Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Eltham: the local picture
Eltham is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.
Front gardens in much of London are short, so parking depth and the dropped kerb usually decide whether a drive is possible.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Eltham?
Most dropped kerb quotes in London fall within £1,200–£3,600 including VAT, with any extras listed separately on your quote.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,200–£3,600 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £25–£60 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £420–£1,200 |
| Soakaway | £1,100–£2,400 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £65–£600 |
Guide figures for London, 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
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
What we check on an Eltham survey
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
Do you need permission in Eltham?
Eltham 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
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Dropped kerbs in Eltham: questions
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Eltham?
Guide price: £1,200–£3,600 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Eltham?
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.
Do you work in Welling, Catford and Greenwich?
Yes. We cover Eltham and the places around it, including Welling, Catford and Greenwich, and the rest of Greater London.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Eltham?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Dropped kerbs near Eltham
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Greater London:
- Dropped kerbs in Welling
- Dropped kerbs in Catford
- Dropped kerbs in Greenwich
- Dropped kerbs in Bexley
- Dropped kerbs in Beckenham
- Dropped kerbs in Canning Town
