Red tarmac driveways in St Albans

How much should I budget in St Albans?

Guide prices below are for St Albans, adjusted for the East of England, where surfacing rates run about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Red tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£79–£121 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,600–£4,000
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,950–£6,050
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,300–£9,650

As a 2026 guide in St Albans, red tarmac driveway work runs at about £79–£121 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,600–£4,000. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

Where we work in and around St Albans

The key facts for St Albans. St Albans is one of the bigger places we cover in Hertfordshire, so survey slots come round regularly.

Postcodes: AL1, AL2, AL4
Area: Hertfordshire
Nearest towns: Harpenden (5 miles), Hatfield (5 miles), Hemel Hempstead (5 miles), Welwyn Garden City (6 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Harpenden, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Borehamwood.

Do I need permission in St Albans?

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.

What is included in a red tarmac driveway?

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
Falls and drainage set as for any new drive

Questions about red tarmac driveways in St Albans

What approvals apply in St Albans?

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).

How long does a red tarmac driveway take in St Albans?

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

What is the price of a red tarmac driveway in St Albans?

As a 2026 guide in St Albans, red tarmac driveway work runs at about £79–£121 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,600–£4,000. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Is the survey in St Albans free?

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 St Albans

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