For a typical 40m² driveway in Devon, expect roughly £3,500–£6,500 for tarmac, £4,500–£8,000 for block paving and £5,000–£9,000 for resin-bound. Digging out, the sub-base and drainage matter as much as the surface you see.
Updated October 2026 · Terbium Home, builders in Exmouth, Devon
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Tarmac driveway (40m²) | £3,500 – £6,500 |
| Block-paved driveway (40m²) | £4,500 – £8,000 |
| Resin-bound driveway (40m²) | £5,000 – £9,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossing) | £800 – £2,500 + council fees |
Ranges include dig-out, a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base, edging and the surface. Bigger or smaller drives scale roughly with the area. No VAT to add: Terbium Home isn't VAT registered.
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Open the price estimator →Not usually for a front driveway, as long as it's permeable (permeable block paving, gravel or resin-bound) or the water runs off onto a lawn or border. If you cover more than 5m² of a front garden with a solid, non-permeable surface that drains to the road, you need planning permission. Flats, some newer houses and properties with planning conditions have different rules.
If you'll drive across the pavement, you need a dropped kerb (a vehicle crossing), and it's illegal to drive over a kerb that hasn't been lowered. In Devon the work is licensed through Devon County Council: the contractor applies, the council visits the site, and you need 20 working days' notice before work. The council's licence fee for a new crossing is £568 (from April 2026), on top of the construction cost.
Most driveways take us under a week once we start, a little longer with walls or drainage. A dropped kerb needs the council's approval first, so start that early.
Tarmac is usually the cheapest of the three, then block paving, then resin-bound. Gravel can be cheaper again but needs topping up.
Not if it's permeable or drains onto your own garden. A non-permeable surface over 5m² of a front garden that drains to the road needs planning permission.
Typically £800–£2,500 to build, plus Devon County Council's licence fee of £568 for a new vehicle crossing (from April 2026).
Sources: Planning Portal: paving front gardens · Devon County Council: dropped kerb applications
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