Tarmac is quick to lay, good value per square metre and hard-wearing under cars. It is the surface most drives in the West Midlands started with, and a well-laid tarmac drive can easily last 15–20 years. Its drawback is that rain runs off it rather than through it. On a front driveway that means drainage has to be part of the price from the start, not an afterthought.
Tell us the size and what is there now, and you get an indicative price range straight away. We pass your enquiry to one local specialist, who confirms a fixed price.
What it costs
| Job | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Tarmac on a new base, per m² | £50–£80 |
| Digging out a lawn, per m² | £10–£18 |
| Digging out old tarmac or block, per m² | £15–£25 |
| Digging out concrete, per m² | £20–£35 |
| Edgings and kerbs, per metre | £25–£45 |
| Channel drain, per metre | £60–£100 |
| Soakaway | £600–£1,200 |
| One-car drive on grass (about 15m²) | £1,500–£2,170 |
| Two-car drive on grass (about 30m²) | £2,350–£3,930 |
A front two-car drive that also needs a soakaway comes to roughly £2,950–£5,130. New surfaces have a £1,500 minimum. See the driveway cost per m² guide for every surface compared.
Why drainage matters at the front
Tarmac is impermeable. In England, paving more than 5m² of a front garden with an impermeable surface needs planning permission unless the water is directed to a permeable area on your own land, such as a lawn, a gravel strip, a border or a soakaway. Letting it run across the pavement into the road does not count.
In practice, a tarmac drive at the front is laid to fall towards a planted edge, or has a channel drain across it feeding a soakaway. Our estimator adds a drainage allowance to front tarmac drives for this reason. If you would rather avoid the extra work, a permeable surface such as resin or gravel may work out similar overall. Our guide to the 5m² rule covers the detail, and drainage and soakaways explains the options.
Porous asphalt, a permeable form of tarmac, exists and can meet the rule on its own, but it needs an open stone base and is less common for domestic drives. Ask the specialist if you want it priced.
Edgings
Tarmac has no strength at its edges. Without a restraint it crumbles and spreads, especially where tyres run close to the side. A proper job sets concrete kerbs, edging blocks or a brick or block border on a concrete bed before the tarmac goes down. Timber edging boards are cheaper but rot within a few years. Edgings cost £25–£45 per metre, and a contrasting block border is also the neatest way to finish against a lawn or the house.
What the job involves
- Setting out. Levels and falls marked so water runs away from the house and towards the drainage point, with the finished surface kept at least 150mm below the damp-proof course.
- Digging out. The old surface and soil removed, and soft ground dug out further.
- Edgings. Kerbs or blocks set on and backed with concrete.
- Sub-base. Crushed stone laid and compacted in layers with a roller.
- Base and wearing course. Tarmac for domestic drives is usually laid in two layers, a thicker base course and a finer top (wearing) course, each rolled while hot. Some firms lay a single thicker layer on light-use drives.
- Finishing. Joints to the pavement and manhole covers sealed. Some firms add a decorative chip rolled into the surface.
A two-car drive is often a two- or three-day job. You can usually walk on it the same day and drive on it after a day or two; avoid turning the steering wheel while stationary for the first few weeks, especially in hot weather.
What affects the price
- Area and shape. Larger drives are cheaper per m²; drives over 100m² are surveyed.
- What is there now. Concrete takes longer to break out than turf.
- Drainage. Channel drains and a soakaway at the front add the most.
- Edgings. Block borders cost more than plain kerbs.
- Access. Tarmac has to be laid hot and quickly. No room for a small roller or digger adds about 20%.
Local specialists cover Sutton Coldfield, North Birmingham, Solihull, South Birmingham, Edgbaston and Harborne, Lichfield and Tamworth, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Stourbridge and Coventry.
What to photograph for a quote
Good photos mean a closer price, and a shorter visit to measure up. How to measure.
- The whole fence line or area, end to end, standing back as far as you can
- From above if you can: an upstairs window shows the size and levels best
- The way in from the road: the drive, side gate, steps and where a lorry could park
Questions about tarmac driveways
Can I have tarmac in my front garden?
Yes, as long as the water drains to a permeable area on your own land, or you get planning permission. Most tarmac front drives are laid with a fall to a border or a channel drain and soakaway. Our guide on planning permission for a driveway explains when an application is needed.
Can new tarmac go over my old tarmac drive?
Sometimes, if the old drive is level and sound and the extra height still leaves 150mm below the damp-proof course and a smooth join to the pavement. Often the old surface is planed or dug out instead. If the old drive is sound, a resin overlay is another option.
Why is one tarmac quote so much cheaper than another?
Usually the depth of the sub-base, whether the tarmac is laid in one layer or two, and whether edgings and drainage are included. Doorstep offers of "leftover tarmac" are a well-known scam. See why cheap driveways fail.
How long does a tarmac drive last?
A properly laid tarmac drive with good edges and drainage commonly lasts 15–20 years. Pooling water and weak edges shorten that.
Is tarmac cheaper than block paving?
Yes. Tarmac is £50–£80 per m² against £90–£140 for block paving, though front drives may need drainage that narrows the gap. The block paving vs resin vs tarmac guide compares all three.