What to know before a front garden driveway in Becontree
Across Becontree, front gardens range from narrow terrace plots to broad modern drives, and the best block, pattern and drainage choice changes with them.
Front gardens in much of London are short, so parking depth and the dropped kerb usually decide whether a drive is possible.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Becontree?
For Becontree, our guide is £100–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is likely to be £5,100–£8,400. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| 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 is included?
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.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- 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
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
What the survey covers
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
Do you need permission in Becontree?
Becontree 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.
From enquiry to finished paving
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Front garden drives in Becontree: questions
Is the survey in Becontree 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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Becontree?
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.
Do you cover Dagenham, Barking and Ilford?
Yes. We cover Becontree and the places around it, including Dagenham, Barking and Ilford, and the rest of Greater London.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Becontree?
Our guide for Becontree is £100–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £5,100–£8,400. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Front garden drives near Becontree
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Dagenham
- Front garden drives in Barking
- Front garden drives in Ilford
- Front garden drives in Romford
- Front garden drives in Thamesmead
- Front garden drives in Leytonstone
