New tarmac driveways in Maidstone

How much should I budget in Maidstone?

Guide prices below are for Maidstone, adjusted for the South East, where surfacing rates run about 10% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£66–£105 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,200–£3,450
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,300–£5,250
Example: 80 m² drive	£5,300–£8,350

As a 2026 guide in Maidstone, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £5,300–£8,350. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

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.

Dig to formation level, usually around 230–250 mm below finished height
Geotextile membrane where the ground is soft or clay
MOT Type 1 sub-base laid and compacted in layers, about 150 mm
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 that apply in Maidstone

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.

Covering Maidstone

The key facts for Maidstone. We cover Maidstone as part of our regular Kent rounds.

Postcodes: ME16, ME15, ME14, ME20, ME17, ME18, ME19
Area: Kent
Nearest towns: Chatham (8 miles), Rochester (8 miles), Gillingham (9 miles), Strood (9 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Strood, Sittingbourne.

Your questions answered

What is the price of a new tarmac driveway in Maidstone?

As a 2026 guide in Maidstone, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £5,300–£8,350. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Is the survey in Maidstone 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.

Are there planning or highway rules in Maidstone?

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).

How long does a new tarmac driveway take in Maidstone?

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

Other work in Maidstone

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