Front garden to driveway conversions in Barnet: the local picture
Homes in Barnet include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Many London streets have controlled parking and narrow frontages, so we measure the car space and the crossover before anything else.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Barnet?
In London, a front garden driveway usually costs £100–£170 per m² including VAT. For a 50 m² double drive, that is roughly £5,100–£8,400. 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 | £100–£170 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £12–£50 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £25–£60 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £420–£1,200 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,200–£3,600 |
Guide figures for London, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our front garden drives service
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.
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
What we check on a Barnet survey
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
Rules for front drives in Barnet
Barnet 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.
What happens next
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
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.
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 Barnet: questions
Is the survey in Barnet 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.
Do you cover Finchley, Enfield and Edmonton?
Yes. We cover Barnet and the places around it, including Finchley, Enfield and Edmonton, and the rest of Greater London.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Barnet?
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 Barnet
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Finchley
- Front garden drives in Enfield
- Front garden drives in Edmonton
- Front garden drives in Cricklewood
- Front garden drives in Tottenham
- Front garden drives in Holloway
