How much does a drive drainage job cost in Kent?
Guide price in Kent: £380–£1,100 including VAT. These are South East 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 | £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 Kent
We quote drainage in every town across Kent, including:
- Maidstone
- Gillingham
- Tunbridge Wells
- Folkestone
- Margate
- Ashford, Kent
- Canterbury
- Sittingbourne
- Gravesend
- Dartford
- Ramsgate
- Dover
- Tonbridge
- Strood
- Whitstable
- Deal
- Sevenoaks
- Rochester
- Herne Bay
- Broadstairs
- Faversham
- Swanley
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.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
- Soakaway crates or rubble soakaways where ground allows
- Threshold drainage at doors and garages
- Levels survey and a falls plan
- Connection to an existing surface water gully where permitted
- Linear channel drains with gratings rated for cars
What the survey covers
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Access and working space
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
Rules for front drives in Kent
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
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 Kent: questions
Do you work in Maidstone, Gillingham and Tunbridge Wells?
Yes. We cover all of Kent, including Maidstone, Gillingham and Tunbridge Wells.
Who approves a drive drainage job in Kent?
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.
How much does a drive drainage job cost in Kent?
Guide price: £380–£1,100 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Kent?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
