Planning a dropped kerb in Birmingham
Birmingham has a big mix of housing, from older terraces near the centre to newer estates further out, so no two drives here start from the same ground.
Inter-war semis with narrow front gardens are common in the West Midlands, so front garden conversions and drive widenings are often the practical choice.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Birmingham?
Guide price in Birmingham: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. These are West Midlands 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 West Midlands, 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
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
What we check on a Birmingham survey
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Access and working space
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
Planning and kerb rules in Birmingham
Birmingham 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
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.
How we work
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
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.
Dropped kerbs in Birmingham: questions
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Birmingham?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Birmingham?
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 Aston, Smethwick and Washwood Heath?
Yes. We cover Birmingham and the places around it, including Aston, Smethwick and Washwood Heath, and the rest of the West Midlands.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Birmingham?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Dropped kerbs near Birmingham
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across West Midlands:
- Dropped kerbs in Aston
- Dropped kerbs in Smethwick
- Dropped kerbs in Washwood Heath
- Dropped kerbs in Acocks Green
- Dropped kerbs in West Bromwich
- Dropped kerbs in Bartley Green
