Tar and chip driveways in Acton

How much should I budget in Acton?

Local guide rates for Acton (London, about 20% above our UK midpoint):

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£54–£90 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,700–£4,500
Example: 100 m² drive	£5,400–£9,000
Example: 200 m² drive	£10,250–£17,100

As a 2026 guide in Acton, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £54–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £5,400–£9,000. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

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
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

Do I need permission in Acton?

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.

How it is built

Where we work in and around Acton

What applies in Acton. As one of the larger towns in Greater London, Acton sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: W3, W5
Area: Greater London
Nearest towns: Chiswick (1 mile), Shepherds Bush (2 miles), Willesden (2 miles), Brent (3 miles)
Pricing: London, about 20% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Chiswick, Shepherds Bush, Willesden, Brent, Greenford.

Acton: common questions

What is the price of a tar and chip driveway in Acton?

As a 2026 guide in Acton, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £54–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £5,400–£9,000. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Do you work in my part of Acton?

We cover Acton including W3, W5, and nearby Chiswick, Shepherds Bush, Willesden.

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

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

Can I get a free survey in Acton?

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 Acton

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