Tar and chip driveways in Devon
Looking for tar and chip driveways in Devon? Start with a guide price, then a survey that turns it into a fixed, written specification.
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in Devon?
Rates in Devon follow the South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint.
| Item | Guide price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|
| Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base | £46–£77 per m² |
| Example: 50 m² drive | £2,300–£3,850 |
| Example: 100 m² drive | £4,650–£7,700 |
| Example: 200 m² drive | £8,800–£14,700 |
Towns we cover in Devon
Postcode areas: EX, PL, TQ.
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
- Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
- Chippings spread straight onto the binder
- 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 Devon
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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).
How it is built
Tar and chip driveways in Devon: questions
How much does a tar and chip driveway cost in Devon?
As a 2026 guide, about £46–£77 per m² inc VAT in Devon. The survey confirms a fixed price.
Which towns in Devon do you cover?
Plymouth, Exeter, Paignton, Torquay, Newton Abbot, Exmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford 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 Devon
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