New tarmac driveways in Nairn

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in Nairn?

Guide prices below are for Nairn, adjusted for Scotland, where surfacing rates run including a travel and haulage allowance because work here is by arrangement.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£65–£102 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,150–£3,400
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,250–£5,100
Example: 80 m² drive	£5,150–£8,200

As a 2026 guide in Nairn, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £65–£102 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,150–£3,400. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What is included in 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
MOT Type 1 sub-base laid and compacted in layers, about 150 mm
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Binder course (AC 20 dense), about 50–60 mm, laid hot and rolled
Falls set so water runs to a channel, gully or soft landscaping

Covering Nairn

The key facts for Nairn. Work in Nairn is by arrangement. Hot material has further to travel, so we group jobs and tell you about any travel cost first.

Postcodes: IV12
Area: Highland and Moray
Nearest towns: Forres (10 miles), Inverness (15 miles), Elgin (21 miles)
Pricing: Scotland rates plus a travel allowance (by arrangement)
Cover: By arrangement
Kerb approvals: The council

Close to Nairn: Forres, Inverness, Elgin.

Planning and kerb rules for Nairn

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.

Nairn: common questions

Do you cover all of Nairn?

We cover Nairn including IV12, and nearby Forres, Inverness, Elgin. Work here is by arrangement.

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

Nairn is covered by arrangement. We confirm any travel cost before booking the survey.

Do I need permission for a new tarmac driveway in Nairn?

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. Dropped kerbs are approved by the council as roads authority.

How long does a new tarmac driveway take in Nairn?

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

Other work in Nairn

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