Gravel Driveway Cost Guide: Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire 2026

Why people ask for gravel first

Gravel is usually the cheapest fully new driveway surface, it drains by default, and on a period or village property it just looks right. Around Frimley, Crookham Village and the Farnham villages we quote it almost weekly.

It's also one of the most commonly under-built driveways in the area - 'a few tonnes tipped on the existing surface' is not a gravel driveway, it's a temporary fix that will rut within 18 months.

Real cost per m² in 2026

Properly built gravel driveway on a fresh 150mm Type 1 sub-base with a permeable membrane, gravel grid stabiliser and edge restraint: £75-£110/m² across the GU, RG and GU51/52 postcodes.

For a typical 50m² Frimley front driveway that's £3,750-£5,500 finished, including excavation, disposal of spoil and a tidy threshold.

Without the gravel grid (loose gravel on Type 1) the headline figure drops to £55-£80/m², but you'll be raking and topping up annually and the surface will scatter onto the pavement every time you turn the wheel.

Edge restraint - the choice that decides longevity

Loose gravel without a proper edge migrates onto the pavement, into the gutter and across the lawn within a season. The four edge options we use:

Pressure-treated timber sleepers: cheapest, suits cottage and village properties, 8-12 year working life before they soften.

Granite or concrete edging kerbs bedded in concrete: the most common spec, 25+ year life, suits anything from period to modern.

Brick soldier course on a concrete haunch: the smartest finish, matches existing brickwork, 30+ year life if the bricks are frost-resistant.

Steel edging strips: contemporary and low-profile, suits minimalist gardens but easy to clip with a mower.

Drainage and SuDS

Gravel is permeable by default, so most domestic installs fall inside permitted development without a separate SuDS strategy. The exception is where the drive falls towards the house - in that case we'll cut in an ACO threshold drain regardless of the surface.

On clay-heavy plots up towards Heath End or the south Camberley side, a 150mm Type 1 sub-base alone won't drain fast enough in a wet winter; we'll either deepen to 200mm or add a perforated land drain to a soakaway.

What pushes the price above £110/m²

Removing failed concrete or block paving before the new build (£15-£30/m² extra for breakout and disposal). Re-using an existing dropped kerb where the base under it has to be rebuilt. Tight access where every tonne of gravel has to be barrowed in from a grab-loader on the street. Steeper-than-normal falls that need stabilised gravel resin around the threshold to stop scour.

Which gravel to specify

Our default is 20mm Cotswold or Golden Flint angular gravel - the angular shape locks together far better than round pea shingle. Round gravel feels nicer underfoot but rolls under tyres, scatters faster and looks tired by month six. The colour choice is personal; the angular vs round choice isn't.