How much does a dropped kerb cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
In Scotland, 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 Scotland, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Choose a town for local prices and details for dropped kerbs:
- Livingston
- Musselburgh
- Bathgate
- Bonnyrigg
- Penicuik
- Broxburn
- Linlithgow
- Armadale
- Dalkeith
- Tranent
- Whitburn
- Dunbar
- Prestonpans
- Haddington
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.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
- 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
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
What the survey covers
- Access and working space
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
Rules for front drives in Edinburgh and the Lothians
In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.
Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.
A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.
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 Edinburgh and the Lothians: questions
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Livingston, Musselburgh and Bathgate?
Yes. We cover all of Edinburgh and the Lothians, including Livingston, Musselburgh and Bathgate.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
For a dropped kerb, your council as roads authority. For drainage and covers on private land, no approval is usually needed, but connections to public sewers need the water company's consent.
