What to know before a front garden driveway in Paignton
Homes in Paignton include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Paignton?
For Paignton, our guide is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is likely to be £4,250–£7,000. 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 | £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 the South West, 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.
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
What we check on a Paignton survey
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Do you need permission in Paignton?
Paignton 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
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
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
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.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Front garden drives in Paignton: questions
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 I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Paignton?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
How long does a front garden driveway take to build?
Most homes take between three and seven working days, depending on size, the dig and the drainage. Your quote gives the expected duration.
Is the survey in Paignton 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 Paignton
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Devon:
- Front garden drives in Torquay
- Front garden drives in Newton Abbot
- Front garden drives in Exmouth
- Front garden drives in Exeter
