Tarmac paths and footpaths in Bath

How much should I budget in Bath?

For Bath, we apply the South West rate, about 3% above our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tarmac garden path or footpath, hand-laid	£57–£93 per m²
Example: 10 m² path	£680–£1,100
Example: 20 m² path	£1,250–£2,050
Example: 40 m² path	£2,250–£3,700

As a 2026 guide in Bath, tarmac path work runs at about £57–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² path is roughly £1,250–£2,050. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

What we do on 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.

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
Gentle cross-fall so water runs off to the border

Where we work in and around Bath

What applies in Bath. We cover Bath as part of our regular Somerset rounds.

Postcodes: BA1, BA2
Area: Somerset
Nearest towns: Keynsham (6 miles), Trowbridge (8 miles), Melksham (10 miles), Frome (10 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Bath: Keynsham, Trowbridge, Melksham, Frome, Westbury.

Do I need permission in Bath?

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.

Bath: common questions

Is the survey in Bath free?

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.

Do you work in my part of Bath?

We cover Bath including BA1, BA2, and nearby Keynsham, Trowbridge, Melksham.

What is the price of a tarmac path in Bath?

As a 2026 guide in Bath, tarmac path work runs at about £57–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² path is roughly £1,250–£2,050. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

How long will the work take at my Bath property?

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

Other work in Bath

Ready for a price in Bath? Use the guide price tool or send the form, and we'll arrange a visit.