Asphalt driveway cost in Ireland

People search for asphalt, tarmac and tarmacadam and mean the same thing: a smooth, black, bitumen-bound driveway laid hot and rolled. The names get used loosely, and for a homeowner that's mostly fine. This guide clears up the difference, then gets to what you came for, which is what decides the cost. There are no prices here, because a fair price depends on your ground, and Eddie gives that for free.

Asphalt and tarmacadam are the same thing on a driveway

The word tarmacadam goes back to roads made of crushed stone bound with tar. Tar hasn't been used for a long time. Modern tarmacadam is crushed stone bound with bitumen, which comes from oil refining. Asphalt, strictly, is also a bitumen and stone mix, usually a denser one with finer material, and the word is used more in America and on some roads here.

On a house driveway in Ireland, what goes down is a bitumen macadam: mixed hot at a plant, brought out in a lorry, laid and rolled while it's still hot. Whether the contractor calls it asphalt, tarmac or tarmacadam, you're getting the same kind of surface. What matters is the base under it, the thickness laid and how well it's rolled.

What decides the cost of an asphalt driveway

• Area. More square metres means more material and more time. Bigger jobs often work out better per square metre, since the paver, roller and crew come out for a small job too.
• Digging out. Removing an old surface, soil or concrete, and taking it away, can be a large part of the bill.
• The base. A new driveway needs a stone sub-base, laid in layers and compacted. Soft or wet ground needs more of it.
• Drainage. A driveway that falls towards the house or the garage, or holds water at the gate, needs a channel or a soakaway. This is often what separates two quotes.
• Access. The lorry and roller need to get in. A narrow gate or a drive round the back of the house slows the job.
• Distance from the plant. Hot mix has to arrive hot, and a site further out can add haulage.
• Edging. Kerbs or a firm edge hold the surface in and stop the edges breaking up.

Resurfacing over an old driveway

If the existing driveway has a sound base and the problems are only on top, a new layer can sometimes go over it. That saves the digging and the new base. If the old surface is breaking up all over, sinking or holding water, the base has likely gone, and laying over it only puts the problem off. Telling which is which is part of the quote.

How an asphalt driveway is laid

1. Dig out and level

   the old surface and soft ground come out, and the falls are set so water runs away from the house.

2. Build the sub-base

   crushed stone, often to a standard called Clause 804, is laid in layers and compacted.

3. Lay the base course

   the first, coarser layer of hot macadam goes down for strength.

4. Lay the surface course

   a finer layer goes on top for the finish and is rolled smooth.

5. Let it harden

   vehicles stay off until it has cooled and set, and a little longer in warm weather.

Hot mix isn't laid in rain or on a wet base, because it won't bond properly. Some weeks the weather decides the start date.

Asphalt in the South East

Cost isn't set nationally. Labour, haulage and the distance from the plant all play a part, and city prices tell you little about a driveway in Wexford or Waterford. In the South East, plenty of houses sit at the end of a long drive or lane, and for those, length is the biggest single thing on the quote. If the drive is long and the budget is tight, compare tar and chip, which generally costs less to lay over the same length.

Eddie is based in Mullinavat, about ten minutes from Waterford city, and covers Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, Carlow and south Tipperary.

What to look for in a quote

• How deep the ground is dug and how much base goes in
• The thickness of the macadam once it's rolled, not before
• How water will be taken off the driveway
• Who removes the old surface and soil, and whether that's included
• The edging

Be wary of anyone at the door offering tarmac left over from a road job at a cheap rate. Mix that has been sitting has cooled, and it won't lay or bond properly.

Getting a free quote

Eddie lays tarmacadam driveways with his own materials and machinery. The quote is free, with no obligation, and it's based on your driveway rather than an average. Call Eddie on 087 120 4286, or send a WhatsApp to the same number.