Red tarmac driveways in Portsmouth

What does a red tarmac driveway cost in Portsmouth?

Guide prices below are for Portsmouth, adjusted for the South East, where surfacing rates run about 10% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Red tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£82–£127 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,700–£4,150
Example: 50 m² drive	£4,100–£6,350
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,600–£10,100

As a 2026 guide in Portsmouth, red tarmac driveway work runs at about £82–£127 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £6,600–£10,100. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Layer by layer

What the price covers

Pigmented red asphalt on the same full build, often framed with a charcoal block border.

Full dig-out and MOT Type 1 sub-base, about 150 mm
Black AC 20 binder course, about 50–60 mm
Red pigmented surface course, about 20–30 mm
Contrasting block or kerb border as edge restraint
Colour sample discussed before ordering

Do I need permission in Portsmouth?

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. Any new or widened crossing over the pavement needs approval from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Portsmouth: the local details

What applies in Portsmouth. Portsmouth is one of the bigger places we cover in Hampshire, so survey slots come round regularly.

Postcodes: PO1, PO5, PO4, PO2, PO3
Area: Hampshire
Nearest towns: Gosport (2 miles), Fareham (5 miles), Hayling Island (5 miles), Havant (6 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Gosport, Fareham, Hayling Island, Havant, Waterlooville.

Questions about red tarmac driveways in Portsmouth

Do you cover all of Portsmouth?

We cover Portsmouth including PO1, PO5, PO4, PO2, PO3, and nearby Gosport, Fareham, Hayling Island.

Do I need permission for a red tarmac driveway in Portsmouth?

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 Portsmouth?

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.

How long will the work take at my Portsmouth property?

Usually 2–4 working days. We book Portsmouth surveys alongside other jobs in Hampshire, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Other work in Portsmouth

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