Planning a block paved driveway in Alness
In and around Alness, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
In Scotland block paving is often called monoblock; it is the same thing, and the same rules for the base, edging and drainage apply.
Work in the Highlands is by arrangement: we confirm availability and any travel charge before a visit, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Alness?
For Alness, our guide is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is likely to be £4,250–£7,000. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £85–£140 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £10–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
Guide figures for Scotland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our block paved driveways service
A block paved driveway is a surface of small concrete or clay blocks laid tightly on a bed of sharp sand, held in by a fixed edge and locked together with kiln-dried jointing sand. Laid on a properly dug and compacted sub-base, it carries cars for decades, and a single damaged block can be lifted and replaced without breaking the surface.
- Removal of the old surface and soil to the agreed depth, with waste taken away
- Crushed-stone sub-base laid in layers and compacted
- Cuts at edges, around covers and against the house
- Edge restraints or kerbs bedded and haunched in concrete
- Survey, measurements and a written, itemised quote
What we check on an Alness survey
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Trees and roots near the drive
Rules for front drives in Alness
Alness is in Scotland, so these rules apply:
In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.
Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.
A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
What happens next
Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.
What you can expect from us
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
One point of contact
You deal with one team from survey to sign-off, with work carried out by paving teams working under S&K.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Block paved driveways in Alness: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in Alness?
We bring samples to the survey and suggest blocks and borders that suit the age and brick of the house. Final colour is your choice.
Do I need planning permission for a block paved driveway in Alness?
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within your boundary at any size, and permitted development does not apply in conservation areas. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Do you cover Inverness and Nairn?
Yes. We cover Alness and the places around it, including Inverness and Nairn, and the rest of the Highlands.
What happens to my old drive?
It is broken out and taken away by skip or grab lorry, listed as its own line on your quote.
Block paved driveways near Alness
Nearby towns we cover for block paved driveways, and block paved driveways across Highlands:
