How much does a tarmac driveway cost?
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By driveway size
| Driveway | Fitted, groundworks and waste included |
|---|---|
| 1 car (about 15–20 m²) | £1,300 – £3,200 |
| 2 cars (about 35–45 m²) | £2,700 – £6,350 |
| 3 or more cars (about 55–70 m²) | £4,100 – £9,450 |
Whether VAT is included varies: some driveway firms are not VAT registered and some quote before VAT. Check each quote says which.
In London and the South East, prices typically run 20–35% higher than these.
How the figure is made up
The tarmac itself, laid: £40 to £75 a square metre.
Groundworks: digging out the old surface and laying a new sub-base, £30 to £50 a square metre.
Taking the waste away: £250 to £700 for the job.
Why tarmac is cheaper
It is quick to lay over a large area and the material costs less than blocks or resin. It is plain to look at, usually black, and edging in block or kerb stones is often added to finish it.
Standard tarmac does not let water through, so a driveway over 5 m² that drains onto the road needs planning permission in England. Porous tarmac, or drainage to a lawn or border, avoids that.
What is included in these prices
Laying the new surface, digging out the old one and laying a new sub-base, and taking the waste away.
Not included: a dropped kerb, if you need one — your council approves and usually builds it (typically £800–£2,500); drainage channels, if your installer finds they are needed (typically £60–£120 a metre); prices in London and the South East typically run 20–35% higher. Whether VAT is included varies: some driveway firms are not VAT registered and some quote before VAT. Check each quote says which.
Planning estimate or quotation?
Every figure on this page is a planning estimate: what a driveway like this typically costs, for budgeting and for judging the quotes you get. It is not a quotation. A quotation comes from an installer after a visit, when the size, the ground underneath and the drainage are known.
Facet Pro narrows the estimate to your own driveway: you outline it on a satellite map, so it is priced at its measured size rather than an average. Your installer confirms the figure on site.
Common questions
How much does tarmac cost per square metre?
About £40 to £75 a square metre laid, plus £30 to £50 for digging out and a new sub-base.
How much is a tarmac driveway for two cars?
About £2,700 to £6,350, fitted, with groundworks and waste removal.
Is tarmac cheaper than block paving?
Usually. For a two-car driveway, tarmac is about £2,700 to £6,350 against £4,100 to £9,700 for block paving.
Your driveway isn’t average.
See a new surface on your own driveway and get a planning estimate. Any figure on this page is for a typical driveway. Upload one photograph of the front of your house, choose a surface and colour, and outline your driveway on the satellite map so it is priced at its real size.
FREE Upload photo & see price →
Free to try · No tape measure · No sales call unless you ask
Your original photo is deleted after processing. See how your photo is used →
These are planning estimates — not a quotation, and not a survey. Driveway figures come from published UK driveway cost guides, with digging out, a new sub-base and waste removal added. Whether VAT is included varies by installer. Your installer confirms the figure on site. Prices checked October 2026.