How much does a drive drainage job cost in Highlands?
Most drive drainage job quotes in Scotland fall within £350–£1,000 including VAT, with any extras listed separately on your quote.
| 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 Highlands
We quote drainage in every town across the Highlands, 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.
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within the property whatever its size, so drainage is part of every design.
- 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
- Access and working space
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
Rules for front drives in Highlands
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
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 Highlands: questions
How much does a drive drainage job cost in Highlands?
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 Highlands?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Who approves a drive drainage job in Highlands?
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.
Do you work in Inverness, Fort William and Nairn?
Yes. We cover all of the Highlands, including Inverness, Fort William and Nairn.
