Planning a dropped kerb in Torquay
Homes in Torquay include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
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 Torquay?
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?
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.
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- 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
Before we price your dropped kerb
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
Planning and kerb rules in Torquay
Torquay 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.
What happens next
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.
How we work
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
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 Torquay: questions
Do you work in Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth?
Yes. We cover Torquay and the places around it, including Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth, and the rest of Devon.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Torquay?
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 Torquay?
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 Torquay?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Dropped kerbs near Torquay
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Devon:
- Dropped kerbs in Paignton
- Dropped kerbs in Newton Abbot
- Dropped kerbs in Exmouth
- Dropped kerbs in Exeter
