Tarmac driveway resurfacing in Kempston

How much should I budget in Kempston?

Guide prices below are for Kempston, adjusted for the East of England, where surfacing rates run about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tarmac resurfacing over a sound existing base	£26–£47 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£870–£1,550
Example: 50 m² drive	£1,300–£2,350
Example: 80 m² drive	£2,100–£3,800

As a 2026 guide in Kempston, tarmac resurfacing work runs at about £26–£47 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £1,300–£2,350. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Planning and kerb rules for Kempston

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

Layer by layer

What the price covers

A new tack-coated surface course over a drive whose base is still sound: less digging, lower cost.

Survey of the existing base: sinking, rutting, loose edges and drainage
Cut out and patch failed areas before overlaying
Bond (tack) coat sprayed to glue the new layer to the old
New surface course, typically 25–40 mm, laid hot and rolled
Edges sealed and joints to existing surfaces cut neatly

Kempston: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Kempston. Kempston is covered on our Bedfordshire rounds, 17 miles from Luton.

Postcodes: MK42, MK43
Area: Bedfordshire
Nearest towns: Bedford (2 miles), Ampthill (6 miles), Newport Pagnell (10 miles), Biggleswade (10 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Bedford, Ampthill, Newport Pagnell, Biggleswade, Milton Keynes.

Kempston: common questions

What approvals apply in Kempston?

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 quickly can work start in Kempston?

Often 1–2 days for a typical drive. We book Kempston surveys alongside other jobs in Bedfordshire, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Which Kempston postcodes do you cover?

We cover Kempston including MK42, MK43, and nearby Bedford, Ampthill, Newport Pagnell.

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

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.

Also in Kempston

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