New tarmac driveways in East Grinstead

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in East Grinstead?

For East Grinstead, we apply the South East rate, about 10% above 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	£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 East Grinstead, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,200–£3,450. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Rules that apply in East Grinstead

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.

East Grinstead: the local details

The key facts for East Grinstead. Smaller towns such as East Grinstead are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in West Sussex.

Postcodes: RH19, RH18, RH7
Area: West Sussex
Nearest towns: Horley (7 miles), Crawley (8 miles), Crowborough (9 miles), Haywards Heath (10 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Horley, Crawley, Crowborough, Haywards Heath, Redhill.

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.

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
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

How it is built

East Grinstead: common questions

How quickly can work start in East Grinstead?

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

Do you cover all of East Grinstead?

We cover East Grinstead including RH19, RH18, RH7, and nearby Horley, Crawley, Crowborough.

What approvals apply in East Grinstead?

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).

Will someone visit before I get a fixed price in East Grinstead?

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.

Also in East Grinstead

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