How much does a new driveway cost in the UK?
A new driveway costs from about £1,400 in gravel to £5,200 in imprinted concrete for a two-car drive of 40 m², before any new sub-base, and the surface is what moves the price most. On a typical job tarmac at about £50 and resin at about £55 per m² are the cheapest to lay, and imprinted concrete at about £100 the dearest. The calculator below prices your own drive, with a dropped kerb and gates if you need them.
| Job | From | Typical | Up to | Where it sits, all per m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel driveway | £35 | £65 | £90 | |
| Tarmac driveway | £40 | £50 | £65 | |
| Concrete driveway | £70 | £85 | £120 | |
| Resin driveway | £40 | £55 | £70 | |
| Block paving | £60 | £85 | £120 | |
| Imprinted concrete driveway | £80 | £100 | £130 |
Every bar shares one scale, so the overlaps are real. The dot is the typical price.
Driveway cost calculator
Price a new drive part by part: the surface and its size, the groundwork, a dropped kerb and gates, for a UK cost range where you live. Every line is priced from a guide on this site, and nothing is sent anywhere.
Driveway cost by size and surface
What the calculator gives for each surface at the block paving guide's own sizes, supplied and laid at the UK average, before any new sub-base, a dropped kerb or gates. Each surface links to its own guide.
| Surface | Single car driveway, 20 m² | Two car driveway, 40 m² | Double-width or long driveway, 70 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarmac | £800 to £1,300 | £1,600 to £2,600 | £2,800 to £4,600 |
| Resin | £800 to £1,400 | £1,600 to £2,800 | £2,800 to £4,900 |
| Gravel | £700 to £1,800 | £1,400 to £3,600 | £2,500 to £6,300 |
| Block paving, standard | £1,200 to £1,700 | £2,400 to £3,400 | £4,200 to £6,000 |
| Block paving, textured | £1,500 to £2,000 | £3,000 to £4,000 | £5,300 to £7,000 |
| Permeable block paving | £1,600 to £2,200 | £3,200 to £4,400 | £5,600 to £7,700 |
| Clay pavers | £1,800 to £2,400 | £3,600 to £4,800 | £6,300 to £8,400 |
| Cobble setts | £1,900 to £2,400 | £3,800 to £4,800 | £6,700 to £8,400 |
| Plain concrete | £1,400 to £2,400 | £2,800 to £4,800 | £4,900 to £8,400 |
| Imprinted concrete | £1,600 to £2,600 | £3,200 to £5,200 | £5,600 to £9,100 |
Groundwork, dropped kerbs and gates
The other parts the calculator adds, each at the price its own guide publishes. A dropped kerb always needs the council's approval, so its application fee is added with it.
| Part | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| A new sub-base, for tarmac, resin or block paving | £25 to £45 per m² |
| A new sub-base, for gravel | £20 to £40 per m² |
| A new sub-base, for concrete | £15 to £25 per m² |
| Digging out and removing the old surface, for imprinted concrete | £15 to £40 per m² |
| Dropped kerb: single vehicle crossing | £1,000 to £2,500 |
| Dropped kerb: wide or double crossing | £1,500 to £3,000 |
| Dropped kerb: complex (utilities or classified road) | £2,500 to £5,000 |
| Council application and inspection fee | £100 to £400 |
| Move a drain, lamp post or utility | £500 to £2,000 |
| Electric gates: swing gates | £3,000 to £6,000 |
| Electric gates: sliding gates | £5,000 to £8,500 |
| Electric gates: large or ornate gates | £7,000 to £10,000 |
Every line is a price from one of the driveway, dropped kerb and gate guides, reviewed June to July 2026, and the calculator adds them up rather than discounting anything, because the surface, the kerb and the gates are usually three separate jobs from three trades. Figures include VAT where it is charged.
What changes the price of a driveway
Three things move a driveway quote more than anything else: the surface you choose, the size of the area, and how much groundwork the site needs. A drive laid on a sound existing base costs far less than one that has to be dug out and given a fresh sub-base and drainage. Access for machinery, disposing of the old surface, and any new edgings all add to it.
Whatever the finish, a properly compacted sub-base is what makes a driveway last, so it is the last place to cut costs. It is also worth checking drainage: a new impermeable driveway over five square metres that drains onto the road needs planning permission, where a permeable surface or one draining to a border does not.
Explore each cost in detail
Common questions
For a two-car drive of about 40 m², a new driveway costs from about £1,400 in gravel to £5,200 in imprinted concrete, before any new sub-base, which adds more again if the old drive has to be dug out. A single dropped kerb adds £1,100 to £2,900 with the council's application fee, and electric gates start at about £3,000. The calculator above prices each part for your own size and region.
Gravel has the lowest starting price, from about £35 per m², but also the widest range, up to £90. On a typical job tarmac at about £50 and resin at about £55 per m² are the cheapest, and the trade-off is the finish: tarmac is plain black, and gravel needs topping up and can migrate, where block paving and resin look more finished. Whatever the surface, a sound sub-base is what makes it last.
Usually not, as long as the surface is permeable or any rainwater drains to a soakaway or border rather than onto the road. A new impermeable driveway over five square metres that drains to the road does need permission. Dropping the kerb to cross a public footway is a separate council approval.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing. The underlying figures are free to download as a CSV under a CC BY 4.0 licence.