What to know before a front garden driveway in Newtownards
In Newtownards, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland go through DfI Roads, so we build that timing into the plan for new drives.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Newtownards?
Expect front garden driveways in Newtownards to come in at around £80–£135 per m², including VAT at 20%. As an example, a 50 m² double drive usually comes to between £4,050 and £6,650.
| 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.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
What we check on a Newtownards survey
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
Planning and kerb rules in Newtownards
Newtownards 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
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
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Front garden drives in Newtownards: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in Newtownards?
We bring samples to the survey and suggest blocks and borders that suit the age and brick of the house. Final colour is your choice.
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 Comber, Dundonald and Bangor, County Down?
Yes. We cover Newtownards and the places around it, including Comber, Dundonald and Bangor, County Down, and the rest of County Down.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Newtownards?
Our guide for Newtownards 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.
Front garden drives near Newtownards
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across County Down:
- Front garden drives in Comber
- Front garden drives in Dundonald
- Front garden drives in Bangor, County Down
- Front garden drives in Holywood
- Front garden drives in Donaghadee
- Front garden drives in Carryduff
