Tar and chip driveways in Inverness

How much should I budget in Inverness?

These Inverness guide prices reflect rates in Scotland, including a travel and haulage allowance because work here is by arrangement.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£49–£81 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,450–£4,050
Example: 100 m² drive	£4,850–£8,100
Example: 200 m² drive	£9,200–£15,350

As a 2026 guide in Inverness, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £49–£81 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,850–£8,100. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Inverness: the local details

Inverness at a glance. Work in Inverness is by arrangement. Hot material has further to travel, so we group jobs and tell you about any travel cost first.

Postcodes: IV1, IV3, IV2, IV8
Area: Highland and Moray
Nearest towns: Nairn (15 miles), Forres (24 miles)
Pricing: Scotland rates plus a travel allowance (by arrangement)
Cover: By arrangement
Kerb approvals: The council

We also cover nearby Nairn, Forres.

How it is built

Rules that apply in Inverness

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.

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
Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
Rolled to bed the stones in
Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

Inverness: common questions

Is the survey in Inverness free?

Inverness is covered by arrangement. We confirm any travel cost before booking the survey.

How quickly can work start in Inverness?

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

Are there planning or highway rules in Inverness?

In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and a road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a porous area within the property, whatever its size. Dropped kerbs are approved by the council as roads authority.

Tar and chip driveway cost in Inverness: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Inverness, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £49–£81 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,850–£8,100. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Also in Inverness

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