Typically £90 to £150 per m²
Block paving
Concrete or clay blocks on a compacted sub-base. Patterned, repairable block by block.
Block pavingDriveways in Southampton and south Hampshire
Driveways in Southampton, built from the ground up
New and replacement drives in block paving, resin, tarmac, gravel and imprinted concrete. The dig-out, sub-base and drainage are planned before anything is laid, because that is what decides how long a drive lasts.
- Five surfaces, plus patios, dropped kerbs and cleaning
- Levels, falls and drainage checked on the site visit
- One written price, no obligation
What we lay
Pick the surface, then we plan the ground under it
Each surface below has its own page with typical prices, what the job involves and the questions people ask. Prices are typical installed ranges per square metre from the BestBuilders 2026 guide, not our quote.
Typically £70 to £130 per m²
Resin driveways
Smooth, seamless and able to let water through when laid on a porous base.
Resin driveways
Typically £50 to £90 per m²
Tarmac driveways
Hard wearing and quick to lay. Usually the lowest cost sealed surface.
Tarmac driveways
Typically £40 to £70 per m²
Gravel driveways
The lowest cost surface and free draining. Needs good edging to stay put.
Gravel driveways
Typically £90 to £140 per m²
Pattern imprinted concrete
One poured slab with a stamped pattern. Needs falls and drainage planned.
Pattern imprinted concrete
Typically £100 to £180 per m²
Patios
Porcelain, sandstone and natural stone patios laid on a proper bed.
Patios
Typically £800 to £2,500 to build
Dropped kerbs
The council approval and the build, by an accredited contractor.
Dropped kerbs
Typically £300 to £700 for the lot
Cleaning and sealing
Pressure washing, re-sanding joints and sealing tired paving.
Cleaning and sealingRanges from the BestBuilders driveway and cleaning guides and, for patios, its landscaping guide. Full tables and sources on the driveway costs page.
Choosing a surface
Which surface suits your drive?
Price is only half of it. Whether water can soak through the surface matters as much, because it decides whether you need planning permission and what drainage the job needs.
| Surface | Typical price per m² | Lets water through? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | £40 to £70 | Yes | Needs firm edging and a stabilising grid on slopes |
| Tarmac | £50 to £90 | Not as standard | Porous asphalt exists; standard tarmac must drain to a border or drain |
| Resin bound | £70 to £130 | Yes, on a porous base | Resin bonded is a different, sealed finish: check which you are quoted |
| Pattern imprinted concrete | £90 to £140 | No | Water has to run to a border, channel or soakaway |
| Block paving | £90 to £150 | Only permeable block | Standard block with sanded joints is treated as sealed |
Prices: BestBuilders, driveway cost per m² in 2026. Drainage rules: Planning Portal. Links in the sources below.
Source: BestBuilders: driveway cost per m² in 2026; Planning Portal: paving your front gardenBefore you dig
Three rules that shape a Southampton drive
The 5 m² rule
A new or replacement front drive of any size needs no planning permission if it uses a permeable surface, or if the rainwater runs to a lawn or border. A sealed surface over 5 m² that drains onto the road needs permission.
Source: Planning Portal: paving your front gardenDropped kerbs in the city
Inside Southampton the City Council handles crossovers. The application fee is £165, a Highways Inspector visits, and a decision takes about four weeks. You then pay an accredited contractor to build it.
Source: Southampton City Council: dropped kerbsDropped kerbs outside the city
In Eastleigh, Fareham, Romsey, Totton and the other Hampshire towns, Hampshire County Council decides. Its page lists a £211.90 fee and an eight week standard decision, or two weeks on its fast track.
Source: Hampshire County Council: apply for a vehicular accessGround and drainage
Why drainage is planned first here
Southampton sits on mixed ground. The city flood risk study describes London Clay under much of the north of the city, a sandier and more permeable band through the middle, and clay again in the south. Where soils have been surveyed they are generally slowly permeable, and near the coast they can become seasonally waterlogged.
For a drive, that means a soakaway that works in one street may not work in the next. On the site visit we look at where water goes now, which way the ground falls and whether the surface should drain through, into a channel, or onto a border.
Source: Southampton City Council: Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, May 2017, section 4.1.3
How a drive is built
From old drive to finished surface
The order rarely changes, whatever the surface. The depth and the materials do.
Survey
Measure the area, check levels and falls, find out where water goes and what is underneath.
Dig out
Break out the old surface and excavate to the depth the new one needs, with spoil taken away.
Sub-base
Lay a geotextile membrane and compact crushed stone in layers. Around 100 to 150mm is typical for cars.
Lay and finish
Fix the edging, lay the surface, sort the drainage and leave the site clean.
Sub-base depth from the BestBuilders 2026 driveway guide, which assumes excavation, membrane, compacted sub-base and edge restraints in its prices.
Where we work
Southampton and the towns around it
Every area has its own page, because the council, the ground and the housing change the job from one town to the next. Start with the areas we cover page or go straight to yours.
FAQs
Driveway questions from Southampton homeowners
How much does a new driveway cost in Southampton?
It depends mostly on the surface and the size. The BestBuilders 2026 guide gives typical installed prices from £40 to £70 per m² for gravel up to £90 to £150 per m² for concrete block paving, so an average 40 m² drive is typically £1,600 to £2,800 in gravel and £3,600 to £6,000 in block paving. Your own price comes in writing after a site visit.
Do I need planning permission for a new front driveway?
Not if the surface is permeable, or if rainwater runs to a lawn or border on your land. A sealed surface over 5 m² that drains onto the road needs planning permission, according to the Planning Portal. Article 4 Directions and other local restrictions can change this.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Southampton?
Inside the city, Southampton City Council: the fee is £165 and a decision takes about four weeks. In Eastleigh, Chandler's Ford, Hedge End, Fareham, Romsey and Totton it is Hampshire County Council, which lists £211.90 and an eight week standard decision.
Which driveway surface is best?
There is no single best. Block paving is repairable and comes in many patterns, resin bound is smooth and can be permeable, tarmac is hard wearing and lower cost, gravel is the cheapest and free draining, and imprinted concrete has no joints but needs drainage planned. The site, the budget and the drainage usually decide.
How long does it take to lay a driveway?
It depends on the size, the surface and how much has to be dug out. A small gravel or tarmac drive can be quick; a large block paved drive with a full dig-out takes longer. You get the expected number of days with your written quote.
Do you cover areas outside Southampton?
Yes. We price driveways in Eastleigh, Chandler's Ford, Hedge End, Fareham, Romsey and Totton as well as the city. Each area has its own page with the local council rules.
Ready to price your drive?
Send the quick form with your surface, size and postcode. We reply with the next step, usually a visit to measure and check levels.