New tarmac driveways in the West Midlands

How much does a new tarmac driveway cost in the West Midlands?

Rates in the West Midlands follow the West Midlands, in line with our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£60–£95 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,000–£3,150
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,000–£4,750
Example: 80 m² drive	£4,800–£7,600

Towns we cover in the West Midlands

Postcode areas: B, CV, DY, WS, WV.

What is included?

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
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

Rules in the West Midlands

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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

How it is built