Gravel driveway cost, and how it compares with slab

Gravel driveway cost per m2

The cost per square metre varies with the size and shape of the drive because setting out, machine work and waste trips are fixed parts of the job. The bulk of the price is not the stone on top. It is digging out the old surface, laying and compacting a sub-base, fitting a membrane to stop weeds and mixing, and installing a firm edge so the gravel stays where it is put.

Without that edge, gravel migrates onto the pavement and lawn within a season, and without a compacted base it ruts under the car wheels.

Slabbed driveway cost

A slab drive costs more because a car is a far heavier, more concentrated load than people on a patio. The base is built up deeper, the slabs need to be suitable for vehicles, and the bed has to be solid with no hollows, or individual slabs rock and crack where the tyres turn.

In return you get a clean, firm surface that is easy to sweep, comfortable for buggies and wheelchairs, and that does not throw stones onto the path.

Gravel vs paved driveway: day to day

• Drainage: gravel lets water soak through; slab needs a fall and often a channel
• Security: gravel is noisy underfoot, which some homeowners like
• Upkeep: gravel needs raking and an occasional top up; slab needs sweeping
• Snow and leaves: easier to clear from slab
• Steep drives: gravel can wash down a slope, slab copes better

Drainage at the entrance

Where a drive falls towards the house or garage, water needs somewhere to go. A drainage channel across the entrance typically adds £350 to £900. On gravel this is less often needed, because the surface itself drains, which is part of why gravel works well on front gardens. If you are paving a front garden, it is also worth reading our planning permission guide before you commit.

Which to choose

Gravel suits level or gently sloping drives, tight budgets and anyone who wants the surface to handle its own rainwater. Slab suits steeper drives, households that walk across the drive a lot, and homes where a clean, formal finish matters. Both last well when the digout is deep enough; both fail early when it is not.