How much does a drive drainage job cost in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
Guide price in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire: £350–£1,000 including VAT. These are Scotland guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Channel drain run across a drive | £350–£1,000 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Soakaway | £900–£2,000 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £55–£500 |
Guide figures for Scotland, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
We quote drainage in every town across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including:
What is included?
We design the falls first, then add channels only where they are needed, typically across a garage door, at the bottom of a drive sloping to the house, or where the drive meets the pavement. Where the rules require water to be dealt with on site, a soakaway or a permeable build is the usual answer.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
- Levels survey and a falls plan
- Linear channel drains with gratings rated for cars
- Connection to an existing surface water gully where permitted
- Threshold drainage at doors and garages
- Soakaway crates or rubble soakaways where ground allows
What the survey covers
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Access and working space
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
Rules for front drives in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
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.
How it works
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.
Drainage in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire: questions
Who approves a drive drainage job in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
For a dropped kerb, your council as roads authority. For drainage and covers on private land, no approval is usually needed, but connections to public sewers need the water company's consent.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
How much does a drive drainage job cost in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
Guide price: £350–£1,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Aberdeen, Peterhead and Inverurie?
Yes. We cover all of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including Aberdeen, Peterhead and Inverurie.
