Planning a dropped kerb in Smethwick
Smethwick is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.
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 Smethwick?
In the West Midlands, a dropped kerb usually costs £1,000–£3,000 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 | £1,000–£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 is included?
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.
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
What the survey covers
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
Rules for front drives in Smethwick
Smethwick 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
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
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Dropped kerbs in Smethwick: questions
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Smethwick?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Do you work in West Bromwich, Birmingham and Aston?
Yes. We cover Smethwick and the places around it, including West Bromwich, Birmingham and Aston, and the rest of the West Midlands.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Smethwick?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Smethwick?
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.
Dropped kerbs near Smethwick
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across West Midlands:
- Dropped kerbs in West Bromwich
- Dropped kerbs in Birmingham
- Dropped kerbs in Aston
- Dropped kerbs in Bartley Green
- Dropped kerbs in Halesowen
- Dropped kerbs in Wednesbury
