Resin driveway cost calculator
A resin driveway costs £40 to £70 per m², so 50m² works out at £2,000 to £3,500. Enter your own size below.
Work out what a resin driveway costs. Enter the size, say whether the ground underneath needs rebuilding first, and this calculator gives you a price range for your region. Our own guide prices, not quotes.
Resin driveway cost calculator
Set it up to match your job. Everything updates as you change it, and nothing is sent anywhere.
Built from the same figures as our resin driveway guide: £40 to £70 per square metre supplied and laid, plus £25 to £45 per square metre where a new sub-base is needed. Regional figures use the same multipliers as every other page here. What the range does not cover: a dropped kerb, drainage work beyond the normal falls, and removing spoil off site. Note that resin bound and resin bonded are different products at different prices, and the figures here are for resin bound, the smooth trowelled finish most people mean. Resin bonded is stone scattered onto adhesive, which is cheaper but rougher and sheds stone.
Resin driveway cost by region
| Size | UK average | London | North / Scotland / Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 m² | £1,200 to £2,100 | £1,550 to £2,700 | £1,100 to £1,950 |
| 50 m² | £2,000 to £3,500 | £2,600 to £4,600 | £1,850 to £3,200 |
| 75 m² | £3,000 to £5,300 | £3,900 to £6,800 | £2,800 to £4,800 |
| 100 m² | £4,000 to £7,000 | £5,200 to £9,100 | £3,700 to £6,400 |
Worked totals at £40 to £70 per m², before any extras. UK guide prices reviewed June 2026, not quotes. Set the calculator above to your own job to add the extras.
Resin bound against resin bonded
These two names get used as if they mean the same thing and they do not. Resin bound is aggregate mixed with resin and trowelled to a smooth, permeable surface. Resin bonded is resin spread on the base with stone scattered over the top, which gives a rougher surface, sheds loose stone, and is not permeable.
Resin bound is what almost everyone picturing a resin driveway has in mind, and it is what the figures here price. If a quote is noticeably cheaper than the rest, check which of the two you are being offered, because the difference is real and it shows within a couple of years.
Why resin needs a good base more than most surfaces
Resin bound is laid at around 15 to 18mm thick, which is thin. It has almost no structural strength of its own, so it does exactly what the base underneath it does. A base that settles takes the resin with it, and unlike block paving you cannot lift a section and relay it.
That is why a proper quote either lays resin over sound existing tarmac or concrete, or prices a new sub-base at £25 to £45 per square metre. A resin driveway laid over a base that was not right is the most expensive kind of cheap driveway.
The permeability advantage, and it is a real one
Resin bound is permeable, which means water drains through it rather than running off. That satisfies the surface-water rule for new driveways in England and Wales without needing a soakaway or planning permission, and it means no puddles and no ice sheet across the drive in winter.
It is the main practical reason to choose resin over tarmac at a similar price, along with the finish. The trade-off is that it needs sweeping and the occasional wash to stop moss taking hold in the surface texture.
Common questions
How much does a resin driveway cost in the UK?
About £40 to £70 per square metre supplied and laid, typically around £55, so a 50 square metre driveway is roughly £2,000 to £3,500. Add £25 to £45 per square metre if the ground needs a new sub-base. London runs about 30% above the UK average and the North, Scotland and Wales about 8% below.
How much is a resin driveway for a two-car drive?
A 50 square metre driveway, which holds two cars comfortably, costs roughly £2,000 to £3,500 laid over a sound existing base. If the base has to be dug out and rebuilt, expect £3,250 to £5,750. A single-car drive of about 25 square metres is £1,000 to £1,750 over a good base.
Is a resin driveway better than tarmac?
It depends what you are optimising for. Resin bound is permeable, so it drains rather than puddles and it satisfies the surface-water rules without a soakaway. It also comes in a range of aggregates rather than one flat black. Tarmac is slightly cheaper, quicker to lay and more forgiving of a base that is not perfect. Resin looks better and drains better; tarmac is tougher and simpler.
How long does a resin driveway last?
Fifteen to twenty years or more if the base is right and it is kept swept. The resin itself is durable and UV-stable in a decent product. What fails first is either the base moving underneath, which cracks it, or moss and algae getting into the surface texture where it is shaded and never cleaned. Both are avoidable.
Can resin be laid over an existing driveway?
Often yes, and that is where it is cheapest. Sound tarmac or concrete in good condition makes an ideal base and saves the excavation entirely. What it cannot go over is block paving, gravel, or a surface that is cracked or moving, because resin is only 15 to 18mm thick and simply follows whatever is beneath it. A contractor who says any base will do is one to avoid.
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. These are independent Costwise guide prices, reviewed June 2026, not quotes and not a survey of real quotes. A real price depends on access, condition and what the job actually involves, so use this to sanity-check what you are told and always get three written quotes.