Tar and chip driveways in County Down
From Bangor, County Down to the smaller towns in County Down, our tar and chip driveways quotes list the depths, edging, drainage and VAT so you can compare like with like.
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in County Down?
Rates in County Down follow 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 |
Towns we cover in County Down
Postcode areas: BT.
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
- Rolled to bed the stones in
- Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days
- Second coat where a double dressing is specified
Rules in County Down
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. If the job needs a dropped kerb, DfI Roads approves it before any work on the footway.
How it is built
Tar and chip driveways in County Down: questions
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in County Down?
As a 2026 guide, about £40–£66 per m² inc VAT in County Down. The survey confirms a fixed price.
Which towns in County Down do you cover?
Bangor, County Down, Castlereagh, Newtownards, Newry, Banbridge, Dundonald, Holywood, Downpatrick 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 County Down
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