Tarmac driveway contractors

Tarmac remains the most practical driveway surface for most homes: it takes vehicles quickly, handles the UK's weather, costs less than block paving or resin, and can be repaired in patches instead of lifted wholesale.

What separates a driveway that still looks right in fifteen years from one that cracks in three is entirely below the surface — how deep it was dug, what went in, how well it was compacted, and where the rainwater goes.

How we lay a driveway

1. Survey. We measure up, check access, look at where water currently runs and agree the finished levels — particularly against your doorway and any airbricks.
2. Excavation. Typically 200–250mm of dig-out, more on soft ground. The spoil is carted away.
3. Edgings. Kerbs or block edgings set on concrete, so the tarmac has something to be compacted against and cannot spread.
4. Sub-base. MOT Type 1 laid in layers and compacted with a roller, not a plate.
5. Binder course. Around 40–50mm, laid and rolled.
6. Surface course. Around 20–30mm of 6mm or 10mm macadam, rolled to a tight finish.
7. Clear up. Site cleaned, and you are told when the drive can take the car.

Drainage and planning permission

Since 2008, a new or replacement driveway over five square metres in England that drains directly onto the public road needs planning permission. You avoid that by using a permeable surface, or by directing run-off to a soakaway, border or lawn on your own land — which is what we normally do.

A dropped kerb, if you need one, is a separate application to your local authority and is not something a surfacing contractor can grant. We can tell you whether you need one; you apply, or we can point you at the process.

What it costs

A fully installed tarmac driveway generally falls between £35 and £85 per square metre, with a good deal of variation by region and by what the price includes. That range is wide for a reason:

• A resurface over a sound existing base sits near the bottom of it
• A full dig-out, new sub-base, edgings and drainage sits near the top
• Small driveways cost more per square metre, because the plant and delivery cost the same for 20m² as for 60m²
• Access, ground conditions and disposal of spoil all shift the figure

We quote a fixed price after a site visit, with the build-up written down.

Looking after it

• Keep the edges clear of soil and growth so water can get away
• Avoid turning the steering wheel while stationary, especially in hot weather
• Keep point loads — skip feet, trailer legs, motorbike stands — off it, or spread the load with a board
• Deal with small cracks early, before water gets underneath and frost opens them up
• Petrol and oil spills soften bitumen; rinse them off rather than leaving them