Tar and chip driveways in Cheshire
We survey and price tar and chip driveways across Cheshire, from Warrington to Chester and Crewe, with every layer written into the quote.
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in Cheshire?
Rates in Cheshire follow the North West, about 3% below our UK midpoint.
| Item | Guide price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|
| Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base | £44–£73 per m² |
| Example: 50 m² drive | £2,200–£3,650 |
| Example: 100 m² drive | £4,350–£7,300 |
| Example: 200 m² drive | £8,300–£13,800 |
Towns we cover in Cheshire
- Warrington
- Chester
- Crewe
- Ellesmere Port
- Widnes
- Runcorn
- Macclesfield
- Northwich
- Great Sankey
- Winsford
- Congleton
- Wilmslow
- Sandbach
- Nantwich
- Neston
Postcode areas: CH, CW, SK, WA.
What is included?
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
- Edges set with kerbs, setts or cobbles
- Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
- Chippings spread straight onto the binder
- Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days
- Second coat where a double dressing is specified
Rules in Cheshire
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.
How it is built
Tar and chip driveways in Cheshire: questions
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in Cheshire?
As a 2026 guide, about £44–£73 per m² inc VAT in Cheshire. The survey confirms a fixed price.
Which towns in Cheshire do you cover?
Warrington, Chester, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Widnes, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Northwich and more.
How long does a tar and chip driveway take?
Often 1–3 days depending on base work.
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost?
As a 2026 guide, about £45–£75 per m² including VAT with a new sub-base. On an existing sound base it costs less; the saving over tarmac grows on bigger areas because spraying is quick once the equipment is on site.
Other services in Cheshire
Get a written tarmac quote
Send a postcode and a rough size and we'll arrange a survey. Every quote lists the layers, edging, drainage and VAT.
- Surface courseDEPTH + MIX
- Binder courseDEPTH + MIX
- Sub-baseDEPTH + MATERIAL
- Edges, drainage, VATITEMISED