How much does a drive drainage job cost in Cornwall?
In the South West, a drive drainage job usually costs £350–£1,000 including VAT. 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 |
|---|---|
| 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 the South West, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Cornwall
We quote drainage in every town across Cornwall, including:
What does a drive drainage job involve?
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.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
- Soakaway crates or rubble soakaways where ground allows
- Linear channel drains with gratings rated for cars
- Levels survey and a falls plan
- Threshold drainage at doors and garages
- Connection to an existing surface water gully where permitted
What the survey covers
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Access and working space
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
Rules for front drives in Cornwall
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.
How it works
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
Drainage in Cornwall: questions
Do you work in Redruth, Falmouth and St Austell?
Yes. We cover all of Cornwall, including Redruth, Falmouth and St Austell.
How much does a drive drainage job cost in Cornwall?
Guide price: £350–£1,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Cornwall?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Who approves a drive drainage job in Cornwall?
For a dropped kerb, your local highway authority (usually your council). For drainage and covers on private land, no approval is usually needed, but connections to public sewers need the water company's consent.
