Tar and chip driveways in Antrim

How much should I budget in Antrim?

These Antrim guide prices reflect rates in Northern Ireland, about 12% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£40–£66 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,000–£3,300
Example: 100 m² drive	£3,950–£6,600
Example: 200 m² drive	£7,500–£12,550

As a 2026 guide in Antrim, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £40–£66 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £3,950–£6,600. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Layer by layer

What the price covers

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
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

Do I need permission in Antrim?

In Northern Ireland, more than 5 m² of hard surface in front of a house should be porous or drain to a porous area within the property; DfI Roads approves dropped kerbs. Any new or widened crossing over the pavement needs approval from DfI Roads.

Covering Antrim

The key facts for Antrim. Smaller towns such as Antrim are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in County Antrim.

Postcodes: BT41
Area: County Antrim
Nearest towns: Ballyclare (9 miles), Ballymena (10 miles), Newtownabbey (13 miles), Belfast (14 miles)
Pricing: Northern Ireland, about 12% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: DfI Roads

Nearby, we work in Ballyclare, Ballymena, Newtownabbey, Belfast, Lisburn.

Antrim: common questions

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

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 work in my part of Antrim?

We cover Antrim including BT41, and nearby Ballyclare, Ballymena, Newtownabbey.

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

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

Are there planning or highway rules in Antrim?

In Northern Ireland, more than 5 m² of hard surface in front of a house should be porous or drain to a porous area within the property; DfI Roads approves dropped kerbs. Dropped kerbs are approved by DfI Roads.

Also in Antrim

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