VATLearn more →
Drainage for tarmac drives
Falls, channels, gullies and soakaways so rain leaves the drive and stays out of your house.
FROM £60–£120 PER METRE INC VATLearn more →
Dropped kerbs and vehicle crossings
Help with the highway authority application, and building the crossing where the council allows approved contractors.
FROM £1,000–£3,000 PER JOB INC VATLearn more →Car parks, private roads and yards
All car parks and roads →
Car park surfacing
New small car parks built properly: deeper sub-base, dense binder and surface course, kerbs, drainage and lining.
FROM £50–£85 PER M² EX VATLearn more →
Car park resurfacing
Overlay or plane-and-inlay to renew a worn car park surface without rebuilding the base.
FROM £20–£35 PER M² EX VATLearn more →
Private and access road surfacing
Shared drives, unadopted roads and estate access roads built or resurfaced, with kerbs and drainage.
FROM £45–£80 PER M² EX VATLearn more →
Farm tracks and rural access
Tarmac or tar and chip on farm tracks, lanes and long rural drives, built for the vehicles that use them.
FROM £30–£55 PER M² EX VATLearn more →
Yards and forecourts
Business yards, forecourts and service areas in dense asphalt, with gullies and heavier builds for vans.
FROM £50–£85 PER M² EX VATLearn more →
Car park and yard repairs
Potholes, trips and failed patches in car parks and yards cut out square and re-laid hot.
FROM £150–£400 EACH EX VATLearn more →
Line marking and speed humps
Bay lines, hatching, arrows and accessible bays, plus asphalt speed humps for car parks and private roads.
FROM £40–£120 PER BAY EX VATLearn more →Is your tarmac quote complete?
A cheap quote is usually missing a layer. Tick off what your quote actually says, and see what to ask about before you sign.
Check a quote- Dig depth or formation level
- Sub-base material and compacted depth
- Binder course thickness and mix
- Surface course thickness and mix
- Edge restraint
- Drainage and falls
Six of the twelve things a proper quote should state.
How much does a tarmac driveway cost?
A new tarmac drive with a full dig-out typically costs about £60–£95 per m² including VAT, and resurfacing a sound drive about £25–£45 per m².
| Surface (homes) | Guide (inc VAT) |
|---|---|
| New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base | £60–£95 per m² |
| Red tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base | £75–£115 per m² |
| Porous asphalt drive on a permeable stone base | £80–£125 per m² |
| Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base | £45–£75 per m² |
| Tarmac resurfacing over a sound existing base | £25–£45 per m² |
| Tarmac garden path or footpath, hand-laid | £55–£90 per m² |
2026 guide ranges, West Midlands midpoint, including VAT. London is about 20% higher; Northern Ireland about 12% lower. See all prices, including commercial.
Genuine reviews only
We are a new surfacing service and we won't show reviews we haven't earned. Once customers leave reviews on Google, they will appear here, unedited.
Had work done by us? We'd value an honest review once your job is finished. We'll send you the link.
Four steps from enquiry to new surface
Tell us about the job
Use the guide price tool, the form, WhatsApp or the phone. A postcode, rough size and a couple of photos are enough to start.
Survey and measure
We check the ground, levels, edges, drainage and access, and the planning and kerb position where it applies.
Written specification and price
You get an itemised quote listing every layer, the edging, drainage, waste and VAT. The price is fixed once the spec is agreed.
Build day
Dig-out and base first, then hot binder and surface course rolled in, edges finished and the site cleared. You get aftercare notes before we leave.
Tarmac driveway questions
How much does a tarmac driveway cost?
As a 2026 guide, about £60–£95 per m² including VAT for a full dig-out with a new sub-base and two tarmac courses, and about £25–£45 per m² to resurface a sound drive. London and the South East cost more; the North, Wales and Northern Ireland usually less.
How long does a tarmac driveway take to lay?
Most domestic drives take 2–4 working days, including dig-out, sub-base, edging and the two tarmac courses. Drainage, a dropped kerb or bad weather can add time.
How long does a tarmac drive last?
Commonly 15–20 years when the sub-base, edges and drainage are right, and often longer. An overlay on an older base usually lasts 8–15 years.
When can I drive on new tarmac?
Walk on it once it has cooled, often the same day. Allow at least 48 hours before parking, preferably 3–5 days, and longer in hot weather. Avoid turning the wheels while stationary for the first few weeks.
Do I need planning permission for a tarmac drive?
In England, a new front hard surface over 5 m² needs permission unless it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own versions; our planning guide covers each one.
Is the survey free?
Yes, for new surfacing: drives, paths, private roads and car parks. Small repairs are often priced from photos; where a visit is needed for a repair-only job, we tell you any charge before booking. Remote areas are by arrangement.
Do your prices include VAT?
Home prices on this site include VAT at 20%. Commercial prices are shown excluding VAT, with the VAT-inclusive figure alongside.
Can you lay tarmac over my existing drive?
If the base is sound and levels allow, yes: we repair failed patches, spray a bond coat and lay a new surface course. If the drive has sunk or broken up, a rebuild is better value.
Where we work
We cover England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Highland and Moray, Argyll and Bute and the Isle of Wight are covered by arrangement.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Wales
Scotland
- Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
- Angus and Dundee
- Argyll and Bute
- Ayrshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Dunbartonshire
- Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Fife
- Forth Valley
- Glasgow
- Highland and Moray
- Lanarkshire
- Perth and Kinross
- Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
- Scottish Borders
Northern Ireland
Get a written tarmac quote
Send a postcode and a rough size and we'll arrange a survey. Every quote lists the layers, edging, drainage and VAT.
- Surface courseDEPTH + MIX
- Binder courseDEPTH + MIX
- Sub-baseDEPTH + MATERIAL
- Edges, drainage, VATITEMISED