Tarmac paths and footpaths in Smethwick

What does a tarmac path cost in Smethwick?

For Smethwick, we apply the West Midlands rate, in line with our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

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

As a 2026 guide in Smethwick, tarmac path work runs at about £55–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 40 m² path is roughly £2,200–£3,600. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Covering Smethwick

Smethwick at a glance. Smethwick sits 3 miles from Birmingham, within our regular West Midlands cover.

Postcodes: B66, B67, B21, B68, B17
Area: West Midlands
Nearest towns: West Bromwich (2 miles), Birmingham (3 miles), Halesowen (5 miles), Wednesbury (5 miles)
Pricing: West Midlands, in line with our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in West Bromwich, Birmingham, Halesowen, Wednesbury, Dudley.

Layer by layer

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
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

Do I need permission in Smethwick?

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.

Smethwick: common questions

How much does a tarmac path cost in Smethwick?

As a 2026 guide in Smethwick, tarmac path work runs at about £55–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 40 m² path is roughly £2,200–£3,600. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Do I need permission for a tarmac path in Smethwick?

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 Smethwick?

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

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

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.

Other work in Smethwick

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