Front garden to driveway conversions in Carrickfergus: the local picture
Homes in Carrickfergus include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Wet winters in Northern Ireland make falls, edge restraints and full joints especially important.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Carrickfergus?
Guide price in Carrickfergus: £80–£135 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £4,050–£6,650. These are Northern Ireland guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £80–£135 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9.50–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £19–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £330–£950 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £950–£2,850 |
Guide figures for Northern Ireland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
A front garden conversion turns a lawn or small front garden into off-street parking. For terraces and semis without a drive, it is often the single most useful change to the house, but it only works if a car fits, the water has somewhere to go and the council will drop the kerb.
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
What we check on a Carrickfergus survey
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Rules for front drives in Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus is in Northern Ireland, so these rules apply:
In Northern Ireland, a hard surface between the front of the house and the road that covers or replaces more than 5 m² must be porous or permeable, or drain to a permeable area within the property, to be permitted development.
Hard surfaces within the grounds of a listed building need listed building consent. Planning is handled by your district council, so check with its planning office if you are unsure.
Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland are approved by DfI Roads (the Department for Infrastructure), not the council; check planning separately with the council.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
How it works
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
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.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
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.
Front garden drives in Carrickfergus: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Carrickfergus?
In Northern Ireland, front paving over 5 m² must be porous or drain within your boundary to be permitted development. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Is the survey in Carrickfergus 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.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Carrickfergus?
Our guide for Carrickfergus is £80–£135 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,050–£6,650. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Do you cover Newtownabbey, Ballyclare and Larne?
Yes. We cover Carrickfergus and the places around it, including Newtownabbey, Ballyclare and Larne, and the rest of County Antrim.
Front garden drives near Carrickfergus
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across County Antrim:
- Front garden drives in Newtownabbey
- Front garden drives in Ballyclare
- Front garden drives in Larne
- Front garden drives in Belfast
- Front garden drives in Castlereagh
- Front garden drives in Lisburn
