Northern Ireland · Dropped kerbs

Dropped kerbs with a new drive in County Down

Dropped kerbs with a new drive in County Down: the groundwork that makes a block drive legal, dry and tidy, planned before the first block goes down.

  • 12 towns listed
  • £950–£2,850 inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Lowered kerb on a residential pavement leading to a charcoal block paved driveway

How much does a dropped kerb cost in County Down?

Guide price in County Down£950–£2,850Including VAT at 20%

Most dropped kerb quotes in Northern Ireland fall within £950–£2,850 including VAT, with any extras listed separately on your quote.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction£950–£2,850
Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched£19–£50 per metre
Typical channel drain run£330–£950
Soakaway£860–£1,900
Highway authority dropped kerb application fee£50–£480

Guide figures for Northern Ireland, checked 9 November 2026.

Towns we cover in County Down

Choose a town for local prices and details for dropped kerbs:

What does a dropped kerb involve?

A dropped kerb, also called a vehicle crossover, is a section of lowered kerb with a strengthened footway behind it so a car can cross the pavement to reach a drive. It is part of the public highway, so it needs the highway authority's permission and has to be built to their specification, usually by a contractor they approve.

Wet winters in Northern Ireland make falls, edge restraints and full joints especially important.

  • Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
  • Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
  • Help with the highway authority application and drawings
  • Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
  • Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line

What the survey covers

  • Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
  • Access and working space
  • Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
  • Buried services near the crossing or channel
  • Where water collects now and where it can go

Rules for front drives in County Down

In Northern Ireland, a hard surface between the front of the house and the road that covers or replaces more than 5 m² must be porous or permeable, or drain to a permeable area within the property, to be permitted development.

Hard surfaces within the grounds of a listed building need listed building consent. Planning is handled by your district council, so check with its planning office if you are unsure.

Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland are approved by DfI Roads (the Department for Infrastructure), not the council; check planning separately with the council.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.

How it works

  1. Send the basics

    Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.

  2. Survey

    We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.

  3. Written quote

    An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.

  4. The work

    Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.

Dropped kerbs in County Down: questions

Do you work in Bangor, County Down, Newtownards and Newry?

Yes. We cover all of County Down, including Bangor, County Down, Newtownards and Newry.

Who approves a dropped kerb in County Down?

For a dropped kerb, DfI Roads. 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 County Down?

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

How much does a dropped kerb cost in County Down?

Guide price: £950–£2,850 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.

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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