Tar and chip driveways in Cardiff

What does a tar and chip driveway cost in Cardiff?

These Cardiff guide prices reflect rates in Wales, about 5% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£43–£71 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,150–£3,550
Example: 100 m² drive	£4,300–£7,100
Example: 200 m² drive	£8,100–£13,550

As a 2026 guide in Cardiff, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £43–£71 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £8,100–£13,550. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

What is included in 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
Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
Chippings spread straight onto the binder
Rolled to bed the stones in
Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days

Do I need permission in Cardiff?

In Wales, a new hard surface in front of a house is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property; repairing or replacing up to 5 m² of existing hardstanding is allowed without meeting that condition. Separately, since January 2019, construction covering 100 m² or more that affects drainage generally needs approval from the council's SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed. Larger drives, shared surfaces and car parks often reach that threshold. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the council as highway authority.

Where we work in and around Cardiff

Survey cover and pricing for Cardiff. As one of the larger towns in South Glamorgan, Cardiff sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: CF10, CF11, CF24, CF23, CF3
Area: South Glamorgan
Nearest towns: Llandaff (2 miles), Penarth (3 miles), Dinas Powys (3 miles), Caerphilly (7 miles)
Pricing: Wales, about 5% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The council

Close to Cardiff: Llandaff, Penarth, Dinas Powys, Caerphilly, Barry.

Cardiff: common questions

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

As a 2026 guide in Cardiff, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £43–£71 per m² including VAT, so a 200 m² drive is roughly £8,100–£13,550. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

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

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 quickly can work start in Cardiff?

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

Do you cover all of Cardiff?

We cover Cardiff including CF10, CF11, CF24, CF23, CF3, and nearby Llandaff, Penarth, Dinas Powys.

Other work in Cardiff

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