Tar and chip driveways in Edinburgh

How much should I budget in Edinburgh?

Guide prices below are for Edinburgh, adjusted for Scotland, where surfacing rates run about 2% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£44–£74 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,200–£3,700
Example: 100 m² drive	£4,400–£7,350
Example: 200 m² drive	£8,400–£13,950

As a 2026 guide in Edinburgh, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £44–£74 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,400–£7,350. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

The build-up we price

Covering Edinburgh

What applies in Edinburgh. As one of the larger towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians, Edinburgh sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: EH1, EH2, EH3, EH8, EH7, EH9, EH6, EH5
Area: Edinburgh and the Lothians
Nearest towns: Musselburgh (6 miles), Dalkeith (6 miles), Bonnyrigg (6 miles), Dalgety Bay (8 miles)
Pricing: Scotland, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The council

The same service is available in Musselburgh, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Dalgety Bay, Prestonpans.

What is included in 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.

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
Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days

Rules that apply in Edinburgh

In Scotland, permitted development allows a hard surface between a house and a road only if it is porous or the water drains to a porous area within the property. Unlike England there is no 5 m² allowance, so it applies to any size. Conservation areas and the grounds of listed buildings have extra restrictions. The council, as roads authority, controls any new or widened access across a footway.

Questions about tar and chip driveways in Edinburgh

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

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

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

As a 2026 guide in Edinburgh, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £44–£74 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,400–£7,350. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

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

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.

Do you cover all of Edinburgh?

We cover Edinburgh including EH1, EH2, EH3, EH8, EH7, EH9, and nearby Musselburgh, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg.

Other work in Edinburgh

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