Devon · Dropped kerbs

Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Barnstaple

If your drive in Barnstaple needs a dropped kerb, we will check what the rules require and what the ground allows, then put it in writing.

  • Postcodes EX31, EX32, EX33
  • £1,000–£3,000 inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Lowered kerb on a residential pavement leading to a charcoal block paved driveway

Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Barnstaple: the local picture

In Barnstaple, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.

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

How much does a dropped kerb cost in Barnstaple?

Guide price in Barnstaple£1,000–£3,000Including VAT at 20%

Guide price in Barnstaple: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. These are South West guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction£1,000–£3,000
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. See all prices or use the guide price tool.

What you get with our dropped kerbs service

We do not take money for kerb work we cannot legally do. What we do is check whether your property is likely to qualify, help you with the application, coordinate the timing with your new drive, and either price the crossover where the authority allows private contractors or work alongside the authority's own contractor where it does not.

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

What the survey covers

  • Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
  • Access and working space
  • Ground conditions for any soakaway
  • Who must approve the work and how long that takes
  • Load ratings needed for covers and gratings

Planning and kerb rules in Barnstaple

Barnstaple 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

  1. Quick details

    Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.

  2. On-site check

    Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.

  3. Itemised quote

    Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.

  4. Laid and finished

    Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.

How we work

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.

Repair before replace

If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.

Edges set in concrete

Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.

Dropped kerbs in Barnstaple: questions

Do you work in Bideford, Tiverton and Exeter?

Yes. We cover Barnstaple and the places around it, including Bideford, Tiverton and Exeter, and the rest of Devon.

How much does a dropped kerb cost in Barnstaple?

Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.

Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Barnstaple?

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

Who approves a dropped kerb in Barnstaple?

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.

Dropped kerbs near Barnstaple

Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Devon:

Other block paving services in Barnstaple

Or see all block paving services in Barnstaple.

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Want a number before a visit? Try the guide price tool, then book a survey to fix it.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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