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.
If you are planning a new driveway anywhere in Cornwall, including Redruth, Falmouth, St Austell and Truro, we can visit, measure up and talk through the options. The planning and building regulations we work to are those for England, and we check them for your address before quoting. Prices remain guide figures for the South West, at £4,100–£9,200 including VAT, until the survey is done.
- Guide price
- £4,100–£9,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 2% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 7
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Driveways prices in Cornwall
No two jobs cost exactly the same, but the ranges below give a fair picture of a new driveway in Cornwall. Pricing for the South West runs about 2% above the national guide, and the overall guide is £4,100–£9,200 with VAT included. We'll confirm your figure after surveying the property for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Cornwall |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel or tarmac | A typical 40–50m² drive in gravel on a grid, or tarmac with block edging. | £2,000–£5,100 |
| Block paving or resin bound | A typical 40–50m² drive with sub-base, edging and drainage. | £4,100–£9,200 |
| Large or premium driveway | Larger drives, natural stone, walls, steps or a new dropped kerb. | £8,200–£16,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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
Scope of the work
- 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
- Manhole covers raised or replaced to new levels
- Site cleared and waste removed
Homes in Cornwall
Older Cornish homes are often built of granite or slatey local stone, with slate roofs and sometimes slate-hung walls facing the weather. Cob cottages survive in places, Truro and Falmouth keep Georgian and Victorian streets, and many towns have rendered post-war houses, bungalows and newer estates on their edges.
Stone and cob properties often need breathable lime render, careful repointing and roof repairs. Post-war and newer homes commonly benefit from new windows, roofline renewal, external rendering and single-storey extensions.
Cornwall faces Atlantic gales, driving rain and salt-laden air, so render, pointing and window hardware on exposed elevations need a suitably robust specification.
Planning and building rules in Cornwall
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Cornwall comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
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.
How does the job run?
A visit to your home
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.
Quote in writing
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
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.
On site to finish
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
What you can expect from us
Questions about a new driveway in Cornwall
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 much does a new driveway cost?
A typical 40–50m² block paved or resin bound driveway costs £4,100–£9,200, 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.
Do I need planning permission in Cornwall?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Cornwall is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Can I use my car during the work?
You will not be able to park on the driveway while it is being dug out and laid, so plan to park on the street or nearby for the duration. We keep a safe pedestrian route to your front door where possible. After completion, block paving and tarmac can usually be driven on straight away, while resin and concrete need a short curing period first.
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.
Towns in Cornwall
Looking for a new driveway somewhere in Cornwall? Start with the towns below; each links to a page with pricing for your region and coverage details.