Tarmac paths and footpaths in Hemel Hempstead

What does a tarmac path cost in Hemel Hempstead?

Guide prices below are for Hemel Hempstead, adjusted for the East of England, where surfacing rates run 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 Hemel Hempstead, 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.

Hemel Hempstead: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Hemel Hempstead. Hemel Hempstead is one of the bigger places we cover in Hertfordshire, so survey slots come round regularly.

Postcodes: HP2, HP3, HP1, WD4
Area: Hertfordshire
Nearest towns: Berkhamsted (5 miles), St Albans (5 miles), Harpenden (6 miles), Watford (7 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden, Watford, Chesham.

Do I need permission in Hemel Hempstead?

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

What is included in a tarmac path?

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
Timber, kerb or block edging on both sides
Binder and surface course laid hot by hand and rolled

Your questions answered

Which Hemel Hempstead postcodes do you cover?

We cover Hemel Hempstead including HP2, HP3, HP1, WD4, and nearby Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden.

How long does a tarmac path take in Hemel Hempstead?

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

Are there planning or highway rules in Hemel Hempstead?

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 much does a tarmac path cost in Hemel Hempstead?

As a 2026 guide in Hemel Hempstead, 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.

Other work in Hemel Hempstead

Tell us what you have in mind for Hemel Hempstead and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.