Block Paving · Driveway
How much does a block paving driveway cost?
What a block paved driveway costs per square metre in the UK in 2026, what drives the price, what a properly built driveway includes and how to get an accurate quote.
per square metre, laid
Published UK trade day rates and merchant material prices, September 2026. Not yet based on Hard Hat Way quote data.
What changes the price
- Area. Driveways are priced by the square metre, and a double drive is not much more per metre than a single one but a lot more in total
- Block type. Standard concrete blocks are the baseline; premium concrete, clay pavers and permeable blocks cost more
- Dig-out and disposal. Removing an old drive, tarmac or lawn and carting it away is a large share of the labour
- Sub-base depth. A driveway carrying cars needs a deeper compacted base than a path, often 150mm or more
- Edging and drainage. Kerbs or edging blocks on concrete, a channel drain at the house or road, or a soakaway all add cost
- Pattern and cuts. Herringbone is stronger for cars and takes more cutting than a simple stretcher bond
Block paving is the most popular driveway surface in the UK because it looks good, it can be lifted and relaid if a service needs digging up, and it lasts for decades when it’s done properly. The last part is the catch. A block paved drive is only as good as the base underneath it, and that’s where the cheap quotes cut.
What drives the price
Area first. Driveways are priced per square metre and a typical single drive is somewhere around 30 to 40 square metres, a double one 50 or more. Then block choice: standard concrete blocks are the baseline, premium ranges with a textured or tumbled finish cost more, clay pavers more again, and permeable blocks, which let the water drain through, sit at the top but can save you needing separate drainage.
The dig-out is a big share of the labour and the skip bill. An old tarmac or concrete drive has to be broken up and carted away, and the ground dug down deep enough to fit a proper sub-base, bedding sand and the blocks while finishing at the right level against the house and the road.
Edges and drainage add to it. The blocks need a restrained edge, kerbs or edging blocks haunched in concrete, or they spread. Water has to go somewhere, so there’s often a channel drain at the garage door or the pavement, or a soakaway in the garden.
What a good job includes
- The area dug out to the right depth, with the sub-base thickness suited to cars, not just feet
- A compacted hardcore sub-base laid in layers and vibrated down, with a membrane where the ground needs it
- Screeded sharp sand bedding of an even depth
- Edge restraints set in concrete along every free edge before the blocks are laid
- Blocks laid in a pattern that suits vehicle use, with falls that take water away from the house
- Cuts done cleanly with a saw, with no slivers of block at the edges
- Kiln-dried sand brushed into the joints and the whole drive vibrated to lock it together
- Drainage compliant with the rules on run-off, so you’re not sending water onto the road
How to get an accurate quote
Measure the drive roughly, in metres, and photograph it from the road and from the house, including where it meets the pavement and the front door. Say what’s there now and whether you’ve already got a dropped kerb. If you’ve seen a block you like, name it or add a photo. That’s enough for an honest starting price per square metre. The final price comes after a site visit, when the installer can check the ground, the levels and where the water needs to go.
These figures are a guide, not a promise for your drive. Post the job with photos and get real quotes from local paving installers whose work is rated by other trades.
Common questions
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway?
If the driveway is over 5 square metres and the water drains onto the road, you need either a permeable surface or drainage into your garden, or planning permission. Most installers design it so the rain soaks away on your own land. A dropped kerb, if you don't already have one, needs a separate application to the council.
Why is herringbone recommended for driveways?
Herringbone locks the blocks together in two directions, so a car turning on it can't push the blocks apart. Stretcher bond and basket weave look fine but move under wheels over time. It takes more cutting at the edges, which is why some quotes are lower for a simpler pattern.
How long does a driveway take to lay?
A typical single drive is usually three to five days from dig-out to finished, including compacting the base and the final sanding and vibrating. Larger or more complicated drives take longer. Rain slows everything down.
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