Tar and chip driveways in Dorchester

Tar and chip driveway prices in Dorchester

Local guide rates for Dorchester (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 Dorchester, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £46–£77 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,650–£7,700. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Rules that apply in Dorchester

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. Any new or widened crossing over the pavement needs approval from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Covering Dorchester

Survey cover and pricing for Dorchester. Smaller towns such as Dorchester are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in Dorset.

Postcodes: DT1, DT2
Area: Dorset
Nearest towns: Weymouth (7 miles), Poole (20 miles), Wimborne Minster (20 miles), Ferndown (24 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Weymouth, Poole, Wimborne Minster, Ferndown, Bournemouth.

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
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

Questions about tar and chip driveways in Dorchester

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

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

Do you cover all of Dorchester?

We cover Dorchester including DT1, DT2, and nearby Weymouth, Poole, Wimborne Minster.

What approvals apply in Dorchester?

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).

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

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.

More we do in Dorchester

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