New tarmac driveways in Edinburgh and the Lothians

How much does a new tarmac driveway 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)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£59–£93 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£1,950–£3,050
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,950–£4,650
Example: 80 m² drive	£4,700–£7,450

Towns we cover in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Postcode areas: EH, ML.

What is included?

A new tarmac driveway is built from the ground up: the old surface and soil are dug out, a compacted stone sub-base is laid, then a hot binder course and a finer surface course are spread and rolled, and the edges are held by kerbs or blocks.

Break out and remove the old surface and spoil
Dig to formation level, usually around 230–250 mm below finished height
MOT Type 1 sub-base laid and compacted in layers, about 150 mm
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Surface course (AC 6 dense), about 20–30 mm, laid hot and rolled
Falls set so water runs to a channel, gully or soft landscaping

Rules in Edinburgh and the Lothians

In Scotland, permitted development allows a hard surface between a house and a road only if it is porous or the water drains to a porous area within the property. Unlike England there is no 5 m² allowance, so it applies to any size. Conservation areas and the grounds of listed buildings have extra restrictions. The council, as roads authority, controls any new or widened access across a footway.