England · Drainage

Drainage for block paving in Somerset

Need a drive drainage job in Somerset? We plan it with the paving so levels, falls and approvals line up, and price it as its own line on your quote.

  • 10 towns listed
  • £350–£1,000 inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Linear channel drain with a steel grating across a block paved driveway in front of a garage

How much does a drive drainage job cost in Somerset?

Guide price in Somerset£350–£1,000Including VAT at 20%

Most drive drainage job quotes in the South West fall within £350–£1,000 including VAT, with any extras listed separately on your quote.

ItemGuide 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 Somerset

We quote drainage in every town across Somerset, 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.

The South West is wetter than the east of England, so falls and drainage are planned before the pattern is chosen.

  • Threshold drainage at doors and garages
  • Linear channel drains with gratings rated for cars
  • Soakaway crates or rubble soakaways where ground allows
  • Levels survey and a falls plan
  • Connection to an existing surface water gully where permitted

What the survey covers

  • Buried services near the crossing or channel
  • Access and working space
  • Who must approve the work and how long that takes
  • Where water collects now and where it can go
  • Load ratings needed for covers and gratings

Rules for front drives in Somerset

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

  1. Tell us about the job

    Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.

  2. We take a look

    A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.

  3. Price in writing

    Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.

  4. Booked and built

    Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.

Drainage in Somerset: questions

Do you work in Bath, Weston-super-Mare and Taunton?

Yes. We cover all of Somerset, including Bath, Weston-super-Mare and Taunton.

How much does a drive drainage job cost in Somerset?

Guide price: £350–£1,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.

Who approves a drive drainage job in Somerset?

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 Somerset?

Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.

Neighbouring areas

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Answer four quick questions for an instant guide price, then book a free survey to fix it in writing. Repairs and cleaning can often be priced from photos.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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