How Much to Tarmac a Drive?
What are the average costs of laying a tarmac driveway?
The average cost of having red tarmac installed for a 20m2 area is £1,400 to £1,800, with costs rising to £2,800 to £3,400 for a 40m2 surface, £4,100 to £4,900 should it be 60m2, £5,400 to £6,400 for an 80m2 area, or £6,800 to £8,000 for a 100 square metre area.
Tarmacadam, aka tarmac, will help not only improve the appearance of your driveway but it will extend its lifespan too.
What about black tarmac prices?
If you’d prefer black tarmac, this could cost approximately £1,000 to £1,400 for a 20m2 surface, £1,900 to £2,600 if the area is 40m2, £2,900 to £3,700 should it be 60m2, £3,900 to £4,900 for an 80m2 area, or £4,800 to £6,000 for a 100m2 driveway.
What can you expect to pay for cold-lay tarmac driveway?
Cold-lay driveway tarmac, the cost of building a tarmac driveway would be about £1,400 to £2,200 for a 20m2 area, £2,500 to £3,600 for a 40m2 driveway, or £3,600 to £5,000 for a 60m2 area. You’d need a budget of £4,700 to £6,400 to cover a surface of 80m2, or £5,800 to £7,800 for a 100m2 area.
How much will hot-lay tarmac driveways cost?
When it comes to hot-lay tarmac, the cost of installing a tarmac driveway will land about £1,600 to £2,400 for an area that is 20m2, £2,900 to £4,000 should it be 40m2, or £4,200 to £5,600 if it’s 60m2.
For an area that is 80m2 altogether, expect the cost to be around £5,500 to £7,200 and to cover a 100m2 surface would likely cost between £6,800 and £8,800.
Here's a handy maintenance tip for your new tarmac driveway - to keep your driveway looking new, sweep away any debris and hose it down using low water pressure.
Let's take a deep dive into the prices you can expect to pay based upon the above...
Tarmac Driveway Prices
| Type | Area Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Red Tarmac | 20m2 | £1,400 to £1,800 |
| 40m2 | £2,800 to £3,400 | |
| 60m2 | £4,100 to £4,900 | |
| 80m2 | £5,400 to £6,400 | |
| 100m2 | £6,800 to £8,000 | |
| Black Tarmac | 20m2 | £1,000 to £1,400 |
| 40m2 | £1,900 to £2,600 | |
| 60m2 | £2,900 to £3,700 | |
| 80m2 | £3,900 to £4,900 | |
| 100m2 | £4,800 to £6,000 | |
| Cold-lay Tarmac | 20m2 | £1,400 to £2,200 |
| 40m2 | £2,500 to £3,600 | |
| 60m2 | £3,600 to £5,000 | |
| 80m2 | £4,700 to £6,400 | |
| 100m2 | £5,800 to £7,800 | |
| Hot-lay Tarmac | 20m2 | £1,600 to £2,400 |
| 40m2 | £2,900 to £4,000 | |
| 60m2 | £4,200 to £5,600 | |
| 80m2 | £5,500 to £7,200 | |
| 100m2 | £6,800 to £8,800 |
- How Much to Tarmac a Drive?
- What are the Supply Costs of a Tarmac Driveway Installation?
- What are the Additional Costs of Building a Tarmac Driveway?
- Tradesmen Costs for Tarmac Driveway Installation
- How Long Does It Take to Build a Tarmac Driveway?
- Types of Tarmac Driveway
- Benefits of a Tarmac Driveway
- How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Tarmac Driveway?
- FAQs
- Sources
What are the Supply Costs of a Tarmac Driveway Installation?
In this section, we’ll break down the supply costs of installing a tarmac driveway. This excludes the labour costs.
If you decide to go about this as a DIY project, you’ll need to consider a range of tarmac driveway ideas.
Only experienced DIY enthusiasts should try to build a driveway by themselves as it is a complicated process.
The average supply tarmac prices for cold-lay tarmac is £8 to £15 per 25kg with the cost of hot-lay tarmac landing around £45 to £60 per tonne, making hot-lay tarmac or hot-mix tarmac, a much cheaper alternative to the former.
To be more specific about the types, red tarmac costs roughly £60 to £70 per square metre with black tarmac costing about £40 to £50 per m2.
As for edging, this costs approximately £5 to £40 per m2.
Supply Cost of a Tarmac Driveway
| Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cold-lay Tarmac Driveway | £8 to £15 per 25kg |
| Hot-lay Tarmac Driveway | £45 to £60 per tonne |
| Red Tarmac Driveway | £60 to £70 per m2 |
| Black Tarmac Driveway | £40 to £50 per m2 |
| Tarmac Driveway Edging | £5 to £40 per m2 |
What are the Additional Costs of Building a Tarmac Driveway?
There are a range of added costs that you may incur when having a tarmac driveway installed. Let’s break down some reasonably common examples.
Minimum Fee
There may or may not be a minimum fee included in your bill if you have a tarmac driveway constructed.
This may be included as a standalone fee or in the form of another cost being expanded. An example of an expanded cost may be if you were charged per day for labour.
In that scenario, if a job lasted three days and two hours or three days and six hours, you’d face a charge for four days of labour either way.
Installation Area
The state and type of installation area being used is also relevant to the cost for a number of reasons.
Firstly, there may be a need for additional work to make the installation area more suitable for having a driveway constructed.
On the other hand, it may simply be more difficult an area to work with regardless when it comes to installing the driveway.
Type & Materials
As discussed, there are many types of tarmac driveway, including red, black, and edging and those that are based on the way they are installed/the method used, namely, cold-lay tarmac and hot-lay tarmac.
Size
Of course the larger the driveway being constructed, the more materials will be required and the longer the work will take. As a result of these two factors, the supply and labour costs respectively, will be higher.
Foundations
As for the foundations, the more suited a foundation, the easier laying a tarmac driveway will be and vice versa. This in turn will shape the labour cost of installing a tarmac driveway.
Number of Tradespeople
The more people working on a project, the higher the labour cost will be. However, with more labourers on site, the installation of the driveway would be faster.
For that reason, it’s hard to say whether increasing or decreasing the number of labourers installing a driveway will be a cost benefit or disadvantage overall.
It would mostly depend on how well the labourers work as a team.
Duration
The longer it takes to install a tarmac driveway, the higher the labour costs will be in most cases.
The only exception might be if the labour cost is a set amount prior to work commencing.
If you are charged per day of labour then whether the work took one day and three hours or one day and eight hours, you’d pay for two days of labour.
Repair Work
Over time, you may need to have repair work performed on a tarmac driveway. You should reseal your driveway approximately once every three years. Resurfacing should take place approximately every 5-10 years.
Another issue that may arise overtime is the appearance of a crack. These issues could be fixed DIY for a relatively low price but you may pay several hundred pounds for any of these jobs if you hire a professional.
To perform repair work DIY make sure that you know precisely what is involved first and undertake any necessary safety precautions.
Tradesmen Costs for Tarmac Driveway Installation
The labour costs refers to what you pay for the work undertaken by the workers on a given project. This may come in the form of an hourly, daily, or set fee.
Let’s take a look at the labour costs involved in building a tarmac driveway and what factors can influence this cost.
With most tarmac driveways being installed by two labourers, the average daily cost would come to anywhere from £250 to £400.
The tradesmen cost can vary depending on the number of labourers hired, ease of access, the state of the installation area, weather conditions, and where in the country you’re situated.
How Long Does It Take to Build a Tarmac Driveway?
Now, we’ll look at the time frames involved in laying a tarmac driveway. We’ll also discuss the various time-affecting factors.
It would take about two to three days to build a 20m2 tarmac driveway, three to four days in the case of a 40m2 tarmac driveway, or four to five days for a 60m2 tarmac driveway.
For a driveway of 80 square metres in size, expect it to take about five to six days to build and about six to seven days in the case of a 100m2 tarmac driveway.
Types of Tarmac Driveway
Let’s look at the difference between cold-lay and hot-lay tarmac. For each option, we’ll discuss what it involves, the pros & cons and their average cost.
Cold-lay Tarmac Cost
Cold-lay tarmac is installed with a combination of soapy water with the relevant materials. It’s well suited for repairs and low-traffic locations.
It is far more accessible to regular DIY enthusiasts since it can be purchased from a local or online store. Cold-mix tarmac comes in 25kg bags.
It is the suitable option for a DIY job. Cold-lay tarmac costs about £8 to £15 per bag.
Pros:
- Easy to find
- The best option for DIY enthusiasts
- Becomes more price competitive, the more you buy
Cons:
- Not as cheap as hot-lay for a small job
- Temporary solution
- Will not stick to the surface as effectively as hot-lay tarmac
Hot-lay Tarmac Cost
The other common option is hot-lay tarmac or hot-mix tarmac. One tonne of hot-lay tarmac costs about £45 to £60 making it a much cheaper option.
Hot-lay tarmac provides better coverage and adheres to the surface more effectively, making it a permanent solution, unlike for cold-lay tarmac driveways.
Pros:
- Much cheaper for regular projects
- More coverage
- Permanent solution for tarmac for driveway
Cons:
- Can’t be carried in a regular vehicle due to the weight involved
- Must be kept heated on the way to work area
- Unsuitable for a DIY enthusiast
Benefits of a Tarmac Driveway
There are plenty of benefits to having a tarmac driveway installed. Let’s explore some of the top advantages of building a tarmac driveway.
Easy to Build
In most cases, it should only take a few days to have a tarmac driveway built.
As a result, it’s a relatively straightforward and time-efficient way of transforming the front of your property, both in appearance and for reasons of utility.
Resistant to the Elements
Tarmacs are built to last and are made to endure harsh weather conditions from summer to winter and back.
With a long-lasting and durable tarmac driveway, it will mean saving money because of the fact that it’s unlikely you’ll need to perform repairs and maintenance too often.
Cheaper Than Concrete
Though concrete driveways have their advantages (e.g. lasting up to 40 years and not needing a sealant), tarmac driveways are a lot cheaper.
In fact, on average you’d need to pay about £3,700 to £3,900 to have a 40m2 concrete driveway built by professionals but just £2,000 to £2,150 on average for a tarmac driveway.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Tarmac Driveway?
You may wish to have a tarmac driveway removed because you’d like to install a new structure on the land it currently covers (e.g. a garage or another type of outbuilding).
On the other hand, your tarmac driveway may be old and worn down beyond repair, in which case you may want to have a fresh driveway installed, whether made of tarmac or concrete.
On average, it would cost approximately £500 to £1500 to have a tarmac driveway removed.
FAQs
Q: How do you remove oil from a tarmac driveway?
A: An oil stain remover or dish soap will likely suffice best but there are a whole range of options and some may work better than others depending on the nature of the driveway of the oil spillage.
Q: How do you prepare a driveway for tarmac?
A: Preparing a tarmac driveway will start with the removal of the previous driveway, the installation of a sufficient membrane, edging, and then a sub-base.
This may not always be the case as the exact process can vary for a wide range of reasons.
Q: How long does it usually take to build a tarmac driveway?
A: The average timeframe is three to four days.
Q: How long does a tarmac driveway last?
A: On average, about 15 years.
Q: What other options do I have?
A: Resin and concrete driveways are worth considering as alternatives to having a tarmac driveway built.
Sources
