The cost of paving a driveway in Kenya depends on far more than the price of the blocks. Two quotes for the same compound can differ by tens of thousands of shillings because one includes a proper base, kerbs and drainage while the other does not. This guide breaks a cabro driveway into every line you will pay for. It then works through real examples at Preco’s published rates, so you can budget with confidence and compare quotes like for like.
All prices in this article are Preco’s published rates in October 2026: ex-yard, excluding VAT at 16% and delivery.
The cost of paving a driveway in Kenya: quick answer
For the cabro itself, supply and laying together at Preco cost between KSh 1,250 and KSh 1,850 per square metre before VAT, depending on the design, thickness and finish:
| Specification | Supply per m² | Laying per m² | Supply and lay per m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad or Zigzag, 60 mm, natural grey | KSh 950 | KSh 300 | KSh 1,250 |
| Quad or Zigzag, 80 mm, natural grey | KSh 1,150 | KSh 300 | KSh 1,450 |
| Coloured designs, 60 mm | KSh 1,300 | KSh 350 | KSh 1,650 |
| Coloured designs, 80 mm | KSh 1,500 | KSh 350 | KSh 1,850 |
The coloured designs are Deluxe, Deluxe Star, Platinum, Splendor, Trihex and Arrow. Trihex and Arrow come in 60 mm only.
On top of that come the base works, kerbs, drainage, delivery and VAT. Those depend on your site, which is why every honest quote starts with a site visit.
Every line in a driveway budget
1. Excavation and cart-away
Removing topsoil and digging down to the formation level. On a typical driveway this means digging out a few hundred millimetres, and the excavated soil usually has to leave the site. Access matters: a tight gate or a long barrow run adds labour.
2. The base
Supplying, spreading and compacting the granular base, such as murram or crushed stone, in layers. This is the line that varies most between sites. Firm ground needs a standard base. Black cotton soil, on the other hand, may need the clay dug out and replaced, which can be the largest single cost on the job. Read cabro on black cotton soil if your plot has dark clay.
3. Kerbs
Preco’s road kerbs cost KSh 450 each. At 915 mm long, you need about one kerb for every 0.9 m of edge, so roughly 1.1 kerbs per metre. Kerbs are bedded and haunched in concrete, and that work is quoted with the job.
4. Drainage
A channel across the gate or along the low edge keeps water off the paving and away from the house. Preco’s drainage channels are 600 mm long, so you need about 1.7 pieces per metre. Our recorded price starts at KSh 120 per piece. See storm water drainage solutions for layouts.
5. The cabro and the laying
Blocks are priced per square metre from one rate card: a thickness base rate plus a finish uplift. Laying is KSh 300 per m² for Quad and Zigzag and KSh 350 per m² for the other designs. Order 5 to 10% extra blocks for cuts.
6. Delivery and VAT
Delivery is quoted by load and destination. VAT at 16% applies to the total. Remember the weight: 60 mm coloured cabro weighs about 134 kg per square metre, so 100 m² is roughly 13 tonnes.
Worked examples
The examples below price the parts Preco publishes. The base works, the kerb and channel laying, and the delivery are site-specific, so they appear as lines for your quote.
A 50 m² driveway in natural grey Quad
| Line | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cabro supply, 60 mm grey | 52.5 m² (50 m² + 5% for cuts) × KSh 950 | KSh 49,875 |
| Laying | 50 m² × KSh 300 | KSh 15,000 |
| Subtotal | KSh 64,875 | |
| VAT at 16% | KSh 10,380 | |
| Total for supply and laying | KSh 75,255 | |
| Plus: excavation, base, kerbs and their laying, drainage, delivery | Quoted after a site visit |
A 100 m² driveway in coloured Deluxe
Take a driveway 5 m wide and 20 m long, with kerbs along both long sides and a channel across the gate.
| Line | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cabro supply, 60 mm coloured | 105 m² × KSh 1,300 | KSh 136,500 |
| Laying | 100 m² × KSh 350 | KSh 35,000 |
| Road kerbs | 40 m ÷ 0.9 = 45 kerbs × KSh 450 | KSh 20,250 |
| Drainage channel | 5 m ÷ 0.6 = 9 pieces × KSh 120 | KSh 1,080 |
| Subtotal | KSh 192,830 | |
| VAT at 16% | KSh 30,853 | |
| Total for the items above | KSh 223,683 | |
| Plus: excavation, base, kerb and channel laying, delivery | Quoted after a site visit |
A 200 m² estate driveway in 80 mm Deluxe Star
For a shared driveway that also takes delivery lorries, 80 mm makes sense.
| Line | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cabro supply, 80 mm coloured | 210 m² × KSh 1,500 | KSh 315,000 |
| Laying | 200 m² × KSh 350 | KSh 70,000 |
| Subtotal | KSh 385,000 | |
| VAT at 16% | KSh 61,600 | |
| Total for supply and laying | KSh 446,600 | |
| Plus: excavation, base, kerbs, drainage, delivery | Quoted after a site visit |
You can build the same estimate for your own areas in the cabro cost calculator. It applies the rate card, adds laying where you tick it, and shows VAT on one itemised estimate.
Why two driveway quotes differ so much
When one quote is far cheaper than another, it is usually missing something. Check:
- Base depth and material: a thin base, or no base at all, is the most common saving and the most expensive later.
- Kerbs: some quotes leave them out, and the paving then spreads at the edges.
- Drainage: a quote without a channel leaves water to find its own way.
- Block specification: 60 mm or 80 mm, grey or coloured, and which design.
- Cart-away: someone has to remove the excavated soil.
- VAT and delivery: included in one quote, excluded in another.
Our guide on how to choose a paving contractor includes a checklist for comparing quotes line by line.
Where to save money without weakening the driveway
- Choose natural grey for large plain areas. Quad and Zigzag start at KSh 950 per m² against KSh 1,300 for coloured. A coloured border around a grey field looks deliberate and costs less than all-coloured.
- Use 60 mm where only cars drive. Save 80 mm for the lorry route. Our 60mm vs 80mm cabro guide explains when the extra thickness matters.
- Keep the layout simple. Fewer curves and feature panels mean fewer cuts and less waste.
- Phase the work. Pave the driveway now and the walkways or patio later, provided the levels and drainage are planned for the whole compound at the start.
Equally important is where not to save. Never cut the base, the kerbs or the drainage. They are what make the cost of paving a driveway in Kenya a one-time cost rather than a recurring one.
Prices move: always check the date
Building costs in Kenya change quickly. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported construction input prices up 5.73% in the second quarter of 2026 alone (Business Daily, 20 July 2026). Treat any price you see online, including ours, as correct for the date shown, and ask for a dated written quote before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Do Preco’s prices include VAT?
No. Our published rates exclude VAT at 16% and delivery. The calculator and every quote show VAT as a separate line.
Can I buy the blocks only and use my own fundi?
Yes. We supply cabro on its own, or supply and lay. If your fundi lays it, share our installation guide with them.
How does cabro compare on cost with tarmac or concrete?
Over ten years, repairs and reinstatement matter as much as the day-one price. Our honest comparison of cabro vs tarmac covers lifespan, repairs and when the other surfaces make sense.
Request an itemised quote for your site
The only accurate figure for the cost of paving a driveway in Kenya is one built for your site. Send us the area in square metres, the location, the design and thickness you prefer, whether you need kerbs and drainage, and what is on the ground now: an existing slab, murram or soil.
- Request an itemised quote, or WhatsApp +254 718 429 063.
- Price each area now in the cabro cost calculator.