Drainage for tarmac drives in Edinburgh and the Lothians

How much does tarmac driveway drainage cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?

Rates in Edinburgh and the Lothians follow Scotland, about 2% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Linear drainage channel	£59–£118 per metre
Soakaway or crate unit	£640–£1,950 each

Towns we cover in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Postcode areas: EH, ML.

What is included?

Driveway drainage is the plan for where rainwater goes once it hits a sealed tarmac surface: the falls that move it, the channels or gullies that catch it, and the soakaway, border or approved drain that takes it away.

Falls set across the drive, typically 1 in 60 to 1 in 80
Linear channel at garages, doors or the bottom of a slope
Soakaway or crate unit sized to the area and ground
Runoff directed to borders or a permeable strip
Connection to an existing surface-water drain where allowed
No connection to the foul sewer

Rules in Edinburgh and the Lothians

In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and a road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a porous area within the property, whatever its size. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the council as roads authority.