Tar and chip driveways in Chatham

Tar and chip driveway prices in Chatham

Guide prices below are for Chatham, adjusted for the South East, where surfacing rates run about 10% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£50–£82 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,500–£4,100
Example: 100 m² drive	£4,950–£8,250
Example: 200 m² drive	£9,400–£15,700

As a 2026 guide in Chatham, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £50–£82 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,950–£8,250. 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
Edges set with kerbs, setts or cobbles
Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
Chippings spread straight onto the binder
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

How it is built

Rules that apply in Chatham

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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Chatham: the local details

What applies in Chatham. As one of the larger towns in Kent, Chatham sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: ME4, ME5
Area: Kent
Nearest towns: Gillingham (1 mile), Rochester (1 mile), Strood (2 miles), Maidstone (8 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Gillingham, Rochester, Strood, Maidstone, Gravesend.

Your questions answered

Do you cover all of Chatham?

We cover Chatham including ME4, ME5, and nearby Gillingham, Rochester, Strood.

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

As a 2026 guide in Chatham, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £50–£82 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £4,950–£8,250. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

What approvals apply in Chatham?

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).

How long will the work take at my Chatham property?

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

Also in Chatham

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