Tar Surfacing in Port Elizabeth: Tar Driveways and Tarring Across Nelson Mandela Bay
Tar surfacing in Port Elizabeth is a hot-mix asphalt layer rolled over a compacted, primed base, the work SANS 1200 MH describes. An Eastern Cape tar guide reviewed in July 2026 puts a new asphalt surface at R270 to R480 per m² and a small-driveway overlay at R185 to R250 per m².
Use the form below for a paving quote.
Paving Wiz Port Elizabeth lays tar driveways for homes in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), Kariega and Despatch, quoted on the measured area after a site visit. Block, brick and cobble driveways are covered under paving Port Elizabeth.
What Tar Surfacing Means for a Driveway
"Tar" is the everyday word for asphalt: stone and sand bound with bitumen, laid hot and rolled. SANS 1200 MH, the civil engineering specification for asphalt base and surfacing, covers priming the subbase or base and building hot-mix asphalt base and surfacing in two types: continuously graded asphalt, and gap-graded or open-graded asphalt. Its surfacing scope includes rolled-in pre-coated chips or a friction course of open-graded asphalt. A driveway quote names the mix, the compacted thickness and the base under it.
Tar Surfacing Prices in Port Elizabeth (2026), Guide by Guide
Paving Wiz has no own tar price list for Port Elizabeth. Each figure below belongs to one guide and one scope; guides labelled national or Western Cape are not Port Elizabeth prices.
| Guide (date) | Scope | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Cape tar guide G (July 2026) | Light chip-and-spray finish | about R95 /m² |
| Eastern Cape tar guide G (July 2026) | Overlay or resurfacing, small driveway | R185 – R250 /m² |
| Eastern Cape tar guide G (July 2026) | Standard asphalt, simple access (10–15 years) | R270 – R330 /m² |
| Eastern Cape tar guide G (July 2026) | Improved base, drainage work (15–20 years) | R330 – R420 /m² |
| Eastern Cape tar guide G (July 2026) | High-quality asphalt, complex preparation, commercial or heavy-load (20+ years) | R420 – R480 /m² |
| Eastern Cape tar guide G (July 2026) | Full installed job with base preparation, commercial projects | R300 – R580 /m² |
| Western Cape tar guide J (2026, excl. VAT) | Residential driveway, hot asphalt on an existing base, incl. compaction and primer | R270 – R420 /m² |
| Western Cape tar guide J (2026, excl. VAT) | New driveway: excavation, G5 sub-base and hot asphalt | R480 – R750 /m² |
| Western Cape tar guide J (2026, excl. VAT) | Slurry seal or resurfacing | R60 – R120 /m² |
| Western Cape tar guide J (2026, excl. VAT) | Pothole repair | R350 – R600, call-out plus per repair |
| National tar guide H (2026) | Driveway, materials and labour | R165 – R220 /m² |
| National tar guide H (2026) | Pothole repair | R605 – R1,100 per pothole |
| National tar guide I (October 2026) | Tar surfacing before extra base work | R70 – R170 /m² |
| National tar guide I (October 2026) | Hot mix asphalt / chip seal / slurry seal | R70 – R150 / R50 – R100 / R30 – R60 /m² |
| National tar guide I (October 2026) | Basic surface preparation / installation labour | R50 – R75 / R100 – R200 /m² |
Eastern Cape guide G states that Gqeberha prices like other metros, while rural sites further out pay more for haulage.
Worked examples: 40, 60 and 100 m²
Each cell is the guide's per-m² rate multiplied by the area.
| Area | Overlay, guide G | New asphalt surface, guide G | New driveway with base, Western Cape guide J | Driveway, national guide H |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 m² | R7,400 – R10,000 | R10,800 – R19,200 | R19,200 – R30,000 | R6,600 – R8,800 |
| 60 m² | R11,100 – R15,000 | R16,200 – R28,800 | R28,800 – R45,000 | R9,900 – R13,200 |
| 100 m² | R18,500 – R25,000 | R27,000 – R48,000 | R48,000 – R75,000 | R16,500 – R22,000 |
National guide H prices whole driveways directly: R7,700 to R9,680 for 30–50 m², R13,200 to R16,335 for 50–100 m² and R24,200 to R30,800 for 100–150 m², materials and labour included.
Charges outside the per-m² rate
- Call-out for an assessment or small repair: R250 to R700, in national guide I.
- After-hours work: 20% to 50% on top of the standard labour cost, in national guide I.
- Disposal of excavated material: R500 to R1,200 for a 1–2 m³ load and R2,000 to R4,000 per load of concrete, bricks or stone, in national guide I.
- VAT: Western Cape guide J states that its prices exclude VAT; guides G, H and I do not say.
How a Tar Driveway Quote Is Built
| Quote line | What is checked on site | Effect on the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Area | Length and width of the driveway | The rate is applied per m² of the measured area |
| Base condition | Whether the existing base is sound or has sunk or broken up | A sound base takes asphalt on top; a failed base is excavated and rebuilt first |
| Mix and thickness | The asphalt type and the compacted layer | Named on the quote, so two quotes can be compared |
| Fall and drainage | Where rainwater runs off the surface | Channel drains or regrading are added where the fall is wrong |
| Access and delivery | Truck access and where loads are tipped | Tight access adds hand work |
| Edging | Brick or concrete edge along the sides | Adds an edge line along those lengths |
How a Tar Driveway Is Laid
- Levels and falls. The fall towards the street or a channel drain is set first.
- Base. A failed base is excavated and rebuilt; Western Cape guide J's new-driveway rate includes excavation and a G5 sub-base.
- Prime. The base is primed, the first step in SANS 1200 MH.
- Hot mix and rolling. The asphalt is laid hot and compacted. Western Cape guide J states that standard driveways use a 25–30 mm overlay and roads 40–50 mm.
- Curing. Guide J gives 24 hours to walk on, 48 to 72 hours for light vehicles and 6 to 12 months for full curing.
Hot Mix, Cold Mix and Chip-and-Spray
Hot-mix asphalt is mixed and laid hot and forms the permanent driveway surface. Western Cape guide J describes cold mix as a temporary repair compound for pothole patching only; Paving Wiz does not offer cold mix. Eastern Cape guide G prices a light chip-and-spray finish at about R95 per m².
Tar or Paving for a Port Elizabeth Driveway?
| Attribute | Tar (asphalt) | Block paving |
|---|---|---|
| Specification | SANS 1200 MH | SANS 1200 MJ; blocks to SANS 1058 |
| Rate per m² (guide) | R270 – R480 new surface (Eastern Cape G, July 2026) | R200 – R300 concrete; R350 – R450 brick (PE tables A/B, Jan 2026) |
| Joints | None — one continuous surface | Joints filled with jointing sand |
| Ready to drive on | 48–72 hours for light vehicles (guide J) | Once compacted and sanded |
| Look | One black surface, edged in brick | Patterns and colours |
The ranges overlap, so neither surface is cheaper in every case: the base each one needs decides the quote.
Tarring for Port Elizabeth Rain and Salt Air
The South African Weather Service gives Port Elizabeth an average rainfall of 593 mm a year, and the six years from 2016 to 2021 averaged only 480 mm. Rain on a tar driveway runs across the surface, so the fall towards the street or a channel drain is set before the asphalt goes down. Eastern Cape guide G states that coastal salt, higher UV and seasonal rains speed up deterioration and "may require more frequent sealing and repairs", and that coastal sites need specific seal coats to resist salt air. The same guide states that "proper upkeep can extend a surface's life by up to 25%".
Tar Driveways at the Street: Nelson Mandela Bay Rules
A tar driveway usually ends at the property boundary. Item 38(3) of the NMBM Land Use Scheme, gazetted on 11 September 2023, requires the Municipality's approval before constructing a private crossing onto a public road. The same item covers depositing or leaving goods, building materials or waste in a public road or road reserve beyond a reasonable period for loading, offloading or removal, unless the Municipality has approved it. Asphalt and base stone arrive by truck, so a tar job in Nelson Mandela Bay plans where each load is tipped before delivery.
Re-Tarring and Tar Driveway Repairs
A cracked or worn tar driveway on a sound base takes a new asphalt layer on top, at R185 to R250 per m² for a small driveway in Eastern Cape guide G. One that has sunk or broken up needs the base rebuilt first, which the site visit decides. Send the area, the condition and photos through the request a paving quote form.
Paving Wiz Port Elizabeth: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does tar surfacing cost in Port Elizabeth?
An Eastern Cape tar guide reviewed in July 2026 puts a new asphalt surface at R270 to R480 per m² and an overlay on a small driveway at R185 to R250 per m². Paving Wiz quotes each tar driveway on the measured area after a site visit.
How much does it cost to tar a driveway in South Africa?
A national 2026 guide prices a tar driveway at R165 to R220 per m², materials and labour included, and a 30 to 50 m² driveway at R7,700 to R9,680. A second national guide, updated in October 2026, gives R70 to R170 per m² for tar surfacing before extra base work.
Is tar cheaper than paving?
Not in every case. The Eastern Cape tar guide's R270 to R480 per m² for a new asphalt surface overlaps the January 2026 Port Elizabeth paving tables' R200 to R300 for concrete pavers and R350 to R450 for brick. The base each surface needs decides which quote is lower.
How long does a tar driveway last?
An Eastern Cape price guide gives 10 to 15 years for standard asphalt and 15 to 20 years with an improved base and drainage, with maintenance. The same guide states that coastal salt, higher UV and seasonal rains speed up deterioration and "may require more frequent sealing and repairs".
How long before I can drive on a new tar driveway?
48 to 72 hours for light vehicles, in a 2026 Western Cape contractor guide. The same guide gives 24 hours before the surface is walkable and 6 to 12 months for full curing, with heavy point loads avoided in that time.
How much does 1 tonne of asphalt cost?
None of the guides read prices mixed asphalt per tonne. A national guide updated in October 2026 lists 70/100 penetration-grade bitumen, the binder in asphalt, at about R28,000 per tonne.
Is cold mix suitable for a driveway?
No. A 2026 Western Cape contractor guide describes cold mix as a temporary repair compound for pothole patching only, and hot mix as the material for permanent surfaces. Paving Wiz lays hot-mix tar driveways and does not offer cold mix.
Can the tar driveway continue across the sidewalk?
Only with the Municipality's approval. Item 38(3) of the NMBM Land Use Scheme requires the Municipality's approval before constructing a private crossing onto a public road.
Which standard covers asphalt surfacing?
SANS 1200 MH covers the priming of the base and the construction of hot-mix asphalt base and surfacing, in continuously graded, gap-graded and open-graded mixes. It is the civil engineering specification for asphalt base and surfacing.