April 2022 update: The home improvement industry is experiencing unprecedented price increases with some products costing 40-60% more than a year ago, some firms are also hiking prices due to increased demand and labour shortages. We urge consumers to get at least three quotes for comparison (fill in this form to get your custom quote). The concrete driveway prices on this page were updated in April 2022 but are subject to change in the coming months.
Concrete driveways used to have a bad reputation in the UK; ugly slabs of bland, dull concrete never looked anything more than practical. But wow, how things have changed by 2022.
Thankfully, a new breed of concrete driveway, popular in both the States and the EU, has finally taken off here in the UK. You can choose from dozens of deep, rich colours and hundreds of unique patterns. Plus, as it’s concrete, it’s affordable and lasts for decades.
This is why poured concrete is fast becoming one of the most sought-after and low-maintenance options for gardens in the UK; not just for driveways but also for patios and paths.
Are you looking for a price for a concrete driveway? Want to get an idea of how much concrete driveways cost in 2022?
On this page, you will discover:
- A guide price – from research in 2022.
- Feedback from consumers – See what others have been quoted for a new driveway.
- A “works schedule” so you can see what work is done when laying a new concrete driveway.
- A quick poll so you can see how much others think a concrete driveway costs.
- An honest look at concrete for driveways (unbiased pros and cons).
- A time-lapse video showing concrete being laid, coloured and stamped.
- A contact form so you can get a custom price for your driveway.
A Look at Costs
Are you thinking about replacing your driveway with a new concrete one?
We know how much a concrete driveway costs and can provide you with a guide price based on our experience in the home improvement industry and our research in 2022.
We are tradespeople ourselves and have many years of experience renovating homes in the UK. We know how a professionally installed imprinted concrete driveway can increase the value of almost any home and make it more appealing to the eye.
We also know that if done incorrectly, it can look awful – hence why you should always get at least three quotes from reputable tradespeople.
Pattern imprinted concrete is one of four options you have when thinking about a new driveway:
Gravel/stones – This option is the cheapest of the four but has its pitfalls, the gravel gets everywhere, into the house and out on the street. It’s also difficult to clean, especially during Autumn when lots of leaves and twigs fall from the trees. We think gravel looks best with older period properties but you may disagree.
Tarmac – An attractive option, not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. Colour options are limited to either red or black and both fade with time. Simple and if you use the services of a reputable driveway installer, it should last for decades.
Blocks – Block paving is a very popular way to finish off a driveway, and there are tonnes of options in terms of block size, colour, shape and patterns which complement the hundreds of edging options available. See our separate price for block paving here.
Concrete – This page is all about pattern imprinted concrete driveways, so keep reading to see how much it costs in 2020 and what options you have.
What to Expect With a Pattern Imprinted Driveway
Here is a concrete driveway project schedule, it details everything that’s included in the prices you’ll see further down this page.
- Locate existing services such as cables and pipes.
- Excavate the ground to the required depth, which will depend on soil type.
- Install drainage as required such as a new drainage channel and soakaway, to meet building regulations for surface drainage.
- Shutter the boundary to prevent concrete runoff.
- Compact the surface so it’s level.
- Lay a weed proof membrane, this prevents weeds and plants from sprouting through to the surface.
- Lay down a granular sub-base material to a depth of around 100-150mm and compact it level.
- Lay any reinforcement as required.
- Pour wet concrete to a depth of 90-100mm into the shuttered area of the driveway.
- Apply the desired colourant powder to the concrete surface.
- Stamp the chosen pattern onto the concrete and allow it to dry and harden.
- Ensure adequate crack prevention gaps by cutting expansion channels.
- Once dry, the surface will be cleaned and then sealed with two coats of a protective translucent sealer
Poll: Can You Answer This Question (optional)
Visitors to our site often tell us how much they like our polls as they provide insights into how much consumers think certain projects will cost.
So far, tens of thousands of people have told us how much they think a concrete driveway will cost.
Answer the question below and see the results:
Time-Lapse Video:
Below is a time-lapse video showing how a concrete pattern driveway is created:
Driveway Prices:
Below you will find two prices which cover the most common driveway sizes.
These prices were updated in April 2022 and were sourced from over a dozen different driveway installers that specialise in pattern imprinted concrete.
Use these prices to get an idea of how much a concrete driveway costs.
Want a truly custom price? Fill in this contact form and your quote online.
1) 40 Square Metres – Typical 1 or 2 Car Driveway
The price below includes all the materials, waste disposal and labour etc for a 40 square metre driveway, this is just enough for two cars in the UK:
| Project: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Coloured PIC | £5500 |
| Get a Custom Price Here | Get a Custom Price Here |
2) 100 Square Metres – Multi-Car Driveway
Again, this price includes work below ground level, the concrete, labour, waste disposal etc, but this time for a larger driveway:
| Project: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Coloured PIC | £12,500 |
| Get a Custom Price Here | Get a Custom Price Here |
Notes: Please bear in mind that these figures are an average of the prices supplied to us by installers from various locations around the UK. The quotes or estimates you are given may be different, depending on where you live, the cost of concrete in your area and other market economics. Labour prices also vary by thousands of pounds between the north and south of the UK, if in doubt, get a custom price.
You Can Cut Costs By…
Most of us are looking to have high-quality home improvement projects completed at a reasonable price.
There are always ways to lower the price, but the line has to be drawn somewhere between price and quality.
You can reduce the price of a pattern imprinted concrete driveway by having your installer lay it on top of an existing sub-base, thus removing the need for extensive and costly excavation work.
But is this feasible?
Sometimes but in many cases, no.
It isn’t always possible to lay the concrete directly onto an existing driveway such as tarmac or blocks as the extra 100mm would cause issues at the driveway boundary, at the entrance to any garages and it could breach the damp course of the property. In these cases, the existing driveway would need to be lifted, but any sound sub-base could be reused.
It’s always a good idea to get prices and advice from more than just one installer, so we suggest taking your time and shopping around for prices and advice.
An Honest Take on Concrete Driveways (Unbiased Pros and Cons)
Twenty years ago we wouldn’t have recommended pattern concrete for driveways but over the last two decades, it’s proven to be an attractive and long-lasting material for many types of surfaces.
The list below is not exhaustive but covers the key pros and cons:
Pros:
- For large areas, it’s very cost-effective and much cheaper than blocks.
- You’ll find a wide choice of pattern combinations and deep colours. Expect a unique driveway surface, it’s very unlikely that anyone else in your street will have the same.
- You can expect very little maintenance, no weeds will grow through and it’s really easy to clean. Surface sealants can be applied easily at a later should you want ongoing surface protection or to change the colour.
Cons:
- It’s nearly impossible to create a perfect patch repair if the material becomes damaged. So think about access to pipes, cables, extensions and future landscaping etc. Once damaged, you will probably need to replace the whole lot, or at least, large parts of it.
- It can suffer from cracks even with crack control joints – expert installation by a seasoned professional is essential. This isn’t tarmac that anyone can lay, it requires knowledge of drying times, mixing ratios and an appreciation of expansion.
- Flaking and spalling of the surface can happen if the cement/sand ratio is incorrect or if laid incorrectly or if laid during cold weather. Flaking and spalling repairs rarely work.
How You Received a Price For a New Driveway?
We hope you found our price guide insightful, the figures are based on prices given to us by installers from various locations around the UK but what are others actually paying for this type of work?
Since launching this website in 2017, we’ve asked visitors to let us know how much they’ve paid for new driveways.
The answers below include some that are dated and less relevant since the cost of the living crisis and recent inflation but you may find the results insightful nonetheless.
| Name: | Desc: | Price: |
|---|---|---|
| Martin E (Somerset) | 110 sq yrd driveway with blocks and drainage by the entrance (2022) | £14,500 |
| Colin N (S East) | Tarmac driveway for our 3 cars (2022) | £6500 |
| Warren Sidaway (West Midlands) | Excavate to levels required (sloping driveway), lay 150 mm Type 1 MOT, lay membrane weed control. Hand lay 50 mm of 20 mm base course black tarmac, hand lay 40 mm of 6 mm dense black SMA wearing course. Driveway area 300 square metres. 5-year guarantee. (2021) | £13,000 inc VAT |
| Adam (Cardiff) | 160 sq m tarmac overlay residential driveway (2020) | £6500 |
| Margaret (Manchester) | Driveway 18m2 Ecogrid £270 Sub base £90 Under gravel £90 Sand and cement £60 Machinery £70 Edging £50 Waste removal/skip £140 Labour 3/4 days £950 Not including the gravel (2020) | £1720 |
| Mrs Paige (South London) | Driveway for three cars. New tarmac. (2020) | £3900 |
| Clara (unknown) | Old stone driveway removed and replaced with tarmac with white speckles. raised edges. 10m long and 4m wide roughly (2020) | £5600 |
| mr angel (newcastle) | tarmac topup over original four-car driveway that was looking tired but otherwise in good condition (2020) | £2300 |
| Kalpesh (Essex) | Concrete imprint driveway 48m2 @ £100 per m2. Agreed the price @ £4,500. Was expecting between £4,000 and £4,500. (2019) | £4500 |
| Adam Lawrence (Newport) | 237M2 of Printed Concrete. 6 car drive at the front of the house with a 2.5m strip running 35m to the garage at the rear. Just completed in printed concrete. (2019) | £13000 |
| Cindy (Gateshead) | 117 square meters stamped concrete (2019) | £7000 |
| SLI Driveways (Dudley) | In our are which is Dudley West Midlands (includes Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Halesowen) Block paving is anything from £45.00 m2 by bodgit and scarperand upto and beyond £120.00 m2 by reputable companies like ourselves. The upper price includes all excavation work, removal of spoil, supply, lay and compaction of hardcore, supply and screed sand and lay blocks. All work should always come with a no quibble guarantee of at least 5 years. (2019) | £120 per m2 inc VAT |
| Ann Haywood (Nuneaton Warwickshire) | WANT TARMAC DRIVE. STONED DRIVE AT PRESENT. DRIVE IS ROUGHLY 25 X 22 METERS (2019) | £5000 |
| Joshua (Plymouth) | Gravel drive way 4.8 x 2.4 including removal of wall (2017) | £5605 |
| Kevin (W London) | Small driveway for just two cars (blocks) (2017) | £3250 |
| Mike (Sunbury) | Tarmac to driveway for three cars (2017) | £2750 |
| Kelly Kitson (Midlands) | Tarmac driveway (2017) | £2000 |
| Daniel West (Poole) | Gravel driveway including new drainage soakway (2017) | £2250 |
You can add your prices by filling out this form (no email required).
Ideas and Inspiration For Your New Driveway
Regular visitors to our website know how we love to get ideas and inspiration from Pinterest.
Below you can find a selection of images we like, feel free to explore more ideas on Pinterest.
(Tip: do a search for “stamped concrete” as well as “pattern imprinted concrete”)
Stamped concrete from My Fotolog
Pattern choices from Stamped Concrete Specialists
Imprinted concrete cobblestone effect.
Get Price Online For a New Concrete Driveway
We’ve based our guideline price for a concrete driveway on our experience in the home improvement industry and research we carried out in 2022.
Given recent material price increases, inflation and labour shortages, we urge consumers to get at least 3 quotes.
Get your custom price here:
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Yes, the prices on this page are inclusive of VAT at the standard rate which is currently 20%
Don't forget; not every business charges VAT.
We explain the difference between VAT and non-VAT registered businesses on this page
You can see hundreds of different patterns and ideas on Pinterest.
Below you can find a link to our recently updated trade day rates page:
This guide was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.
Don’t forget; we have price guides for hundreds of home improvement projects.
Explore our full list of detailed price guides here.
