New tarmac driveways in Kelso

How much should I budget in Kelso?

For Kelso, we apply the Scottish rate, about 2% below our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

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 Kelso, 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.

Where we work in and around Kelso

What applies in Kelso. Smaller towns such as Kelso are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in the Scottish Borders.

Postcodes: TD5
Area: Scottish Borders
Nearest towns: Galashiels (15 miles), Selkirk (16 miles), Hawick (18 miles)
Pricing: Scotland, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The council

Nearby, we work in Galashiels, Selkirk, Hawick.

The build-up we price

Do I need permission in Kelso?

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.

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
Dig to formation level, usually around 230–250 mm below finished height
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

Kelso: common questions

New tarmac driveway cost in Kelso: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Kelso, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £59–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £1,950–£3,050. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

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

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.

Do you cover all of Kelso?

We cover Kelso including TD5, and nearby Galashiels, Selkirk, Hawick.

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

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.

More we do in Kelso

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