Last updated October 2026
On a brand new 50 m2 drive, tarmac is usually the cheapest, block paving next and resin bound the dearest: Checkatrade’s averages give about £4,500, £5,000 and £6,000. Resin closes the gap, and can win, when it goes over sound existing tarmac or concrete at £60 to £100 per m2, because the base is already there. All figures here come from published price guides, not from our quote.
The two big guides disagree by a factor of two, so read the ranking, not the exact figure.
| Surface, 50 m2 | Checkatrade (average per m2) | MyBuilder (range per m2) |
|---|---|---|
| Resin bound, new drive | £6,000 (£120) | £2,000 to £3,500 (£40 to £70) |
| Block paving | £5,000 (£100) | £2,500 to £4,500 (£50 to £90) |
| Tarmac | £4,500 (£90) | £1,250 to £2,250 (£25 to £45) |
| Resin bound over a sound existing base | £3,000 to £5,000 (£60 to £100, four other guides) | not given |
Why the guides differ: Checkatrade’s figure is an average total including labour, while MyBuilder’s looks like a lower supply-and-lay range. Neither includes a dropped kerb.
Which is cheapest?
Tarmac, on a new drive, in both guides. Checkatrade averages tarmac at £90 per m2 against £100 for block paving and £120 for resin, and MyJobQuote puts installed tarmac at £45 to £100 per m2. Resin becomes competitive only when your existing tarmac or concrete is sound enough to keep; then it is priced at £60 to £100 per m2 with no new base. For the full breakdown of a resin price, see resin driveway cost.
Which lasts longest?
Block paving and tarmac, slightly, on published figures. MyJobQuote gives block paving around 20 to 30 years and a well laid tarmac drive 20 to 30 years, with sealing about every five years; it gives resin around 15 to 25. All three depend heavily on the base underneath.
Which needs planning permission at the front?
Tarmac and standard block paving can; resin bound usually does not. In England, a front hard surface over 5 m2 needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. Resin bound is permeable on a porous base, while ordinary tarmac is impermeable and needs its water taken to a lawn or soakaway. Our planning permission guide covers each UK nation.
Which is easiest to repair?
Block paving. MyJobQuote notes that individual blocks are easier to replace, and small tarmac holes can be patched with cold lay tarmac. Resin is the hardest: the New Driveway Company says it “cannot be simply patch repaired”, so a damaged area usually means relaying a section or the whole drive.
Can resin go over my old block paving or tarmac?
Over sound tarmac, yes; over block paving, no. The New Driveway Company calls overlaying block paving or slabs “a big no-no”, so blocks come up and a base goes in. Sound tarmac that is clean, dry and free from loose material can take resin directly, which is where the cost saving comes from. Our page on resin over tarmac or concrete sets out the checks.
Which suits a sloping drive?
Any of the three can be laid on a slope, but water is the issue. MyJobQuote warns that on tarmac “water will pool if the slope is insufficient” and that run-off must not cross a public space. Resin bound lets rain through, though Bristol still requires a linear drain at the boundary on sloped drives. On a very steep drive, ask about a grippier finish such as resin bonded.
How it works
- 01Send photos of the driveRough size, what is there now and your postcode.
- 02We visitThe ground under the drive, the levels and where the water goes are checked.
- 03Written priceThe base, edging and drainage as their own lines.
Is resin cheaper than patio slabs?
Sometimes. No guide we read prices resin and slabs on the same basis; MyBuilder gives Indian sandstone at £60 to £100 per m2, which overlaps resin over a sound base. The deciding factor is whether the area already has a base that resin can go over.
Illustrative example
An illustration using the three-way table only, not a real drive.
A 50 m2 drive with sound tarmac already down. Replacing it with new block paving at Checkatrade’s average would be about £5,000; a new resin drive on a new base, about £6,000; resin over the existing tarmac, about £3,000 to £5,000. So the resin overlay is the cheapest route here, but only because the base is sound.
Who does the work?
On a resin job, Alex Winser runs everything with you and the installers lay the surface. The Resin Drive Company is a WeDo Property Services service.
FAQs
Is resin better than block paving?
It is smoother, drains through and has no joints for weeds; block paving lasts a little longer on published figures and is easier to repair.
Does resin crack like tarmac?
It can if the base is weak or it is laid badly, which is why the base check matters.
Which looks more modern?
That is taste. A sample of a resin blend against your house is the best test.
Can I combine block paving and resin?
Yes, as an edge: Trade2Base prices granite sett borders round a resin drive at £20 to £30 per metre.
Sources
- Checkatrade, Resin bound driveway cost, June 2026
- MyBuilder, Resin bound driveway cost, Aug 2026
- MyJobQuote, Resin vs block paving driveway, June 2026
- MyJobQuote, Tarmac driveway cost, Aug 2026
- MacColl & Stokes Landscaping, Resin driveway cost UK 2026, updated Oct 2026
- The New Driveway Company, Why you should buy a resin bound drive, and why you shouldn’t, Nov 2025
- Ronacrete, RonaDeck Resin Bound Surfacing data sheet, Oct 2024
- Bristol City Council, Vehicle crossover guidance and process, rates from Apr 2024
- Trade2Base, Resin bound gravel costs UK, June 2026
