As I have a single drive and garage I am planning to widen the current drive to double width. I have enough space between the current drive and the
house to do it and the current drive is tarmac.
Does anyone know how much I should expect to pay someone to dig out the lawn, hardcore it and tarmac it with some brick paviers down one side?
Also, do I need to get any permissions from the council and do I need to drop the kerb further over to accomodate?
Would I be better to do the prep myself and just get someone to lay the tarmac or would it be as cheap to let someone do the lot?
Two suggestions:
Get a few quotes - it may be cheaper than you expect, and you won't break your back doing heavy labour.
Ring the local council planning office - they're usually very friendly, and should know the answers re legal requirements.
I have a double-width drive that needs re-surfacing. I was quoted around £2500 to dig it up and rebuild it, so that gives you a clue. Too expensive
for me, so still looking at a patchy drive! 
David
A jcb 3cx or similar will cost about £200-250 for a days hire. (inc operator fuel etc.)
get a couple of 1 ton bags from jewsons deleiover, a skip, hire a wacker plate, shoul all cost about 400, plus tarmac.
the option is to make the second drive out of paving slabs - two strips with maybe gravel in the centre.
I was lucky and got my big drive block paved by a local guy for not a lot of money (i had paths, walls etc done as well for 3500 all in, drive worked
out about 1800.). I was surprised to find that patterned concrete and tarmac was a touch more. Most of the money goes into the labour and groundwork.
You may also be able to get the extra drive and your paths done in block paving. Will look good and may be cost effective.
All depends on what kind of house it is and what you want it to look like. There is always someone about with some spare to chuck down!! ive been told
its not cheap to throw away.
Yes - preparation is the time-consumer, and time is the biggest cost. Materials are cheap in comparison.