How much does a dropped kerb cost in Kent?
In the South East, a dropped kerb usually costs £1,100–£3,250 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 | £1,100–£3,250 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Soakaway | £970–£2,150 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £60–£540 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Kent
Choose a town for local prices and details for dropped kerbs:
- Maidstone
- Gillingham
- Tunbridge Wells
- Folkestone
- Margate
- Ashford, Kent
- Canterbury
- Sittingbourne
- Gravesend
- Dartford
- Ramsgate
- Dover
- Tonbridge
- Strood
- Whitstable
- Deal
- Sevenoaks
- Rochester
- Herne Bay
- Broadstairs
- Faversham
- Swanley
What does a dropped kerb involve?
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.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
What the survey covers
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Access and working space
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
Rules for front drives in Kent
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 Kent: questions
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Kent?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Kent?
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 Maidstone, Gillingham and Tunbridge Wells?
Yes. We cover all of Kent, including Maidstone, Gillingham and Tunbridge Wells.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Kent?
Guide price: £1,100–£3,250 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
