Tar and chip driveways in Carrickfergus

How much should I budget in Carrickfergus?

Guide prices below are for Carrickfergus, adjusted for Northern Ireland, where surfacing rates run 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 Carrickfergus, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £40–£66 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £7,500–£12,550. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What is included in a tar and chip driveway?

Hot bitumen sprayed and dressed with rolled stone chippings for a gravel look that stays put.

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
Rolled to bed the stones in

Planning and kerb rules for Carrickfergus

In Northern Ireland, the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 allows a hard surface between the front of a house and a road without permission if it is porous or drains to a porous area within the property, once it exceeds 5 m². Listed buildings and some access changes need permission. Any new or altered vehicle access onto a public road needs approval from DfI Roads, not the council.

Where we work in and around Carrickfergus

What applies in Carrickfergus. Carrickfergus is covered on our County Antrim rounds, 10 miles from Belfast.

Postcodes: BT38
Area: County Antrim
Nearest towns: Holywood (5 miles), Newtownabbey (6 miles), Bangor (Down) (7 miles), Ballyclare (8 miles)
Pricing: Northern Ireland, about 12% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: DfI Roads

Nearby, we work in Holywood, Newtownabbey, Bangor (Down), Ballyclare, Dundonald.

Carrickfergus: common questions

How long will the work take at my Carrickfergus property?

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

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

As a 2026 guide in Carrickfergus, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £40–£66 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £7,500–£12,550. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

What approvals apply in Carrickfergus?

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.

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

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 Carrickfergus

Questions about tar and chip driveways in Carrickfergus? Call, WhatsApp or use the form, and we'll talk it through.