How much does a block paving driveway cost in Milton Keynes?
By Terry O'Reilly, owner, 17 years on the tools. Updated . 4 min read.
Every block paving driveway in Milton Keynes is priced on a visit, because the ground under it matters more than the size on top. The dig out, the drainage and the pattern move the price more than the square metres do. Of the three main surfaces, tarmac is the lowest cost, block paving the middle and resin bound the highest. Terry measures for free and gives a written price that does not change.
Why is there no price list for a block paving drive?
Because two drives the same size on the same street can be very different jobs. One has old blocks on a sound base that lift in a morning. The other has 150mm of old concrete to break out, soft clay underneath and rain that currently runs onto the pavement. The blocks on top cost about the same either way. The ground under them is where the price is made, and I cannot see the ground from a form.
So every block paving drive is priced on a visit. I measure it, look at what is there now and where the water goes, and give you a written price for the full job: the old surface out, a new 200mm to 250mm compacted stone base, concrete-set edging, the blocks laid and jointed, and the waste taken away. Nothing on that list is an extra.
How does block paving compare with resin and tarmac?
| Two-car drive | Cost band | Lasts | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarmac | Lower | 15 years plus | Nothing for years |
| Block paving | Middle | 25 years plus | Sweep, wash when needed, reseal every 3 to 5 years |
| Resin bound | Higher | 15 to 20 years | Sweep it |
Swipe the table sideways to see all of it.
Block paving sits in the middle and lasts the longest, which is why it works out well over 25 years. It is also the only one of the three that can be lifted and relaid invisibly if the water board digs it up. The full comparison is in block paving vs resin vs tarmac.
What moves the price up or down?
- The dig out. Lifting old blocks is a morning. Breaking out 150mm of old concrete is a day with a breaker and a lot more weight in the skip. This is the biggest single swing.
- Drainage. If the rain currently runs to the road, the new drive needs a channel drain or a soakaway to keep it lawful and to keep water off your neighbour. That adds materials and half a day.
- Shape and pattern. A straight drive in herringbone is quick. Curves, circles, a contrast border and a lot of cuts add a day of labour and more wasted block.
- The block itself. A standard concrete block is the baseline. Clay pavers and large-format or tumbled blocks cost more.
- Kerbs and walls. A dropped kerb, a low brick wall to match the house, steps to the door or a planter are priced separately and added to the same written quote.
- Access. A tight terrace street in Wolverton where a skip cannot go on the road takes a bit more organising than a wide front in Bletchley.
Size matters less than people expect. The dig out, the edging and the drainage cost much the same whether the drive is a small front or a typical two-car drive, so a drive half the size is not half the price.
Would you rather just ask Terry?
A photo and a question on WhatsApp gets a straight answer, usually the same day.
What should be written in the quote?
Two quotes for the same drive can look the same on the front page and be very different jobs. Before you compare the number at the bottom, check each one says all of this in writing.
- Sub-base depth. Ours is 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone. If it does not say a depth, ask.
- Edging, and how it is held in. Ours is set on concrete and backed with concrete.
- Where the rain goes. A soakaway, a channel drain, or a fall to the lawn.
- Removal of the old surface and all waste.
- The block name and colour, so you can see a sample.
- Start date and number of days on site.
- Guarantee in writing. Ours is ten years.
- Payment terms. No money up front beyond materials, the balance when you are happy.
Anything not on that list is where the extras come from on the last day. There is a longer version in how to spot a cowboy driveway quote.
How do you compare two quotes fairly?
Put them side by side and tick off the list above. If one says 200mm to 250mm of stone and the other says nothing about a base, they are not the same job and the numbers cannot be compared. If one includes the old concrete going out and the other does not mention it, ask where that concrete is going. Only when both quotes describe the same base, the same edging, the same drainage and the same waste removal does the lower number mean anything.
Is the price in writing?
Yes. I measure the drive myself, I look at what is there now and where the water goes, and I give you a written price, and anything that changes is agreed with you first. If I find old footings or soft ground on day one, the day count can move by a day; the price does not. There is no call-out charge for the visit and a 14-day cooling off period on every quote.
If you want a rough figure before I visit, send a photo of the front from the pavement with your postcode on WhatsApp and I will give you a rough idea of the price the same day. Finished drives and what went into them are on our work page, and the general guide to what moves any price is on the cost guide.
Is a cheaper block paving quote ever worth taking?
Only if it says the same things in writing. A quote well under the others is usually missing the base, the edging or the waste, and the drive sinks or spreads within a couple of winters. Relaying it then costs most of what a proper job would have cost. See why block paving driveways sink before you sign.
