Tarmac paths and footpaths in the West Midlands

How much does a tarmac path cost in the West Midlands?

Rates in the West Midlands follow the West Midlands, in line with our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tarmac garden path or footpath, hand-laid	£55–£90 per m²
Example: 10 m² path	£660–£1,100
Example: 20 m² path	£1,200–£2,000
Example: 40 m² path	£2,200–£3,600

Towns we cover in the West Midlands

Postcode areas: B, CV, DY, WS, WV.

What is included?

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
Gentle cross-fall so water runs off to the border

Rules in the West Midlands

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.

How it is built