Block Paving Driveway Cost: UK Prices per m² and Size

Block paving cost per m²

Block paving costs around £100 per m², £50 for the materials and £50 for installation, on Checkatrade’s figures, while resin bound paving costs more at £120 per m².

Checkatrade’s block paving cost guide gives £90 to £110 per m², an average of £100, excluding VAT, and prices each type of block separately.

Block paving per m², excluding VAT	Low	High	Average
Concrete block paving	£20	£50	£35
Brick block paving	£30	£70	£50
Permeable block paving	£60	£90	£75
Stone block paving	£60	£100	£80
Composite resin block paving	£95	£125	£110

Concrete is the cheapest block paving material and very hard-wearing, brick comes in more styles, sizes and colours but is less cost-effective and less durable, stone costs significantly more but resists weather and erosion, and composite resin blocks are hard-wearing, versatile and often recycled, the same guide says. Permeable block paving, it adds, lets moisture flow into the ground, so it needs no additional drainage system and reduces the risk of flooding in heavy rain.

The Planning Portal names permeable concrete block paving among the surfaces that need no planning permission for a new or replacement driveway of any size, while a traditional impermeable driveway covering more than five square metres needs permission unless the water can run to a permeable area.

Concrete, clay and natural stone blocks

Priced as materials, concrete blocks cost £20 to £60 per m², clay blocks £70 to £100 and natural stone blocks £50 to £105, excluding VAT, in Checkatrade’s driveway paving cost guide. Concrete blocks are the most affordable, extremely durable and come in many styles, while natural stone has a high-end look and clay a traditional appeal, both at the higher end, the guide says.

When you buy blocks, add 10% for wastage, Checkatrade’s driveway paving cost guide advises.

Block paving driveway cost by size

Checkatrade’s driveway cost guide prices a block paved drive at three sizes.

Driveway size	Block paving, on Checkatrade’s figures
Small single car, 20m²	£2,400
Medium 2 car, 50m²	£5,000
Large multiple car, 100m²	£8,000

Checkatrade’s block paving cost guide puts a 50m² block paved drive at £4,500 to £6,500, an average of £5,500, and block paving labour at £640 to £1,400, an average of £1,020, both excluding VAT.

What changes the price of block paving

Checkatrade’s driveway paving cost guide lists what moves the price of a block paved drive.

• The size of the drive and the type of block
• The pattern, since more intricate patterns take more labour time
• Ground preparation, since the excavation and sub-base are critical and uneven or unstable ground costs more
• Drainage
• Edging and kerbs, a necessary expense because they stop the drive moving and spreading
• Regional labour rates and the installer’s experience

A herringbone pattern takes longer to lay than a simple one, and the shape of the space, any extra landscaping and the state of the ground you start with also change the cost, Checkatrade’s block paving cost guide says. Imprinted concrete is the patterned alternative to laying blocks, poured and then pressed with a pattern while wet to look like brick, cobbles or natural stone, Checkatrade’s imprinted concrete cost guide says.

Removing and relaying block paving

Removing block paving costs £40 to £110 per m², an average of £75, excluding VAT, in Checkatrade’s block paving cost guide, which counts taking out the old driveway as an extra, along with excavation and a weed membrane.

Lifting and relaying sunken block paving costs roughly £75 per m², Checkatrade’s block paving cost guide says. Paving sinks when the ground is not excavated deeply enough, when there is no geo membrane, when a mains water leak washes out the sub-base or when the compaction fails, for example where a tree was removed, and acidic dirt, moss, weeds and lichens cause it too, the guide adds.

Block paving pros, cons and lifespan

Block paving comes in a huge choice of styles, allows patch repairs and is long-lasting if it is laid well, but it is labour-intensive, more expensive to install and the quality varies, Checkatrade’s driveway cost guide says.

A standard sized block driveway takes 3 to 5 days to lay on average, depending on the site preparation and how complex the job is, Checkatrade’s driveway paving cost guide says. Once it is down, it needs little upkeep beyond occasional sweeping and weed control, resists most chemicals and oils, and a damaged block can be replaced without redoing the whole drive, according to the same guide.

A properly looked after block paved driveway can last 15 to 20 years, and sealing it costs around £5 to £17 per m², Checkatrade’s block paving cost guide says. Laying one yourself is hard to do well, the guide adds, because a poor job can leave an unstable, sinking driveway.

What a block paving quote should include

A block paving quote usually includes the materials, labour, excavating and preparing the driveway, and the clean-up and disposal, Checkatrade’s driveway paving cost guide says, and you may pay more for access, excavation and waste removal where they are complex or time-consuming. Less obvious costs include removing the old surface, skip hire, planning permission where it is required, a weed membrane and sealant, and VAT, the guide adds.

Ask local driveway specialists for a detailed breakdown of the costs and possible extras rather than a price per m² alone, Checkatrade’s driveway paving cost guide advises, and do not pick an installer for being cheap, since cutting corners on the preparation will likely lead to costly repairs, it says.

Among the Nottingham driveway companies we compare, LJD Paving in Gotham builds its block paving on a base of Type 1 stone compacted to the correct depth and says all its work is backed by a 10-year written guarantee. Trowell Paving in Stapleford lays block paved driveways, has been trading for over 25 years and gives a 10 year guarantee on its driveways, and BP Paving in Carlton lays block paving and guarantees all of its work for 5 years.