Driveways and paths · Cornwall

Front garden to tarmac driveway in Truro

Front garden to tarmac driveway in Truro start with the parts you won't see: how deep the ground is dug, how much stone goes back in, and where the rain will run once the drive is sealed.

TRURO GUIDE£62–£98 per m² inc VAT
Front garden converted to a tarmac parking space with a lowered kerb, typical of front garden driveway conversion work

Front garden driveway conversion prices in Truro

For Truro, we apply the South West rate, about 3% above our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

ItemGuide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base£62–£98 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive£1,350–£2,150
Example: 30 m² drive£2,050–£3,250
Example: 45 m² drive£2,800–£4,400

As a 2026 guide in Truro, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,800–£4,400. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Do I need permission in Truro?

In England, householder permitted development (Class F of the 2015 General Permitted Development Order) lets you lay a hard surface in front of a house without planning permission if it is porous, or if the rainwater is directed to a permeable area within the property. If the area is more than 5 m² and neither applies, you need permission. Standard dense tarmac is not porous, so a dense tarmac drive needs a lawn, border, channel to a soakaway or other permeable route for its water. If the job needs a dropped kerb, the highway authority (the county or unitary council) approves it before any work on the footway.

What is included in a front garden driveway conversion?

A front garden conversion turns lawn or planting into a parking space: the ground is excavated, a stone sub-base laid, tarmac surfaced on top, and a lowered kerb arranged so a car can cross the pavement legally.

  • Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
  • Sub-base and two tarmac courses, or porous asphalt
  • Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
  • Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel
  • A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

The build-up we price

Surface course20–30 mm AC 6 or porous asphaltBinder course50–60 mmSub-baseabout 150 mm MOT Type 1Drainageborder, soakaway or channelINDICATIVE CROSS-SECTION · NOT TO SCALE

Where we work in and around Truro

What applies in Truro. Smaller towns such as Truro are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in Cornwall.

Postcodes
TR1, TR4, TR3, TR2
Area
Cornwall
Nearest towns
Falmouth (8 miles), Redruth (8 miles), Newquay (10 miles), Camborne (11 miles)
Pricing
South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals
The highway authority

Close to Truro: Falmouth, Redruth, Newquay, Camborne, St Austell.

Truro: common questions

How long does a front garden driveway conversion take in Truro?

Usually 2–4 working days, after the kerb approval. We book Truro surveys alongside other jobs in Cornwall, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Do you cover all of Truro?

We cover Truro including TR1, TR4, TR3, TR2, and nearby Falmouth, Redruth, Newquay.

Is the survey in Truro free?

Yes for new surfacing such as drives, paths, private roads and car parks. Small repairs are often priced from photos; if a visit is needed for a repair-only job, we tell you any charge first.

What approvals apply in Truro?

In England, a new hard surface over 5 m² in front of a house needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within the property. Dropped kerbs are approved by the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

More we do in Truro

Tell us what you have in mind for Truro and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.

Free survey for new surfacing

Front garden to tarmac driveway in Truro: get a written 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
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