Planning a driveway extension in Alness
Alness is a smaller town, and many of its homes have more frontage to work with than city houses, which leaves room for borders and planting.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
In Scotland block paving is often called monoblock; it is the same thing, and the same rules for the base, edging and drainage apply.
Work in the Highlands is by arrangement: we confirm availability and any travel charge before a visit, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
How much does a driveway extension cost in Alness?
Guide price in Alness: £90–£150 per m² including VAT, which puts a 15 m² extension at about £1,550–£2,600. These are Scotland guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Driveway extension in block paving | £90–£150 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £10–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
Guide figures for Scotland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
A driveway extension adds paving to an existing drive, usually to fit a second car by taking in part of the front lawn, or to lengthen a drive towards the house or garage. The new section is built on its own sub-base and tied into the old paving so the two act as one surface.
- Old edge restraint taken out and the new paving toothed into the old pattern
- Check of the existing drive: block range, thickness, levels and condition
- Matching options: same range, re-mixing old and new, or a planned contrast
- Joint sand, compaction and a clean-down of the old section
- Dig-out and sub-base for the new area
What we check on an Alness survey
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Rules for front drives in Alness
Alness is in Scotland, so these rules apply:
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
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.
How we work
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Drive extensions in Alness: questions
Is the survey in Alness free?
In the Highlands we cover jobs by arrangement. We will confirm before any visit whether a charge applies, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
How long does a driveway extension take to build?
Most homes take between three and seven working days, depending on size, the dig and the drainage. Your quote gives the expected duration.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Alness?
We bring samples to the survey and suggest blocks and borders that suit the age and brick of the house. Final colour is your choice.
How much does a driveway extension cost in Alness?
Our guide for Alness is £90–£150 per m² including VAT, so a 15 m² extension is usually about £1,550–£2,600. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Drive extensions near Alness
Nearby towns we cover for drive extensions, and drive extensions across Highlands:
