Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Solihull: the local picture
Across Solihull, front gardens range from narrow terrace plots to broad modern drives, and the best block, pattern and drainage choice changes with them.
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 Solihull?
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.
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
What we check on a Solihull survey
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
Do you need permission in Solihull?
Solihull 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.
What you can expect from us
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
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.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
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 Solihull: questions
Who approves a dropped kerb in Solihull?
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.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Solihull?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Solihull?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Do you work in Shirley, Acocks Green and Washwood Heath?
Yes. We cover Solihull and the places around it, including Shirley, Acocks Green and Washwood Heath, and the rest of the West Midlands.
Dropped kerbs near Solihull
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across West Midlands:
- Dropped kerbs in Shirley
- Dropped kerbs in Acocks Green
- Dropped kerbs in Washwood Heath
- Dropped kerbs in Birmingham
- Dropped kerbs in Aston
- Dropped kerbs in Bartley Green
