Planning a front garden driveway in Brentwood
In Brentwood, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Clay soils are common in parts of the East of England, so drainage and sub-base depth get extra attention.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Brentwood?
Guide price in Brentwood: £90–£145 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £4,450–£7,350. These are East of England guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £90–£145 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £370–£1,050 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,050–£3,150 |
Guide figures for the East of England, 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.
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
Before we price your front garden driveway
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Do you need permission in Brentwood?
Brentwood 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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Front garden drives in Brentwood: 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 you cover Billericay, Basildon and South Ockendon?
Yes. We cover Brentwood and the places around it, including Billericay, Basildon and South Ockendon, and the rest of Essex.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Brentwood?
Our guide for Brentwood is £90–£145 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,450–£7,350. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Brentwood?
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 Brentwood
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Essex:
- Front garden drives in Billericay
- Front garden drives in Basildon
- Front garden drives in South Ockendon
- Front garden drives in Stanford-le-Hope
- Front garden drives in Wickford
- Front garden drives in Pitsea
