How much does a new driveway cost in the UK?
A new driveway costs roughly £2,000 to £6,000 for a typical car-sized drive of 40 to 50 square metres, and the surface is what moves the price most. Gravel and plain tarmac are the cheapest to lay; resin, block paving and imprinted concrete cost more for a decorative, longer-lasting finish. The table below compares the per-square-metre price of every driveway surface we track.
| Job | From | Typical | Up to | Priced by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel driveway | £35 | £65 | £90 | per m² |
| Tarmac driveway | £40 | £50 | £65 | per m² |
| Concrete driveway | £70 | £85 | £120 | per m² fitted |
| Resin driveway | £40 | £55 | £70 | per m² |
| Block paving | £60 | £85 | £120 | per m² |
| Imprinted concrete driveway | £80 | £100 | £130 | per m² |
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 typical car-sized drive of around 40 to 50 square metres, a new driveway runs to roughly £2,000 to £6,000 fitted, depending on the surface and how much groundwork is needed. Per square metre, gravel and plain tarmac are the cheapest and block paving, resin and imprinted concrete the dearest. The table above has the current range for each.
Gravel is usually the cheapest driveway to lay per square metre, followed by plain tarmac. Both go down quickly over a sound sub-base. The trade-off is that gravel needs occasional topping up and can migrate, and tarmac is a plain black finish, where block paving and resin cost more but look more finished and last longer.
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.