Block paving driveways in Kettering: the local picture
In Kettering, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Clay and mudstone ground is common in the East Midlands, so we allow for a deeper sub-base where the survey shows soft ground.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Kettering?
In the East Midlands, a block paved driveway usually costs £85–£140 per m² including VAT. For a 50 m² double drive, that is roughly £4,250–£7,000. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.
| 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 the East Midlands, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a block paved driveway involve?
We build block drives for homeowners from scratch: digging out the old surface, setting edge restraints in concrete, building and compacting the sub-base, screeding the laying course, laying the pattern, cutting in the edges and vibrating the blocks into the sand. Every quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness, the edging, the falls and where the water goes.
- Kiln-dried sand brushed in and the surface vibrated with a plate compactor
- Crushed-stone sub-base laid in layers and compacted
- Cuts at edges, around covers and against the house
- Sharp-sand laying course screeded to falls
- Blocks laid in your chosen pattern, with a contrasting border if wanted
What we check on a Kettering survey
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
Rules for front drives in Kettering
Kettering is in England, so these rules apply:
In England, paving in front of the house that covers more than 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway inside your boundary. Permeable block paving, or standard blocks laid to fall onto a planted strip, avoid the need for permission in most cases.
Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings, and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can have tighter rules, and conservation areas, National Parks and National Landscapes restrict some permitted development.
A dropped kerb needs your local highway authority's approval (usually the county, unitary, metropolitan or London borough council), and a new access onto an A, B or C classified road also needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
From enquiry to finished paving
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
How we work
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Block paved driveways in Kettering: questions
Do I need planning permission for a block paved driveway in Kettering?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Kettering?
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 you cover Wellingborough, Corby and Rushden?
Yes. We cover Kettering and the places around it, including Wellingborough, Corby and Rushden, and the rest of Northamptonshire.
Block paved driveways near Kettering
Nearby towns we cover for block paved driveways, and block paved driveways across Northamptonshire:
- Block paved driveways in Wellingborough
- Block paved driveways in Corby
- Block paved driveways in Rushden
- Block paved driveways in Market Harborough
- Block paved driveways in Northampton
- Block paved driveways in Daventry
