Front garden to driveway conversions in Brighton: the local picture
Brighton has everything from short terrace frontages to wide drives on newer estates, so the survey sets the layout and the dig.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Brighton?
Guide price in Brighton: £90–£150 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £4,600–£7,550. These are South East guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £90–£150 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£45 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,100–£3,250 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our front garden drives service
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.
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
What the survey covers
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
Planning and kerb rules in Brighton
Brighton 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
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.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Front garden drives in Brighton: questions
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 Brighton 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.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Brighton?
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.
Front garden drives near Brighton
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across East Sussex:
- Front garden drives in Hove
- Front garden drives in Portslade
- Front garden drives in Rottingdean
- Front garden drives in Seaford
- Front garden drives in Hailsham
- Front garden drives in Eastbourne
