Tar and chip driveways in Kempston

Tar and chip driveway prices in Kempston

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

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£47–£79 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,350–£3,950
Example: 100 m² drive	£4,700–£7,900
Example: 200 m² drive	£9,000–£14,950

As a 2026 guide in Kempston, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £47–£79 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £2,350–£3,950. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Covering Kempston

Survey cover and pricing for Kempston. Kempston is covered on our Bedfordshire rounds, 17 miles from Luton.

Postcodes: MK42, MK43
Area: Bedfordshire
Nearest towns: Bedford (2 miles), Ampthill (6 miles), Newport Pagnell (10 miles), Biggleswade (10 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Bedford, Ampthill, Newport Pagnell, Biggleswade, Milton Keynes.

What we do on a tar and chip driveway

Tar and chip, also called surface dressing, is a layer of bitumen sprayed onto a prepared base and immediately covered with stone chippings, which are rolled in so the surface looks like gravel but behaves like a bound drive.

Base prepared: new MOT Type 1 sub-base, or an existing sound tarmac or stone base
Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
Rolled to bed the stones in
Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

Layer by layer

Rules that apply in Kempston

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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Kempston: common questions

How long does a tar and chip driveway take in Kempston?

Often 1–3 days depending on base work. We book Kempston surveys alongside other jobs in Bedfordshire, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Which Kempston postcodes do you cover?

We cover Kempston including MK42, MK43, and nearby Bedford, Ampthill, Newport Pagnell.

How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in Kempston?

As a 2026 guide in Kempston, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £47–£79 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £2,350–£3,950. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Is the survey in Kempston 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.

Other work in Kempston

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