Front garden to driveway conversions in Streatham: the local picture
Streatham is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.
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 Streatham?
Guide price in Streatham: £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?
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.
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
What we check on a Streatham survey
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Do you need permission in Streatham?
Streatham 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
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
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
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.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Front garden drives in Streatham: questions
Is the survey in Streatham 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.
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.
Do you cover Mitcham, Brixton and Wimbledon?
Yes. We cover Streatham and the places around it, including Mitcham, Brixton and Wimbledon, and the rest of Greater London.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Streatham?
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 Streatham
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Mitcham
- Front garden drives in Brixton
- Front garden drives in Wimbledon
- Front garden drives in Battersea
- Front garden drives in Croydon
- Front garden drives in Morden
