Red tarmac driveways in Folkestone

Red tarmac driveway prices in Folkestone

Guide prices below are for Folkestone, 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 Folkestone, red tarmac driveway work runs at about £82–£127 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £4,100–£6,350. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

Rules that apply in Folkestone

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.

Folkestone: the local details

Folkestone at a glance. We reach Folkestone on our Kent survey days; Maidstone is 31 miles away.

Postcodes: CT20, CT19, CT18, CT21
Area: Kent
Nearest towns: Dover (7 miles), Ashford (Kent) (13 miles), Deal (14 miles), Canterbury (14 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Dover, Ashford (Kent), Deal, Canterbury, Faversham.

What the price covers

Red tarmac is ordinary asphalt with a red pigment, and often red aggregate, in the surface course, laid on the same sub-base and binder course as a black tarmac drive.

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
Colour sample discussed before ordering
Falls and drainage set as for any new drive

Folkestone: common questions

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

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.

Do you cover all of Folkestone?

We cover Folkestone including CT20, CT19, CT18, CT21, and nearby Dover, Ashford (Kent), Deal.

What approvals apply in Folkestone?

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 Folkestone?

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

More we do in Folkestone

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