Front garden to driveway conversions in Aberdeen: the local picture
Across Aberdeen, front gardens range from narrow terrace plots to broad modern drives, and the best block, pattern and drainage choice changes with them.
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within the property whatever its size, so drainage is part of every design.
In Scotland block paving is often called monoblock; it is the same thing, and the same rules for the base, edging and drainage apply.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Aberdeen?
Most front garden driveway quotes in Scotland fall within £85–£140 per m² including VAT. A 50 m² double drive would usually be about £4,250–£7,000, with any extras listed separately on your quote.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £85–£140 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £10–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
Guide figures for Scotland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
We check those three things before anything else. A typical small front garden needs the boundary wall or hedge opened, the ground dug out, a sub-base built and the surface laid so rain drains into a planted strip or through permeable blocks. Keeping a narrow planted border is often what makes the drainage work.
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
What we check on an Aberdeen survey
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
Planning and kerb rules in Aberdeen
Aberdeen is in Scotland, so these rules apply:
In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.
Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.
A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
What happens next
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.
How we work
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.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Front garden drives in Aberdeen: questions
Is the survey in Aberdeen free?
Yes, for new paving here: the survey and written quote are free with no obligation. Repairs and cleaning are usually priced from photos, or from a short visit where needed.
Do you cover Westhill, Stonehaven and Inverurie?
Yes. We cover Aberdeen and the places around it, including Westhill, Stonehaven and Inverurie, and the rest of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
What happens to my old drive?
It is broken out and taken away by skip or grab lorry, listed as its own line on your quote.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Aberdeen?
Our guide for Aberdeen is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,250–£7,000. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Front garden drives near Aberdeen
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire:
- Front garden drives in Westhill
- Front garden drives in Stonehaven
- Front garden drives in Inverurie
- Front garden drives in Ellon
