Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Washington: what to expect
Homes in Washington include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Wind-driven rain on the North East coast makes falls and a well-filled joint more important.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Washington?
Guide price in Washington: £900–£2,700 including VAT. These are North East guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £900–£2,700 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £18–£45 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £320–£900 |
| Soakaway | £810–£1,800 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £50–£450 |
Guide figures for the North East, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
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.
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
What the survey covers
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- Access and working space
Do you need permission in Washington?
Washington 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.
How it works
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
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.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Dropped kerbs in Washington: questions
Do you work in Felling, Houghton-le-Spring and Hebburn?
Yes. We cover Washington and the places around it, including Felling, Houghton-le-Spring and Hebburn, and the rest of Tyne and Wear.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Washington?
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.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Washington?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Washington?
Guide price: £900–£2,700 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Dropped kerbs near Washington
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Tyne and Wear:
- Dropped kerbs in Felling
- Dropped kerbs in Houghton-le-Spring
- Dropped kerbs in Hebburn
- Dropped kerbs in Sunderland
- Dropped kerbs in Jarrow
- Dropped kerbs in Wallsend
