Wales · Front garden drives

Front garden to driveway conversions in Gwynedd

Block paving suits homes in Gwynedd because it can be repaired a block at a time and looks right for decades when the base underneath is built properly.

  • 3 towns listed
  • £80–£130 per m² inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Small front garden of a Victorian terrace converted into a block paved parking space with a planted border

How much does a front garden driveway cost in Gwynedd?

Guide price in Gwynedd£80–£130 per m²Including VAT at 20%

Expect front garden driveways in Gwynedd to come in at around £80–£130 per m², including VAT at 20%. As an example, a 50 m² double drive usually comes to between £3,950 and £6,500.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Concrete block driveway, new sub-base£80–£130 per m²
Breaking out an old surface£9.50–£35 per m²
Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched£19–£45 per metre
Typical channel drain run£330–£930
Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction£930–£2,800

Guide figures for Wales, checked 9 November 2026.

Towns we cover in Gwynedd

Choose a town for local prices and details for front garden drives:

What does a front garden driveway involve?

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.

Wales is wetter than most of England, and new front paving has to be permeable or drain within the property, so drainage is designed in from the start.

  • Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
  • Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
  • Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
  • Dig-out, sub-base and edging
  • Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging

What the survey covers

  • The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
  • Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
  • Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
  • Whether front-garden planning rules apply
  • Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours

Rules for front drives in Gwynedd

In Wales, any new or replacement hard surface at the front of a house should be permeable or drain to a permeable area within the property to avoid needing planning permission. Unlike England, there is no 5 m² allowance for new paving; only repairs of up to 5 m² of existing surface are exempt.

Since January 2019, construction work covering 100 m² or more with drainage implications, including drives and patios, needs approval from the local SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed.

A dropped kerb needs your council's approval as highway authority, and a new access onto a classified road needs planning permission.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.

How it works

  1. Tell us about the job

    Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.

  2. We take a look

    A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.

  3. Price in writing

    Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.

  4. Booked and built

    Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.

Front garden drives in Gwynedd: questions

What happens to my old drive?

It is broken out and taken away by skip or grab lorry, listed as its own line on your quote.

How much does a front garden driveway cost in Gwynedd?

Our guide for Gwynedd is £80–£130 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £3,950–£6,500. Your fixed price follows the survey.

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 Bangor, Gwynedd, Holyhead and Caernarfon?

Yes. We cover all of Gwynedd, including Bangor, Gwynedd, Holyhead and Caernarfon.

Neighbouring areas

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Answer four quick questions for an instant guide price, then book a free survey to fix it in writing. Repairs and cleaning can often be priced from photos.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
CallGet a quote