Tar and chip driveways in Ilford

Tar and chip driveway prices in Ilford

Local guide rates for Ilford (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 Ilford, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £54–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £10,250–£17,100. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

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
Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

The build-up we price

Where we work in and around Ilford

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

Postcodes: IG1, E12, IG2, IG3, IG4, IG5, IG6, IG7
Area: Greater London
Nearest towns: Barking (2 miles), Leytonstone (3 miles), Stratford (4 miles), Canning Town (4 miles)
Pricing: London, about 20% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Barking, Leytonstone, Stratford, Canning Town, Dagenham.

Do I need permission in Ilford?

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.

Ilford: common questions

What approvals apply in Ilford?

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).

Do you cover all of Ilford?

We cover Ilford including IG1, E12, IG2, IG3, IG4, IG5, and nearby Barking, Leytonstone, Stratford.

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

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.

How long will the work take at my Ilford property?

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

Other work in Ilford

Questions about tar and chip driveways in Ilford? Call, WhatsApp or use the form, and we'll talk it through.