Tarmac paths and footpaths in Dunstable

How much should I budget in Dunstable?

These Dunstable guide prices reflect rates in the East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tarmac garden path or footpath, hand-laid	£58–£94 per m²
Example: 10 m² path	£690–£1,150
Example: 20 m² path	£1,250–£2,100
Example: 40 m² path	£2,300–£3,800

As a 2026 guide in Dunstable, tarmac path work runs at about £58–£94 per m² including VAT, so a 40 m² path is roughly £2,300–£3,800. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Do I need permission in Dunstable?

Repairs, paths and edging work rarely need planning permission. 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.

Where we work in and around Dunstable

Survey cover and pricing for Dunstable. Dunstable sits 5 miles from Luton, within our regular Bedfordshire cover.

Postcodes: LU6, LU5, LU4
Area: Bedfordshire
Nearest towns: Luton (5 miles), Leighton Buzzard (6 miles), Harpenden (9 miles), Berkhamsted (9 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

The same service is available in Luton, Leighton Buzzard, Harpenden, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead.

What the price covers

A tarmac path is a lighter version of a drive build: a compacted stone base of around 100 mm, a binder course and a fine surface course, laid by hand and held in by timber edging, kerbs or blocks.

Path set out to the line and width you want
Excavation to about 150–180 mm with spoil removed
MOT Type 1 base, about 100 mm, compacted
Binder and surface course laid hot by hand and rolled
Gentle cross-fall so water runs off to the border

How it is built

Your questions answered

What approvals apply in Dunstable?

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 Dunstable property?

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

What is the price of a tarmac path in Dunstable?

As a 2026 guide in Dunstable, tarmac path work runs at about £58–£94 per m² including VAT, so a 40 m² path is roughly £2,300–£3,800. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Do you work in my part of Dunstable?

We cover Dunstable including LU6, LU5, LU4, and nearby Luton, Leighton Buzzard, Harpenden.

Other work in Dunstable

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