New Driveway Cost UK 2026: Block, Resin and Tarmac Prices per m²
Block paving £80-£120/m², resin £40-£120/m², tarmac from £50/m². See 2026 driveway prices by material, the sub-base that makes cheap quotes fake-cheap, and a free calculator.
A driveway looks simple, which is exactly why it is one of the most doorstep-sold and corner-cut jobs around. The surface you see is only the top layer; the part that decides whether your drive lasts two years or twenty is the sub-base underneath, and that is where cheap quotes quietly save money. Here are the 2026 prices and what a fair driveway quote includes.
Quick cost summary
For a typical double driveway (around 40m²), supplied and laid:
| Material | Per m² | Typical 40m² drive |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | £40-£60 | £1,200-£2,000 |
| Tarmac | £50-£90 | £1,600-£2,600 |
| Resin bound | £40-£120 | £1,600-£2,800 |
| Block paving | £80-£120 | £2,400-£4,800 |
Prices based on UK trade averages and MyBuildAlly quote analysis, mid-2026. Removing an existing surface adds roughly £8-£15 per m².
Estimate your driveway cost
The calculator below covers all the main materials, by area, with or without removing the old surface. Get a ballpark, then read on for the sub-base.
Driveway cost calculator
Free instant estimate · UK regional pricing · no signup
Prices last updated February 2026. Indicative UK averages; your quote will vary by spec and location. Want the full version with every option? Open the driveway calculator.
The sub-base is the whole job
The single most important thing on a driveway quote is also the thing you cannot see once it is finished.
The sub-base is the compacted layer of stone (typically MOT Type 1) under the surface. It is what spreads the weight of vehicles and stops the drive sinking, cracking, or rutting. Proper excavation and a good sub-base for a typical drive is £600-£1,500 of the cost. A quote that is much cheaper than the others has usually saved money here: a thin sub-base over soft ground looks fine on day one and fails within a couple of winters. Always check the quote states the excavation depth and the sub-base.
Planning and drainage (the front garden rule)
You do not normally need planning permission for a driveway, but there is one important catch.
In England the rule is a condition attached to permitted development, not a separate drainage code. Class F of the General Permitted Development Order lets you lay or replace a hard surface in your curtilage, but condition F.2 bites where both of these are true: the surface sits on land between a wall forming the principal elevation of the house and a highway, and the area laid or replaced would exceed 5 square metres. In that case the surface must either be made of porous materials, or provision must be made to direct run-off to a permeable or porous area or surface within your own curtilage. A sealed channel piped straight into the surface-water sewer does not satisfy it. Fail both and the work is not permitted development, so it needs a planning application. The threshold counts replacement too, so re-laying an existing front drive is caught. Wales and Scotland have their own orders.
A fair quote for a hard surface should either use a permeable build-up or include drainage that puts the run-off back into your own ground, a soakaway or a permeable border, not just lay an impermeable drive and ignore the condition.
What a fair driveway quote includes
- Excavation depth and disposal of the spoil
- The sub-base material and depth (for example, 150mm of MOT Type 1)
- The surface material and finish
- Edging and restraints (block paving needs proper edge restraints or it spreads)
- Drainage or a permeable build-up where needed
- Removal of the old surface, if applicable
- Reinstating any kerb or dropped kerb work (a dropped kerb needs council approval and is a separate cost)
Our driveway quote comparison guide walks through comparing two driveway quotes fairly.
Check your driveway quote
Driveways are a top doorstep-scam trade, and the corner that gets cut is the one you cannot inspect. Upload your quote and we check it against the benchmarks above, flag a missing or vague sub-base, and tell you whether the drainage and planning position has been handled. It usually takes about ten minutes.
Got a driveway quote? Check the sub-base and the price
See how your costs compare to thousands of real UK quotes.
Get my estimateWas this useful?