How much does a drive drainage job cost in East Sussex?
In the South East, a drive drainage job usually costs £380–£1,100 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 | £380–£1,100 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Soakaway | £970–£2,150 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £60–£540 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in East Sussex
We quote drainage in every town across East Sussex, 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.
Chalk, clay and sandy ground all occur across the South East, so the dig and sub-base depth are set on the survey rather than assumed.
- Soakaway crates or rubble soakaways where ground allows
- Threshold drainage at doors and garages
- Connection to an existing surface water gully where permitted
- Linear channel drains with gratings rated for cars
- Levels survey and a falls plan
What the survey covers
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
Rules for front drives in East Sussex
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
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.
Drainage in East Sussex: questions
Who approves a drive drainage job in East Sussex?
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.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in East Sussex?
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 East Sussex?
Guide price: £380–£1,100 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings?
Yes. We cover all of East Sussex, including Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
