What to know before a front garden driveway in Dunbar
Dunbar is a smaller town, and many of its homes have more frontage to work with than city houses, which leaves room for borders and planting.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
In Scotland block paving is often called monoblock; it is the same thing, and the same rules for the base, edging and drainage apply.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Dunbar?
In Scotland, a front garden driveway usually costs £85–£140 per m² including VAT. For a 50 m² double drive, that is roughly £4,250–£7,000. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.
| 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 Scotland, 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.
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
What we check on a Dunbar survey
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
Planning and kerb rules in Dunbar
Dunbar is in Scotland, so these rules apply:
In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.
Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.
A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
How it works
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
What you can expect from us
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
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 Dunbar: 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.
Do you cover Haddington, Tranent and Prestonpans?
Yes. We cover Dunbar and the places around it, including Haddington, Tranent and Prestonpans, and the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Dunbar?
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.
Front garden drives near Dunbar
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Edinburgh and the Lothians:
- Front garden drives in Haddington
- Front garden drives in Tranent
- Front garden drives in Prestonpans
- Front garden drives in Musselburgh
- Front garden drives in Dalkeith
- Front garden drives in Bonnyrigg
