OUR 2023 BLOCK DRIVEWAY PRICE GUIDE

Written by Daniel Woodley. Fact Checked by Paul Farley. Published to Price Guides on the 17th of January 2023.

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Block paved driveways are versatile and have many benefits compared to other surface types:

• Hundreds of blocks to choose from.
• Thousands of designs and patterns.
• It’s easy to replace blocks should you need to (i.e. an oil spill etc).
• They suppress weeds and rarely crack and withstand movement well.

On this page, I’ll answer common driveway questions such as:

How much does it cost to lay a block paved driveway?

What is the price per sq metre?

How long does the work take?

About Driveway Price Guide

As prices vary from location to location around the UK, I contacted 32 installers from various towns around the country by email and asked for prices to construct two driveways, one at 60 square metres and another at 100 square metres.

As a rough guide – two to three cars can comfortably fit on a 60 sq mtr driveway, while a 100 sq mtr can fit up to five depending on driveway shape and layout.

The average of the prices I gathered is displayed below, you can use this as a guide to block driveway prices but note the following:

• All prices include VAT where applicable.
• Full excavation of the existing driveway.
• Levelling where possible and installation of weed barrier.
• Installation of new sub-base.
• Sand base on top of sub-base.
• New blocks installed including edgings to borders.
• Small step to the front door.
• A new drainage channel leading to an existing garden soakaway.
• All waste material is taken away and disposed of.

Block Driveway Example Price 1: 60 Sq Mtrs

The figures below are an average of the prices given to me by the 32 installers we contacted in 2023.

This is for a standard driveway installation using regular blocks and excludes items listed further down the page under the title “extra costs to consider”.

Block Driveway Example Price 2: 100 Sq Mtrs

The next batch of prices I requested was for a 100 square metre driveway.

As with the first project, this is a standard installation using regular driveway blocks, a drainage channel to an existing soakaway and edgings, along with a small step to the front door.

Other Costs to Consider

As I’m sure you can appreciate, it’s very difficult to provide a price for a block driveway without inspecting the property first, and the figures displayed above are just an average for a standard installation based on photos and specifications I sent to 32 driveway installers.

The prices exclude:

Kerb dropping/lowering – as footpaths belong to the council, you’ll need to get their permission to lower a kerb and pavement if you need to create or widen access to your driveway. I have experience of this process and it isn’t always easy, especially if you live next to a busy road as there are lots of health and safety requirements and hoops to jump through. I looked into the current cost to lower a kerb, and while it varied from council to council, most charged around £2000, including the work and application fees.

Drainage – since 2008, all new driveway installations must have a provision for rainwater management. This means rainwater from your driveway cannot discharge onto the public footpath or highway. If you already have a soakaway in place, then the cost will be minimal, but if you need to install a new soakaway, the cost can be quite high, it depends on the specifics of the driveway and land.

Block Type – standard driveway blocks currently cost around £27 per square metre while more expensive cobbles cost upward of £60 per square metre. On a 100 square metre driveway, that’s a price difference of £3300, and that’s just for the blocks.

Pattern Design – I’ve4 worked for customers that wanted unusual patterns that required lots of cuts and wastage, which added to the time and cost of the project.

Levelling – if you want a driveway replaced on a like-for-like basis, the ground probably won’t need much levelling. However, I’ve also worked on projects where substantial excavation and levelling were required and this added a considerable amount to the cost.

Any extra work required such as raising flowerbeds, tree removal, brick walls, large doorsteps or relocating underground pipes or cables etc. can add to the cost of the block driveway.

How Do Blocks Compare to Other Driveway Materials?

If you’re undecided about which type of driveway to install, consider these points:

Resin – the most expensive option but this is also my favourite. You get a driveway made from gravel that is bonded together with a resin. The result is a strong, durable surface that’s grippy, low-maintenance and looks stunning. The popularity of resin has exploded in recent years, check out our guide to current prices.

Tarmac – traditional and popular but can look bland, especially after a few years when the colour dulls. It’s obvious when a repair has been carried out, and tarmac often cracks, leading to weed penetration. I’ve found that the price is similar to that of a block driveway, maybe a bit cheaper. Rainwater management will be required for non-permeable tarmac.

Gravel – there are lots of different sizes and colours to choose from and it’s the cheapest option. Gravel is noisy underfoot so it deters burglars but could annoy the homeowner. Rainwater naturally soaks through the gravel, so there’s rarely a need to install costly drainage channels and soakaways.

Stamped concrete  – patterns and coloured dyes are stamped into concrete as it dries meaning you can choose from lots of different colours and designs. Drainage management will be required for most concrete driveways, they can also be slippery and it’s difficult to repair or alter them once the concrete has hardened. The price is similar to that of block driveways but costs more than gravel.

Get Your Custom Block Driveway Quote Today

I hope you found this guide to the cost of block driveways insightful.

As there are so many things to consider when pricing a new driveway, the best way to get an accurate figure is to arrange an inspection by a local, trusted driveway installer.

Our preferred network of tradespeople can:

• Provide you with an accurate custom price in hours, not days.
• Present you with verified reviews and feedback from past customers.
• Supply you with up to three quotes from three local installers for you to consider.

Block Driveway FAQS

Why You Can Trust Us: Our Experience

We know there’s a lot of nonsense published online, usually by those that have never worked in the industry.

Daniel wrote this guide to driveway prices, and he has over 18 years of experience in the construction and landscape industries, including over 8 years as a project manager.

Daniel hasn’t installed or worked on driveway projects for a few years, so he contacted 32 driveway installers by email and asked for prices. The figures on this page are an average of the prices provided and exclude extras that your project may require.

As accuracy is important, we also asked Paul Farley to fact-check the important statements we’ve made in this guide.

Resin Driveway Cost

A good alternative to gravel is resin which is gravel embedded in a glue-like material that bonds it together. Resin is more expensive but has become popular in recent years.