What to know before a driveway extension in Cowes
Around Cowes, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
Work in the Isle of Wight 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 Cowes?
For Cowes, our guide is £95–£160 per m² including VAT, so a 15 m² extension is likely to be £1,700–£2,800. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Driveway extension in block paving | £95–£160 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£45 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,100–£3,250 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our drive extensions service
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.
- Joint sand, compaction and a clean-down of the old section
- Check of the existing drive: block range, thickness, levels and condition
- Old edge restraint taken out and the new paving toothed into the old pattern
- Matching options: same range, re-mixing old and new, or a planned contrast
- New edging, kerbs or a low retaining edge where the lawn is cut back
Before we price your driveway extension
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Do you need permission in Cowes?
Cowes is in England, so these rules apply:
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
One point of contact
You deal with one team from survey to sign-off, with work carried out by paving teams working under S&K.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Drive extensions in Cowes: questions
Do you cover Newport, Isle of Wight, Ryde and Sandown?
Yes. We cover Cowes and the places around it, including Newport, Isle of Wight, Ryde and Sandown, and the rest of the Isle of Wight.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway extension in Cowes?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Is the survey in Cowes free?
In the Isle of Wight 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 much does a driveway extension cost in Cowes?
Our guide for Cowes is £95–£160 per m² including VAT, so a 15 m² extension is usually about £1,700–£2,800. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Drive extensions near Cowes
Nearby towns we cover for drive extensions, and drive extensions across Isle of Wight:
