Planning a dropped kerb in Washwood Heath
Washwood Heath is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.
Clay ground is widespread in the West Midlands, so the sub-base depth and drainage are checked on every survey.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Washwood Heath?
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
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
Before we price your dropped kerb
- Access and working space
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
Rules for front drives in Washwood Heath
Washwood Heath 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
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
What you can expect from us
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
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.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Dropped kerbs in Washwood Heath: questions
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Washwood Heath?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Aston, Birmingham and Acocks Green?
Yes. We cover Washwood Heath and the places around it, including Aston, Birmingham and Acocks Green, and the rest of the West Midlands.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Washwood Heath?
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 Washwood Heath?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Dropped kerbs near Washwood Heath
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across West Midlands:
- Dropped kerbs in Aston
- Dropped kerbs in Birmingham
- Dropped kerbs in Acocks Green
- Dropped kerbs in Sutton Coldfield
- Dropped kerbs in Smethwick
- Dropped kerbs in Shirley
