What to know before a front garden driveway in Dundonald
In and around Dundonald, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Wet winters in Northern Ireland make falls, edge restraints and full joints especially important.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Dundonald?
For Dundonald, our guide is £80–£135 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is likely to be £4,050–£6,650. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| 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 does a front garden driveway involve?
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.
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
Before we price your front garden driveway
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
Do you need permission in Dundonald?
Dundonald 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.
What happens next
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
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.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Front garden drives in Dundonald: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Dundonald?
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.
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.
Do you cover Holywood, Comber and Newtownards?
Yes. We cover Dundonald and the places around it, including Holywood, Comber and Newtownards, and the rest of County Down.
Is the survey in Dundonald 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.
Front garden drives near Dundonald
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across County Down:
- Front garden drives in Holywood
- Front garden drives in Comber
- Front garden drives in Newtownards
- Front garden drives in Carryduff
- Front garden drives in Bangor, County Down
- Front garden drives in Donaghadee
