How much does a dropped kerb cost in County Durham?
In the North East, a dropped kerb usually costs £900–£2,700 including VAT. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £900–£2,700 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £18–£45 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £320–£900 |
| Soakaway | £810–£1,800 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £50–£450 |
Guide figures for the North East, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in County Durham
Choose a town for local prices and details for dropped kerbs:
- Darlington
- Hartlepool
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Durham
- Chester-le-Street
- Billingham
- Stanley
- Consett
- Newton Aycliffe
- Bishop Auckland
- Seaham
- Peterlee
What is included?
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.
Former colliery ground and clay soils occur across the North East, so the survey checks for soft spots before the sub-base depth is set.
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
What the survey covers
- Access and working space
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
Rules for front drives in County Durham
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
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
Dropped kerbs in County Durham: questions
Do you work in Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees?
Yes. We cover all of County Durham, including Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees.
Who approves a dropped kerb in County Durham?
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 dropped kerb cost in County Durham?
Guide price: £900–£2,700 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in County Durham?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
