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.
Addresses across RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG6 fall within our coverage for a new driveway, so if your home is in Reading we can arrange a survey on a day that works for you. We inspect the existing building, discuss materials and layout, and then price the agreed specification in writing. Expect a guide range of £4,500–£10,000 including VAT before that visit.
- Guide price
- £4,500–£10,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- RG1, RG2, RG4, RG6 and RG30
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Berkshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new driveway cost in Reading?
In Reading, guide figures for a new driveway sit at £4,500–£10,000, VAT included. We set them using rates for the South East, currently about 12% above the national guide. The table shows what pushes a project towards either end of the range; your own price is set after a free survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel or tarmac | A typical 40–50m² drive in gravel on a grid, or tarmac with block edging. | £2,200–£5,600 |
| Block paving or resin bound | A typical 40–50m² drive with sub-base, edging and drainage. | £4,500–£10,000 |
| Large or premium driveway | Larger drives, natural stone, walls, steps or a new dropped kerb. | £9,000–£18,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Driveway area and the depth of excavation needed
- Surface: gravel, tarmac, block paving, resin or stone
- Drainage, soakaways and changes in level
- Edging, steps, walls and manhole adjustments
What’s included?
- Survey of levels, drainage, manholes and access
- 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
- New surface laid, compacted and finished
- Site cleared and waste removed
Local housing and a new driveway
Reading's Victorian terraces often show the town's patterned red and silver-grey brickwork, while Windsor, Maidenhead and Newbury mix Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses. Bracknell grew as a post-war new town with planned estates, Slough has a great deal of interwar and post-war housing, and newer developments sit on the edge of most towns.
Much of the Thames Valley is low-lying, so flood risk and clay ground near the river can influence foundations and drainage for extensions.
Whatever era your Reading home dates from, we plan a new driveway around how it is actually built rather than a one-size-fits-all specification.
Permissions for a new driveway in Reading
The notes below cover England, which is where Reading sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
In England, a new or replacement front-garden surface over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your property. A new dropped kerb needs consent from the council’s highways team, and access onto a classified road may need planning permission.
Building Regulations do not usually apply to driveways, but drainage must not discharge onto the road or a neighbour’s land.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
What happens after you get in touch?
We look at the job
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Written quote
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a new driveway.
Plan and prepare
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
Our trades complete a new driveway while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
What you can expect from us
Questions about a new driveway in Reading
Which driveway surface is easiest to maintain?
Resin bound gravel is one of the easiest surfaces to maintain, because it is smooth, porous and resists weeds, needing only an occasional sweep and wash. Block paving needs re-sanding joints and occasional weed control. Tarmac needs little upkeep but can soften in heat. Gravel needs raking and topping up. We explain the upkeep of each surface before you choose.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
How much does a new driveway cost?
A typical 40–50m² block paved or resin bound driveway costs £4,500–£10,000, 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.
How long does it take to lay a driveway?
Laying a typical driveway takes around three to seven days, depending on size, surface and ground conditions. Excavation and sub-base usually take the first few days, then edging, drainage and the surface. Resin needs dry weather and time to cure, and you will usually need to keep cars off for a short period afterwards. We confirm timings and access arrangements with your quote.
Which postcodes in Reading do you cover?
We cover RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG6, along with the rest of Berkshire. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Also covering areas around Reading
Live in Reading? Our coverage takes in the RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG6 postcode areas and reaches out to Lower Earley, Wokingham and Crowthorne, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.