A new driveway is a hard-wearing surface for parking, such as block paving, resin bound gravel, tarmac or gravel, laid on an excavated and compacted sub-base with edging and drainage designed to carry vehicle loads and handle rainwater.
Every house in Arbroath is a little different, so we never price a new driveway from a brochure. We look at the structure, access and existing finishes first, then put in writing a fixed figure for the scope we settle on. As a rough steer, homeowners in Scotland should budget £3,800–£8,600 including VAT, with work typically taking 3–7 days on site.
- Guide price
- £3,800–£8,600 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- DD11
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Angus
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Driveways prices in Arbroath
Budgeting for a new driveway in Arbroath? The numbers below include VAT and are adjusted for Scotland, where costs are about 4% below the national guide. The headline range is £3,800–£8,600. Nothing is final until we have measured up at a free survey and agreed the specification with you.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Arbroath |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel or tarmac | A typical 40–50m² drive in gravel on a grid, or tarmac with block edging. | £1,900–£4,800 |
| Block paving or resin bound | A typical 40–50m² drive with sub-base, edging and drainage. | £3,800–£8,600 |
| Large or premium driveway | Larger drives, natural stone, walls, steps or a new dropped kerb. | £7,700–£15,500 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Driveway area and the depth of excavation needed
- Drainage, soakaways and changes in level
- Edging, steps, walls and manhole adjustments
- Access for machinery and removal of spoil
What’s included?
- Survey of levels, drainage, manholes and access
- Excavation and removal of the old surface and soil
- Weed membrane and compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base
- Edging kerbs or restraints to hold the surface in place
- Drainage channels or soakaway where needed
- Manhole covers raised or replaced to new levels
Homes in Angus and Dundee
Dundee has sandstone tenements and terraces, Victorian villas in Broughty Ferry and the West End, and extensive post-war housing. Angus towns such as Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose and Brechin use local red sandstone, and harled cottages and farmhouses are common in the countryside.
Relatively dry for Scotland, but cold easterly winds and frosts are common, and coastal towns face salt and haar.
So when we survey a Arbroath property for a new driveway, the first step is working out how it was built and what has been changed since.
Planning and building rules in Arbroath
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Arbroath is in Scotland. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In Scotland, a hard surface in front of a house is usually permitted development if it is permeable or drains within the property. A dropped kerb or road opening needs consent from the council as roads authority.
A building warrant is not normally needed for a driveway.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
Survey and measure
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a new driveway, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Your fixed price
After the survey we send a quote for a new driveway that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Booking the work
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
The work itself
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Questions about a new driveway in Arbroath
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
How do you stop a driveway flooding?
A driveway stays dry when rainwater can drain away rather than pooling or running towards the house. Permeable surfaces such as resin bound gravel or permeable block paving let water soak through to the ground. Non-permeable surfaces need falls directing water to a channel drain, soakaway or garden border. We check levels and drainage during the survey and design the falls accordingly.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway?
Whether a driveway needs planning permission depends on its size, surface and drainage, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. In England, a new or replacement front driveway over 5m² needs permission unless it uses a permeable surface or drains to a lawn or border. We check the rules and design to suit.
Do you cover Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee?
Yes. As well as Arbroath, we cover Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee and the rest of Angus and Dundee. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
How much does a new driveway cost?
A typical 40–50m² block paved or resin bound driveway costs £3,800–£8,600, including excavation, sub-base, edging and drainage. As a guide, allow roughly £70–£150 per square metre plus fixed costs for machinery and waste. Gravel and tarmac cost less, while natural stone, steps and walls cost more. A new dropped kerb is a separate cost. We confirm a fixed price after measuring.
Near Arbroath
From DD11 to the edges of Arbroath and on into Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee, we can arrange a site visit and a written quote for your project, planned around dates that work for you.