Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Exmouth: the local picture
Homes in Exmouth include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Exmouth?
In the South West, a dropped kerb usually costs £1,000–£3,000 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 | £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 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.
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
What the survey covers
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Access and working space
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
Do you need permission in Exmouth?
Exmouth 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.
From enquiry to finished paving
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.
What you can expect from us
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
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.
Dropped kerbs in Exmouth: questions
Who approves a dropped kerb in Exmouth?
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.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Exmouth?
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 Exmouth?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Exeter, Newton Abbot and Torquay?
Yes. We cover Exmouth and the places around it, including Exeter, Newton Abbot and Torquay, and the rest of Devon.
Dropped kerbs near Exmouth
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Devon:
- Dropped kerbs in Exeter
- Dropped kerbs in Newton Abbot
- Dropped kerbs in Torquay
- Dropped kerbs in Paignton
- Dropped kerbs in Tiverton
