The Short Answer
On our estimates, a block paved driveway costs about £80 to £130 per m² with standard concrete blocks on a new sub-base, so £4,000 to £6,500 for a 50m² two-car drive. It takes about four to six days to lay.
Permeable blocks add £15 to £30 per m² but meet the front garden drainage rule on their own. If your old blocks are fine but have sunk, lifting and relaying them on a corrected base is £25 to £50 per m².
Driveway cost calculator
Priced per square metre for a full new drive, plus the drainage and dropped kerb that quotes often leave out.
Estimated total
£5,150 to £8,500
| Block paving, 50m², dug out with a new sub-base and edging | £4,000 to £6,500 |
| Skips or grab lorry for the dig-out | £450 to £700 |
| Drainage to keep rainwater on your land (soakaway or channel) | £700 to £1,300 |
Block paving prices
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| New drive, standard blocks, 20m² | £1,600 to £2,600 |
| New drive, standard blocks, 50m² | £4,000 to £6,500 |
| New drive, standard blocks, 90m² | £7,200 to £11,700 |
| Permeable blocks, extra per m² | £15 to £30 |
| Lift and relay existing blocks, per m² | £25 to £50 |
| Clean, re-sand and seal, per m² | £9 to £22 |
What a good block drive has under it
- Dug out to firm ground, with about 200mm to 250mm of construction in all (the government's guidance on paving front gardens).
- A geotextile membrane over the soil, then about 150mm of compacted sub-base.
- Edge restraints: Marshalls says block driveways must have them for stability.
- Kiln-dried sand brushed into the joints.
- A fall away from the house, to a drain, border or soakaway.
Weeds, sand and cleaning
Marshalls says weeds don't grow up through a properly built drive: they take root in the sand joints and in dirt left on the surface, so sweeping keeps them down. Jointing sand washes out over time and should be topped up with kiln-dried sand, or blocks can work loose. If you pressure wash, Marshalls advises a medium pressure at an angle: too much can mark the blocks and wash the joints out. Never use chemical cleaners on clay pavers. See driveway cleaning.
Planning and drainage
Standard block paving isn't porous, so in a front garden more than 5m² of it must drain onto your own land (a border, lawn or soakaway) or it needs planning permission. The government's guidance lists permeable block paving on a permeable sub-base as a way round that. Details on our driveway page.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does block paving cost per m²?
On our estimates, about £80 to £130 per m² for a new drive with standard concrete blocks on a new sub-base, including VAT where charged.
How much is a block paved driveway for two cars?
About £4,000 to £6,500 for 50m², on our estimates.
Is it cheaper to tarmac or block pave?
Tarmac, usually: about £60 to £100 per m² against £80 to £130 for block paving, on our estimates. Block paving also takes longer to lay.
What are the disadvantages of block paving driveways?
Weeds in the sand joints if dirt builds up, sand that needs topping up, standard blocks that aren't permeable, and a longer job to lay than tarmac or gravel.
Do I need planning permission to block pave my driveway?
Only in a front garden over 5m² if it drains to the road. Use permeable blocks or drain it onto your own land and it doesn't.
Can block paving be relaid?
Yes. Lifting the blocks, fixing the base and relaying them costs about £25 to £50 per m² on our estimates, much less than new.
How we priced thisView sources (9, 2 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialThe Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2 Part 1, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialGuidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens (September 2008), Department for Communities and Local Government (GOV.UK). Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryDriveway paving technical information, Marshalls. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow to clean block paving driveways, Marshalls. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideBlock paving driveway cost guide, MyJobQuote. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideBlock paving cost calculator, Checkatrade. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideNew driveway cost guide, MyJobQuote. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideDriveway costs in the UK, Checkatrade. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideCost to power wash a driveway, MyJobQuote. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
