Tar and chip driveways in Bournemouth

Tar and chip driveway prices in Bournemouth

Local guide rates for Bournemouth (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

As a 2026 guide in Bournemouth, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £46–£77 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £8,800–£14,700. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Do I need permission in Bournemouth?

In England, a new hard surface over 5 m² in front of a house needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within the property. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

What we do on a tar and chip driveway

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
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

The build-up we price

Covering Bournemouth

Survey cover and pricing for Bournemouth. We cover Bournemouth as part of our regular Dorset rounds.

Postcodes: BH2, BH4, BH1, BH3, BH8, BH13, BH9, BH5
Area: Dorset
Nearest towns: Christchurch (4 miles), Poole (5 miles), Ferndown (6 miles), Wimborne Minster (6 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

The same service is available in Christchurch, Poole, Ferndown, Wimborne Minster, New Milton.

Bournemouth: common questions

Tar and chip driveway cost in Bournemouth: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Bournemouth, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £46–£77 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £8,800–£14,700. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Is the survey in Bournemouth free?

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.

What approvals apply in Bournemouth?

In England, a new hard surface over 5 m² in front of a house needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within the property. Dropped kerbs are approved by the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

How quickly can work start in Bournemouth?

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

More we do in Bournemouth

Send us a postcode, a rough size and a photo or two, and we'll come back with survey dates for Bournemouth.