What to know before a front garden driveway in Whitburn
Around Whitburn, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
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 Whitburn?
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.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
Before we price your front garden driveway
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
Do you need permission in Whitburn?
Whitburn 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.
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.
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.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Front garden drives in Whitburn: 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 Armadale, Bathgate and Livingston?
Yes. We cover Whitburn and the places around it, including Armadale, Bathgate and Livingston, and the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians.
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.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Whitburn?
Our guide for Whitburn is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,250–£7,000. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Front garden drives near Whitburn
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Edinburgh and the Lothians:
- Front garden drives in Armadale
- Front garden drives in Bathgate
- Front garden drives in Livingston
- Front garden drives in Linlithgow
- Front garden drives in Broxburn
- Front garden drives in Penicuik
