Project notes
Tarmac with a curved red border
Black tarmac inside a curved red block paving border. The border is set in concrete first and gives the roller a hard line to work to, which is why the edge stays crisp.
See more of our workTarmac driveways in Milton Keynes
The hard wearing drive for big fronts and a lot of turning. Laid hot, rolled flat and edged in block so it looks finished.
- 1 to 2 days on site
- Lasts 15 years plus
- Free site visit
2026 award winnerBest Driveway Service in Milton Keynes
5.0★★★★★104 reviewsBlack tarmac drive with a brindle block edge in front of a double garage
- 299public reviews on five platforms
- 17 yearson the tools
- 10 yearswritten guarantee on drives and patios
- Freesite visit and written price
Award winner 2026
Best Driveway Service in Milton Keynes
Awarded by the Quality Business Awards 2026, with a quality rating of over 95%. Terry still quotes every job himself.
The straight answer
Is a tarmac driveway right for your house?
Tarmac is the hard wearing, budget-friendly drive for a large area or a lot of turning. It is laid hot and rolled flat in 1 to 2 days, lasts 15 years plus on a proper base, and needs sweep when needed; keep oil and fuel off. Terry edges it in block so it looks finished.
Who it suits
Long drives, wide fronts with three or four cars, shared access and anywhere vans turn. Per square metre it is usually the lowest of the three, and the bigger the drive the bigger the saving. It goes down fast, it is quiet to live with, and there are no joints for weeds. The longer plots out at Woburn Sands and the mix of older and newer houses in Buckingham are where tarmac earns its keep.
Who it does not suit
A small front where the dig out and edging are most of the cost, because the saving over block paving shrinks. Anyone who wants a pattern or a colour to match the house. And it is not permeable, so it needs a gentle slope to a lawn, a soakaway or a channel drain, which Terry builds in. If you want the smooth look without the black, resin bound is the other route.
If the new drive crosses the pavement you will also need a dropped kerb.
Our work
Tarmac drives, edged in block.
Real tarmac drives we have laid round Milton Keynes, and the story of one of them below.
Before and after
Worn access drive resurfaced in black tarmac.
The same drive, before and after. Drag the handle to compare.
How we build it
What is under tarmac that lasts.
Two layers of hot tarmac on a compacted base, held in by a block edge set in concrete. A single thin layer on the old surface is the drive that ruts and cracks.
- Top layer of tarmac (25mm)Fine tarmac laid hot and rolled to a tight, even finish.
- Base layer of tarmac (50mm)A coarser tarmac layer that carries the weight.
- Crushed stone (200-250mm)200mm to 250mm of crushed stone, compacted in layers.
- Firm groundDug out 250mm to 300mm, with the old surface and any soft ground taken away.
Step by step
How Terry lays a tarmac drive.
What happens, in order, from your first message to parking on the new drive.
- You get in touch
Ring Terry or WhatsApp a photo of the drive. He replies the same day with a rough idea and a day to visit.
- Visit and written price
Terry checks where the water goes now, where the cars turn and whether the old surface can come out in a day. You get a written price and a day count.
- Dig out and base
Old surface out, the block edge set in concrete, a gentle slope and a channel drain where needed, then 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone rolled tight.
- Two hot layers
A coarser base layer to carry the weight, then the smooth black top layer, each rolled while hot up to the block edge.
- Clean up and guarantee
Site cleared the same day and the guarantee in writing. Usually ready to park on the next day.
What moves the price
What moves the price of a tarmac drive.
Tarmac gets better value the bigger the drive. These are the things that move the figure.
The size of the drive
Per square metre tarmac is usually the lowest of the three, and the saving grows with the area. On a small front it shrinks.
Dig out and base
What has to come out, how soft the ground is under it, and how much stone goes back before the tarmac.
Slope and drainage
Tarmac is not permeable, so the water needs a slope to a lawn, a soakaway or a channel drain.
Edging and access
The length of block edge, and room for the hot lorry and the roller to get to the drive.
Tarmac is usually the lowest of the three surfaces on price per square metre. WhatsApp a photo for a rough idea first. The written price comes after Terry’s free visit, once he has measured and seen what is underneath.
Reviews
What people say about their drive.
5.0★★★★★104 reviewsFeatured review
5/5
“Excellent job done, turned my pothole central tarred driveway to a space to be proud of in a matter of 2 days. Thanks to the team!”
Joan Shackleton, Google review
5/5
Would 100% recommend Unique Driveways. Terry came to give a quote to do the front of my house on Saturday afternoon, they started the work Wednesday morning and the job was completed by Thursday afternoon. The guys worked really well, were polite and respectful and cleaned up well after they had…
5/5
Very competitive quote. Work was completed quickly and within a very short turn around. Professional, clean and tidy. A great job all round.
5/5
I would highly recommend Terry and his team. They were professional, polite and very efficient. Competively priced and two driveways were completed in 3 days. Great job
Before you choose
Six questions to ask any installer.
Ask everyone who quotes the same six. Tap a question for our answer, then compare like with like.
How deep will you dig out, and what goes back in?
We dig out the old surface and soft ground and lay 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone in layers before anything you can see goes down.
What holds the edges in?
A block edge set in concrete. It stops the tarmac edge crumbling and gives the roller a hard line to work to.
Where will the rain go?
Every drive is laid to a gentle slope so rain runs off, away from the house, with a channel drain at the door or garage where it is needed.
Is the price in writing?
Yes. One written price after the free visit. It sets out the start date and days on site, the base depth, the edging and drainage, the dig out and waste, the 10-year written guarantee, our insurance and the 14-day cooling off.
Who will actually be on site?
Terry quotes every job himself and is on site while his team lays it.
What if something goes wrong later?
A 10-year written guarantee on the workmanship, printed on your quote, and a number Terry still answers after the job. See what it covers.
Questions people ask Terry.
How long does a tarmac driveway take?
One to two days for most drives. The dig out and base take the first day; the tarmac goes down hot and is rolled the same day. You can usually park on it the day after.
Is tarmac the lowest cost driveway?
Per square metre it is usually the lowest of the three, and the gap gets bigger the larger the drive. On a small front the dig out and edging are most of the cost, so the saving over block paving is smaller.
Do I need planning permission for a tarmac drive?
Standard tarmac is not permeable (porous asphalt is), so it needs somewhere for the water to go. If it drains to a lawn or a border on your land, no permission is needed. If more than 5 square metres drains onto the road, you need permission. Terry designs the slope so you do not.
How long does tarmac last?
Fifteen years or more on 200mm to 250mm of compacted stone with a proper base layer of tarmac under the top layer. Tarmac laid thin straight onto an old surface ruts and cracks within a couple of years.
Will it soften in hot weather?
Freshly laid tarmac is soft for its first summer. Keep car jacks, stands and motorbike side stands off it and turn the wheels while moving rather than on the spot. After that it is hard wearing.
Why does Terry edge tarmac in block?
A block edge set in concrete stops the tarmac edge crumbling, gives the roller something to work to, and makes the drive look finished rather than like a road. A tarmac drive with no edge is the usual sign of a rushed job.
Where we lay it
Tarmac across Milton Keynes.
Compare tarmac with block and resin on the driveways page. Terry lays tarmac across Milton Keynes, out to Towcester and Leighton Buzzard. The cost guide has what moves the price, our work has more finished jobs, and the reviews are all public.
Every town we cover
Free site visit
Talk to Terry about your job.
Call Terry or WhatsApp a photo of the space. Or answer four quick questions below and send them to Terry by email.
- Free, on site, no obligation
- One written price, agreed before we start
- Terry replies the same day, Monday to Saturday
- 14-day cooling off
Step 1 of 4
What do you need?
Roughly how big?
Where is the project?
Milton Keynes and surrounding towns. We will confirm coverage when we contact you.
How should we contact you?
Prefer to talk now? Call 07444 589896.
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