Permeable tarmac driveways in Edinburgh

How much should I budget in Edinburgh?

For Edinburgh, 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)
Porous asphalt drive on a permeable stone base	£78–£122 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,600–£4,050
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,900–£6,100
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,250–£9,800

As a 2026 guide in Edinburgh, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £78–£122 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,600–£4,050. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Rules that apply in Edinburgh

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. If the job needs a dropped kerb, the council as roads authority approves it before any work on the footway.

What is included in a permeable tarmac driveway?

A permeable tarmac drive uses porous asphalt, a mix with fewer fine particles so water passes through the gaps, laid on an open-graded stone base that stores the rain and lets it soak into the ground.

Dig out deeper than a standard drive to fit the storage layer
Geotextile separating layer on the formation
Open-graded permeable sub-base, often Type 3 or 4/20 stone
Porous asphalt binder and surface courses
Overflow to a soakaway or border on slow-draining ground

Where we work in and around Edinburgh

Edinburgh at a glance. As one of the larger towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians, Edinburgh sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: EH1, EH2, EH3, EH8, EH7, EH9, EH6, EH5
Area: Edinburgh and the Lothians
Nearest towns: Musselburgh (6 miles), Dalkeith (6 miles), Bonnyrigg (6 miles), Dalgety Bay (8 miles)
Pricing: Scotland, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The council

The same service is available in Musselburgh, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Dalgety Bay, Prestonpans.

Layer by layer

Your questions answered

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

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 Edinburgh?

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.

What is the price of a permeable tarmac driveway in Edinburgh?

As a 2026 guide in Edinburgh, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £78–£122 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,600–£4,050. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

How long does a permeable tarmac driveway take in Edinburgh?

Usually 3–5 working days. We book Edinburgh surveys alongside other jobs in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Other work in Edinburgh

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