New tarmac driveways in Harlow

New tarmac driveway prices in Harlow

These Harlow guide prices reflect rates in the East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£63–£100 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,100–£3,300
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,150–£5,000
Example: 80 m² drive	£5,050–£8,000

As a 2026 guide in Harlow, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £63–£100 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,100–£3,300. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Harlow: the local details

The key facts for Harlow. As one of the larger towns in Essex, Harlow sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: CM20, CM18, CM17, CM19, CM21, CM16
Area: Essex
Nearest towns: Hoddesdon (5 miles), Ware (6 miles), Bishops Stortford (7 miles), Waltham Abbey (8 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Harlow: Hoddesdon, Ware, Bishops Stortford, Waltham Abbey, Cheshunt.

What we do on a new tarmac driveway

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
Geotextile membrane where the ground is soft or clay
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Binder course (AC 20 dense), about 50–60 mm, laid hot and rolled
Surface course (AC 6 dense), about 20–30 mm, laid hot and rolled

The build-up we price

Rules that apply in Harlow

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.

Harlow: common questions

Do you cover all of Harlow?

We cover Harlow including CM20, CM18, CM17, CM19, CM21, CM16, and nearby Hoddesdon, Ware, Bishops Stortford.

Are there planning or highway rules in Harlow?

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).

Will someone visit before I get a fixed price in Harlow?

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.

How long will the work take at my Harlow property?

Usually 2–4 working days for a typical drive, longer with drainage or a dropped kerb. We book Harlow surveys alongside other jobs in Essex, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Also in Harlow

Send us a postcode, a rough size and a photo or two, and we'll come back with survey dates for Harlow.