New tarmac driveways in Galashiels

How much should I budget in Galashiels?

Guide prices below are for Galashiels, adjusted for Scotland, where surfacing rates run 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

As a 2026 guide in Galashiels, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £59–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £1,950–£3,050. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Layer by layer

Galashiels: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Galashiels. Galashiels is covered on our Scottish Borders rounds, 13 miles from Hawick.

Postcodes: TD1, TD6, TD4
Area: Scottish Borders
Nearest towns: Selkirk (5 miles), Hawick (13 miles), Kelso (15 miles), Peebles (15 miles)
Pricing: Scotland, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The council

The same service is available in Selkirk, Hawick, Kelso, Peebles.

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
Dig to formation level, usually around 230–250 mm below finished height
Geotextile membrane where the ground is soft or clay
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

Do I need permission in Galashiels?

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.

Galashiels: common questions

Do you work in my part of Galashiels?

We cover Galashiels including TD1, TD6, TD4, and nearby Selkirk, Hawick, Kelso.

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

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 Galashiels?

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 will the work take at my Galashiels property?

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

Other work in Galashiels

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