How much does a new driveway cost?

How much does it cost to pave a new driveway?

The average homeowner spends between £6,150 and £17,500 on a new driveway.

The great thing about driveways is that they’re both functional and aesthetically pleasing. They give you more parking space, making your life easier, and increase the value of your property. All in all, they’re a great investment to make.

The cost of a new driveway is broken down into three parts:

1. The size of your driveway
2. The type of driveway you want
3. Material costs

You might also want to think about what colours you want your driveway to have, as there are a large range of choices available. Think about what will look good and match with your home (and the surrounding area). 

On average, a medium sized driveway of around 60m², will cost you between £10,600 and £10,900 to buy and install.

Smaller driveways of around 30m² (that can fit two cars) have a cost range of £6,000 to £6,700 depending on your choice of materials.

Large driveways (around 90m²), start at around £13,000 and can reach £17,500 or more, depending on where you live in the UK.

New driveway cost breakdown

The biggest cost factor is determined by your choice of materials. This guide includes the costs for all the main driveway materials, according to a range of different sizes.

Keep in mind that not all materials will be well suited for your driveway. Gravel and tarmac are difficult to lay on sloped driveways, for instance. A driveway specialist can help you determine what the best fit is for you.

How much does a resin driveway cost?

The average cost of a new resin driveway is around £10,900. Smaller, budget driveways can cost as little as £6,150, whereas larger projects of around 90 to 100m2 can cost around £17,000 or more.

This kind of driveway is made up of gravel that is bound together by resin, allowing you to get the ‘gravel look’, but in a way that prevents your driveway from scattering.

This makes resin driveways very low maintenance and long-lasting, though they’re prone to moss growth further down the line. 

Resin is also a very porous material, meaning it’s great for drainage and has good grip during the slippery winter months. It’s also an eco-friendly option, bringing you plenty of benefits, and only for a slightly higher price than tarmac.

Not to mention that there are a lot of different colours and custom options you can choose to create a great driveaway. If you have a sharp incline or sloped driveway, then resin is a good option for you.

However, resin is also prone to cracking, though this is only after over 20 years of use. 

It can take anywhere between two and seven days to install a resin driveway, depending on size, with an additional one or two days of curing time.

What’s the difference between resin bound and resin bonded?

You might see some services offering both resin-bound and resin-bonded driveways. Resin-bound driveways fully mix the resin into the gravel, whereas resin-bonded driveways have resin poured onto the surface, with gravel sprinkled on top. 

We recommend you opt for the resin-bound option, as the resin-bonded method does not last long, and is prone to cracking and coming loose after only a few years. Though it costs more, the quality of resin-bound driveways is infinitely better.

How much does a concrete driveway cost?

The average cost of a new, concrete driveway is around £14,750.

Concrete is a mid to high-end driveway material, similar to tarmac but more durable. The great thing about concrete is that it’s a very hard-wearing option that, with minor maintenance, can last you upwards of 50 years.

It’s also quite easy to install, taking between two to seven days to lay, and three to four days of curing time. 

Concrete driveways have slightly worse drainage, and will probably require a drainage channel and soakaway installation. You might have to do a bit of crack resealing and patching, but decades after installation. It’s recommended that you layer a protective coat over your concrete driveway roughly every six to seven years.

They can also sometimes be a bit tricky to install on steep inclines, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a sloped driveway installation.

If you then add labour costs, you could pay:

The cost of installation will range, according to where you live in the UK. The larger the driveway, the more prices increase to buy and install concrete.

How much does a printed concrete driveway cost?

You might decide that you want your concrete driveway to be printed. The great thing about concrete is that you can get really creative with it, as there are lots of design options available for you to choose from.

Patterned or stamped concrete driveways always stand out. If you aren’t sure what pattern to go with, why not hire a driveway specialist to advise you?

How much does it cost for a tarmac driveway?

The average cost of a new tarmac driveway is around £10,600.

Tarmac driveways are made using an asphalt surface, where a layer of gravel and bitumen are laid together.

Tarmac is a popular option, and is fairly easy to install. It’s less expensive than some other materials like concrete, and is therefore cost-effective for large driveways. 

Though it works well with slight inclines, tarmac is not suitable for steep slopes. It also requires maintenance work every few years, with more serious repair work every 15-20 years. It’s also not very environmentally friendly.

For some average sized driveways, an installation can cost you:

How much does a gravel and stone driveway cost?

The average cost of a new gravel driveway is £11,200.

You might decide to go with a gravel driveway because of how they look, and the fact they’re environmentally friendly. They’re also highly permeable, and cover wide areas, with a good grip during the winter months.

The main downside of gravel is that it scatters, piles up, and slowly moves off the driveway. One way to prevent this is by installing gravel mats or driveway skirting. Because of this, it requires more frequent attention than some other options in this guide, though it’s considered a cost-effective material for large driveways.

Gravel is not really well suited for steep inclines, and it can be tricky to roll your bins over. Though it can sometimes become overrun by weeds, it’s considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing driveway designs.

For a small, medium, and large driveway, you could spend:

How much does a block paved driveway cost?

The average cost of a block paved driveway is around £10,800.

Block or brickwork driveways are a classic option with plenty of creative design features. They’re straightforward to maintain, but fairly time-consuming to install.

The good thing is that they’re simple and quiet to install, without the need for heavy and noisy machinery. One or two skilled contractors could complete the installation within a week.

They are also more environmentally friendly than other options like tarmac, and have good drainage. However, they’re prone to weed growth and cracking, so keep this in mind.

The cost of installing a brick driveway, according to its size, is:

What is the cheapest option for a driveway?

If you’re on a budget and want to save money on your new driveway, then we recommend you go for either a tarmac driveway or a block paved one, as these are generally the cheapest options. Gravel driveways are another affordable option.

Gravel driveways are environmentally friendly, but require more frequent maintenance, whereas tarmac driveways are worse for the environment but only need serious maintenance every 15-20 years.

If you aren’t sure which is best for you, why not get in contact with a specialist who can help answer your questions? We recommend you ask for multiple quotes before you decide who to go with.

How much does it cost to repair a driveway?

Maybe you already own a driveway, but it’s getting a little worn down. You don’t necessarily need to replace it, as a repair might be enough for small holes and cracks. In many cases, you can do these repair jobs yourself, with minimal effort and costs.

• For concrete driveways – concrete crack filler can fix holes that are less than ¼ inch wide. This costs between £8 and £16
• For block paving – if any of the bricks in your driveway have come loose, you will need to re-point them by removing the old mortar with a knife, cleaning the area, and then adding new mortar. All you need to buy is some paving mortar, which usually costs between £20 and £30 a tub
• For tarmac driveways – the best solution for an old driveway that has become dented or scuffed is simply to resurface it by installing a fresh layer of tarmac on top of your old one. This usually costs around £40 per square metre
• For resin driveways – you will want to hire a professional to fix an area of your resin driveway, as it can be a bit tricky. The total bill will cost you around £150, depending on the extent of the damage
• For gravel driveways – gravel driveways are prone to developing potholes over time, which can be dangerous for your car. You can fix this by levelling the surface, and then adding new gravel. This does require quite a lot of effort, so you might want to hire someone to do it instead. This will cost you around £150 – £200 a day

Driveway extension cost

You might be looking to extend your driveway, say if you have a single car driveway and want to extend it so that it will fit two cars.

This will cost more than a new driveway as you will have to overlay the whole space, in order to avoid joints.

A standard driveway extension will cost you between £140 and £200 per square metre. What material you choose will depend on your existing driveway, and will affect costs.

Do you need planning permission for driveways?

In most cases, you don’t need planning permission for a new or replacement driveway (of any size) if you use a permeable (porous) material such as the materials outlined above, or if water is correctly directed with an adequate drainage system.

Impermeable driveways without the right drainage, and of over five square metres, will require planning permission.

For more information, you can access the planning permission website.

How much does a driveway gate cost to install?

The average cost of a driveway gate installation is between £800 and £2,000.

With a gate, burglars will have trouble accessing your property, giving you an added layer of security. A gate also offers you more privacy, so that you can relax in your front garden without having to worry about unwanted guests.

With a wide range of gate options, you can show off your sense of style by choosing a gate that matches the look and feel of your home.

How much you spend on a gate installation will depend on the type of gate you decide you want. You might spend:

• £700 – £800 for a wooden gate 
• £650 – £1,000 for a manual metal driveway gate
• Between £2,000 and £6,500 for an electronic gate, depending on material choice and size

You could get swing gates, sliding gates, or even bespoke bi-fold gates. The choice is yours, with prices ranging according to your choice of material. 

You might end up spending a lot more or a lot less if you want a really small or really big gate, but these are some general prices to give you an idea.

Top of the range electronic gates enable you to open your gate without having to get out of your car.

Do you need planning permission for driveway gates? ↓

In some instances, a new gate will require you to apply for planning permission, though this won’t always be the case.

You will not need planning permission if:

• The gate is below one metre, and next to a road used by vehicles, or somewhere else but below two metres
• If the gate does not form a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or grounds

You might need planning permission if:

• Your gate is over a metre high and fronts a road used by vehicles, or elsewhere and above two metres
• Your home is a listed building
• Your gate forms a boundary with a neighbours listed building or grounds 
• Your right to put a gate up is removed by an article four direction or a planning condition

If you’re unsure whether you do or don’t qualify for these requirements, get into contact with a skilled tradesperson who can help you figure it out.

What is the best driveway weed killer?

There are several ways you can get rid of the weeds growing on your driveway, and not all of them involve toxic chemicals.

1. Commercial herbicides – these are expensive, and can be dangerous for your family and pets, but they’re often the most effective weed killer. Non-toxic herbicides are also available, so you might want to give one of those a try before you go with a standard option
2. Vinegar – if you don’t want to use a herbicide, vinegar is a great natural herbicide that you might already have at home. Vinegar kills everything it’s sprayed on, so watch out for the plants around it when you use it. You will probably have to spray the weeds a few times if you’re using supermarket-bought vinegar. To make the solution even more effective, add a little dish soap to the vinegar. It will kill the weeds off faster
3. Pull the weeds out – if you’re looking for a really cost-effective solution, why not pull the weeds out yourself? It’s the easiest and cheapest solution, but make sure you pull them by the root, so they don’t grow back
4. Boiling water –  another fairly cheap method is to pour boiling water over them. This is a natural solution that is inexpensive, and requires little effort
5. Saltwater – saltwater is another solution to kill your weeds. Add three parts water and one part salt, mix it well, and then pour it over your driveway slabs. In areas with lots of weeds, adding dry salt can also help you get rid of them