September 29th, 2025

When planning client projects, accurately estimating the cost of a driveway depends on factors such as surface material, driveway size, sub-base preparation, drainage, and labour. 

As a contractor or architect, you’ll need to balance aesthetics, durability, and budget, whether the specification calls for block paving, tarmac, gravel, or premium natural stone finishes. 

This guide outlines the main cost drivers and provides a regional breakdown across the UK, helping you give precise estimates and informed recommendations to clients based on local material prices, labour rates, and site conditions.

Building A Driveway Cost Calculations

In our driveway build cost calculations, we assume a double driveway of 25m². This includes removing shrubs and undergrowth, excavating subsoil, installing a membrane and hardcore, and adding concrete edging.

In terms of build specification, BuildPartner gives you three broad options to choose from:

• Basic spec is a basic finish; e.g., Leyland, Everest, Wickes.
• Standard spec is a standard finish; e.g., Dulux, Hamilton, Slim Line.
• Premium spec is a high-spec finish; e.g., Farrow & Ball, Fine Line, Siemens.

In this article, we’ve provided a breakdown of the cost of building a driveway to a standard specification. In addition, we have provided three different benchmarks to show the range of pricing you can expect among different contractors. These are: 

• Low benchmark – smaller companies are generally lower cost but less specialised and with low project management function; good for low/mid-spec projects and tight budgets.

• Mid benchmark – medium-sized companies offer a balanced mix of cost-effectiveness and specialisation; good for mid-range projects for effective execution within moderate budgets.

• High benchmark – larger companies generally have a higher cost base but can handle a wide variety of specialist tasks; good for mid/high-spec projects and project management.

The specification and benchmark you choose will have a major impact on the overall cost of building a driveway, so it’s important to align them with your budget and the level of finish you’re aiming for.

Cost Of Building A Gravel Driveway

The table below shows the average cost of building a gravel driveway (25m2):

Gravel Driveway	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£3,433	£3,839	£4,213	£137	£154	£169
Greater London	£3,479	£3,891	£4,270	£139	£156	£171
Inner London	£3,516	£4,049	£4,103	£141	£162	£164
Midlands	£3,243	£3,626	£3,980	£130	£145	£159
North England	£3,558	£3,978	£4,366	£142	£159	£175
Northern Ireland	£3,323	£3,579	£3,977	£130	£143	£159
Scotland	£3,406	£3,809	£4,181	£136	£152	£167
South East	£3,224	£3,605	£3,999	£140	£157	£172
South West	£3,276	£3,791	£4,161	£136	£152	£166
Wales	£3,162	£3,536	£3,807	£126	£141	£152
Average	£3,362	£3,770	£4,106	£136	£152	£165

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for building a gravel driveway (25m2):

• The minimum cost is £3,162, and the maximum cost is £4,366.
• The total average cost is £3,746, or £151 per square metre.

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Cost Of Building A Tarmac Driveway

The table below shows the average cost of building a tarmac driveway (25m2):

Tarmac Driveway	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£3,802	£4,251	£4,666	£152	£170	£187
Greater London	£3,842	£4,296	£4,715	£154	£172	£189
Inner London	£3,903	£4,471	£4,531	£156	£179	£181
Midlands	£3,605	£4,031	£4,424	£144	£161	£177
North England	£3,870	£4,327	£4,749	£155	£173	£190
Northern Ireland	£3,664	£3,930	£4,374	£143	£157	£175
Scotland	£3,765	£4,210	£4,620	£151	£168	£185
South East	£3,565	£3,986	£4,375	£155	£173	£190
South West	£3,641	£4,206	£4,616	£150	£168	£185
Wales	£3,521	£3,937	£4,230	£141	£157	£169
Average	£3,718	£4,164	£4,530	£150	£168	£183

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a tarmac driveway (25m2):

• The minimum cost is £3,521, and the maximum cost is £4,749.
• The total average cost is £4,137, or £167 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Block Paving Driveway

The table below shows the average cost of building a block paving driveway (25m2):

Block Paving Driveway	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£4,149	£4,639	£5,092	£166	£186	£204
Greater London	£4,203	£4,700	£5,158	£168	£188	£206
Inner London	£4,239	£4,891	£4,963	£170	£196	£199
Midlands	£3,883	£4,342	£4,766	£155	£174	£191
North England	£4,241	£4,742	£5,205	£170	£190	£208
Northern Ireland	£4,156	£4,647	£5,100	£166	£186	£204
Scotland	£4,104	£4,589	£5,037	£164	£184	£201
South East	£3,912	£4,375	£4,854	£156	£175	£194
South West	£3,939	£4,596	£5,044	£158	£184	£202
Wales	£3,768	£4,213	£4,542	£151	£169	£182
Average	£4,059	£4,573	£4,976	£162	£183	£199

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a block paving driveway (25m2):

• The minimum cost is £3,768, and the maximum cost is £5,205.
• The total average cost is £4,536, or £181 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Natural Stone Paving Driveway

The table below shows the average cost of building a natural stone paving driveway (25m2):

Natural Stone Paving Driveway	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£6,048	£6,763	£7,423	£242	£271	£297
Greater London	£6,102	£6,823	£7,489	£244	£273	£300
Inner London	£6,224	£7,101	£7,173	£249	£284	£287
Midlands	£5,782	£6,466	£7,096	£231	£259	£284
North England	£6,140	£6,865	£7,535	£246	£275	£301
Northern Ireland	£6,017	£6,728	£7,384	£241	£269	£295
Scotland	£6,003	£6,713	£7,367	£240	£269	£295
South East	£5,659	£6,328	£7,021	£226	£253	£281
South West	£5,838	£6,719	£7,375	£234	£269	£295
Wales	£5,667	£6,336	£6,786	£227	£253	£271
Average	£5,948	£6,684	£7,265	£238	£267	£291

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a natural stone paving driveway (25m2):

• The minimum cost is £5,659, and the maximum cost is £7,535.
• The total average cost is £6,632, or £265 per square metre.

Average Cost Of Building A Driveway

So, how much does it cost to build a driveway in the UK? Based on the four types of builds covered in this article, it costs on average (when using a mid-benchmark contractor):

• Gravel Driveway: £3,770, or £152 per square metre. 
• Tarmac Driveway: £4,164, or £168 per square metre.
• Block Paving Driveway: £4,573, or £183 per square metre. 
• Natural Stone Paving Driveway: £6,684, or £267 per square metre.

It’s also worth noting that these projects were based on a standard specification, so your final cost could be lower or higher depending on the quality of materials you choose. Drainage, lighting, gates, and bollards are not included in these estimates.

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Please remember that all costs exclude VAT.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Building A Driveway

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about building a driveway.

How large should a double driveway be?

A standard double driveway is typically 5m wide by 5m long, or about 25m², providing enough space for two cars side by side with clearance for manoeuvring.

Do I need to add drainage to a driveway?

Drainage is particularly beneficial if the driveway is on an incline or slopes toward the house. Installing channels or French drains prevents water pooling and reduces the risk of water entering the property.

What are the load-bearing properties of different driveway surfaces?

Different driveway surfaces handle vehicle weight and environmental conditions in different ways, which can affect wear and tear:

• Tarmac: Suitable for standard cars and light commercial vehicles. However, it can soften in high heat and may rut under frequent heavy loads.
• Block Paving: Very durable, especially in herringbone patterns, which provide great load distribution for heavier vehicles.
• Concrete Slabs: High compressive strength and great for heavy vehicles. Risk of cracking if sub-base or expansion joints are inadequate, so installation quality is critical.
• Natural Stone: Extremely durable under load. However, it is expensive, requires skilled labour, and can shift or crack if bedding and sub-base aren’t carefully prepared.

Also, options like resin-bound gravel are growing in popularity. You can choose from a variety of colours and finishes. Not only that, but they also offer greater permeability to prevent water pooling.