Tar and chip driveways in Brentwood
A good tar and chip driveway in Brentwood looks the same as a poor one on the day it is laid. The difference shows a few winters later, which is why our quotes list what goes underneath.
How much should I budget in Brentwood?
Local guide rates for Brentwood (the East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint):
| Item | Guide price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|
| Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base | £47–£79 per m² |
| Example: 50 m² drive | £2,350–£3,950 |
| Example: 100 m² drive | £4,700–£7,900 |
| Example: 200 m² drive | £9,000–£14,950 |
As a 2026 guide in Brentwood, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £47–£79 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,700–£7,900. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.
The build-up we price
Planning and kerb rules for Brentwood
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. If the job needs a dropped kerb, the highway authority (the county or unitary council) approves it before any work on the footway.
Where we work in and around Brentwood
What applies in Brentwood. We reach Brentwood on our Essex survey days; Southend-on-Sea is 18 miles away.
- Postcodes
- CM14, CM13, CM15
- Area
- Essex
- Nearest towns
- Billericay (5 miles), Hornchurch (6 miles), Romford (6 miles), Basildon (7 miles)
- Pricing
- East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
- Kerb approvals
- The highway authority
Close to Brentwood: Billericay, Hornchurch, Romford, Basildon, Dagenham.
What we do on a tar and chip driveway
Hot bitumen sprayed and dressed with rolled stone chippings for a gravel look that stays put.
- 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
- Chippings spread straight onto the binder
- Rolled to bed the stones in
Brentwood: common questions
How quickly can work start in Brentwood?
Often 1–3 days depending on base work. We book Brentwood surveys alongside other jobs in Essex, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.
Will someone visit before I get a fixed price in Brentwood?
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 work in my part of Brentwood?
We cover Brentwood including CM14, CM13, CM15, and nearby Billericay, Hornchurch, Romford.
Do I need permission for a tar and chip driveway in Brentwood?
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).
Other work in Brentwood
- Tarmac paths and footpaths
- Private and access road surfacing
- Tarmac driveway repairs
- New tarmac driveways
- Tarmac driveway resurfacing
- Red tarmac driveways
- Everything in Brentwood
Tell us what you have in mind for Brentwood and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.
Tar and chip driveways in Brentwood: get a written 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