Many homeowners see driveways merely as areas for parking vehicles or walkways leading to their homes. But did you know that your drive can be a focal point of your property’s exterior? It can even be one of the features that increases your home’s value when you decide to sell.
So, what are we trying to say here? If you are thinking of renovating your driveway or installing a new one, make sure it is beautiful and durable. This entails careful planning and working with professional driveway pavers or installers.
Of course, like most homeowners, one of the first things you would want to know is how much money this project requires. Well, the cost varies depending on various factors.
For example, block paving driveway prices range from €5,500 to €8,000 per square metre for a 50 square metre driveway. Meanwhile, tarmac drives of the same size cost around €3,000 to €5,000 per square metre.
In this article, we look at the cost of paving a driveway in Dublin and other essential information that can help you with this home improvement project.
Driveway Paving Prices in Dublin by Material Type
The average cost of paving a driveway in Dublin is around €45 to €120. As mentioned earlier, various things can affect the price, and one of them is the primary material used to build the driveway. Material cost makes up half of the overall driveway price.
Here are the most common types of driveways in Dublin and the cost of installing or building them:
Gravel Driveway
Gravel is the cheapest material for driveway installation, making it an excellent choice if you have a tight budget. Aside from the material, the ease of installation is another reason it is affordable. The cost of installing a gravel driveway is around €45 to €65 per square metre.
Tar and Chip Driveway
This type of driveway looks like a gravel drive, but it is more stable. It is also more expensive to install with tar and chip driveway prices averaging €50 per square metre.
Tarmac Driveway
Tarmac is a low-cost but very durable paving material. Moreover, installing it is not labour intensive, so professional driveway pavers do not charge steep fees. The average cost of tarmac driveways is €60 to €100 per square metre. This already includes material costs and labour fees.
Concrete Driveway
This is one of the most expensive types of driveways. It costs 20% more than a tarmac drive, with an average price of €80 to €120 per square metre. The type of concrete and decorative features and finishes affect the drive’s overall cost.
Other Factors Affecting Driveway Paving Prices in Dublin
Aside from material costs, labour fees also significantly impact driveway prices. In fact, labour fees account for almost half of the total driveway price.
The fees of professional pavers vary depending on their experience, driveway material and amount of work needed. If you choose a driveway that involves a labour-intensive installation process, then you can expect your paver to charge higher fees.
To lessen your expenses, you might think of hiring amateurs or taking the DIY route. While this can cut down the price of your driveway, it can also affect its quality, especially its durability. You may end up with a poorly made drive that would require frequent repairs. In the long run, what you’ve saved on labour fees will be spent paying for these repairs.
The size and shape of your drive also affect the overall price of the driveway. Naturally, bigger or longer drives require more materials. So, your material costs will be higher.
Similarly, the drive’s shape can influence the price. Driveways with circular edges or irregular shapes cost more to build than the standard rectangular ones. This is mainly because these unconventional shapes require extra materials and labour.
Another thing that can affect the price is the condition of the area where the driveway will be built. If you already have an existing driveway and are re-doing it, you may spend less, especially if excavating or building a drainage system is no longer necessary.
However, if the area needs to be cleared of plants, stones and other objects, you will be spending more on your driveway. Similarly, if the task involves working on a slope, extra work is required, resulting in higher labour fees and material costs.
In conclusion, every driveway paving project is different, explaining the variation in prices. Each has its own set of challenges and requirements that affect the overall cost. So, if you want to know how much it exactly costs to pave your driveway, it is best to get in touch with a trusted driveway paving company.
Are you planning to resurface your existing driveway or install a new one? To learn more about driveway paving prices in Dublin, call us today on (01) 4851582 or 0852139591 to get a free quotation.
