Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Portishead: what to expect
Homes in Portishead include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Portishead?
Guide price in Portishead: £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. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a dropped kerb involve?
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
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
What the survey covers
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Access and working space
- Where water collects now and where it can go
Planning and kerb rules in Portishead
Portishead 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.
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.
How we work
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
One point of contact
You deal with one team from survey to sign-off, with work carried out by paving teams working under S&K.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Dropped kerbs in Portishead: questions
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Portishead?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Portishead?
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 Nailsea, Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare?
Yes. We cover Portishead and the places around it, including Nailsea, Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare, and the rest of Somerset.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Portishead?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Dropped kerbs near Portishead
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Somerset:
- Dropped kerbs in Nailsea
- Dropped kerbs in Clevedon
- Dropped kerbs in Weston-super-Mare
- Dropped kerbs in Bath
- Dropped kerbs in Burnham-on-Sea
