How much does a dropped kerb cost in Dorset?
Guide price in Dorset: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. These are South West guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.
| 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.
Towns we cover in Dorset
Choose a town for local prices and details for dropped kerbs:
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.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
What the survey covers
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Access and working space
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
Rules for front drives in Dorset
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
Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.
Dropped kerbs in Dorset: questions
Who approves a dropped kerb in Dorset?
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 Dorset?
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 Dorset?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth?
Yes. We cover all of Dorset, including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth.
