Your driveway is doing more than you think
The front of your home is the first thing buyers, neighbours and visitors see. A tired, patched or stained drive drags down the whole frontage. A freshly resurfaced one lifts it. Estate agents call this kerb appeal, and it moves money.
What the figures say
Off-street parking and a good driveway can add roughly 5–10% to a property's value, with the biggest uplift where on-street parking is scarce.
Kerb appeal weighs on buyers. In one survey of 2,001 people, 68% said they'd be put off a home by a poorly presented front garden, and 30% would pay £5,000 or more extra for a property with excellent kerb appeal over an identical one without it.
A huge, ageing market
The RHS estimates around 4.5 million UK front gardens are now completely paved, up from about 1.5 million in 2005. That's millions of tarmac, concrete and block drives that fade, crack and stain over time, exactly the drives tar & chip can resurface affordably.
Why the return is strong
The maths is simple. A tar & chip resurface typically costs £1,000–£6,000. If a smarter frontage helps secure even part of that 5–10% uplift on a typical home, the return on a modest spend can be substantial, and you enjoy a better-looking, safer drive in the meantime.
These are survey and estimate figures. Actual value uplift varies by property, area and local parking demand. Treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.