Front garden to driveway conversions in Finchley: the local picture
Across Finchley, 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 Finchley?
Guide price in Finchley: £100–£170 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £5,100–£8,400. These are London guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| 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.
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- 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
What we check on a Finchley survey
- Trees and roots near the drive
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Do you need permission in Finchley?
Finchley 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.
What you can expect from us
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.
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.
Front garden drives in Finchley: 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.
Is the survey in Finchley 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 Cricklewood, Barnet and Holloway?
Yes. We cover Finchley and the places around it, including Cricklewood, Barnet and Holloway, and the rest of Greater London.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Finchley?
Our guide for Finchley 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 Finchley
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Cricklewood
- Front garden drives in Barnet
- Front garden drives in Holloway
- Front garden drives in Willesden
- Front garden drives in Tottenham
- Front garden drives in Brent
