What to know before a front garden driveway in Chiswick
Homes in Chiswick include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
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 Chiswick?
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 does a front garden driveway involve?
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.
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
What the survey covers
- 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?
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Planning and kerb rules in Chiswick
Chiswick 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
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
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.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Front garden drives in Chiswick: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Chiswick?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Do you cover Acton, Shepherds Bush and Fulham?
Yes. We cover Chiswick and the places around it, including Acton, Shepherds Bush and Fulham, and the rest of Greater London.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Chiswick?
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.
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.
Front garden drives near Chiswick
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Acton
- Front garden drives in Shepherds Bush
- Front garden drives in Fulham
- Front garden drives in Putney
- Front garden drives in Willesden
- Front garden drives in Battersea
