Planning a dropped kerb in Wick
Wick is a smaller town, and many of its homes have more frontage to work with than city houses, which leaves room for borders and planting.
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within the property whatever its size, so drainage is part of every design.
In Scotland block paving is often called monoblock; it is the same thing, and the same rules for the base, edging and drainage apply.
Work in the Highlands is by arrangement: we confirm availability and any travel charge before a visit, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Wick?
Guide price in Wick: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. These are Scotland 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 Scotland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our dropped kerbs service
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.
- 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
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
What the survey covers
- Access and working space
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
Rules for front drives in Wick
Wick is in Scotland, so these rules apply:
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.
What happens next
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.
What you can expect from us
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
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.
Dropped kerbs in Wick: questions
Who approves a dropped kerb in Wick?
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.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Wick?
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 Wick?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Do you work in Thurso?
Yes. We cover Wick and the places around it, including Thurso, and the rest of the Highlands.
Dropped kerbs near Wick
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Highlands:

