Front garden to driveway conversions in Hitchin: the local picture
In Hitchin, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Flat ground across much of the East means falls have to be built in carefully so water does not sit on the drive.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Hitchin?
In the East of England, a front garden driveway usually costs £90–£145 per m² including VAT. For a 50 m² double drive, that is roughly £4,450–£7,350. 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 | £90–£145 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £370–£1,050 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,050–£3,150 |
Guide figures for the East of England, 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.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- 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
What we check on a Hitchin survey
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
Rules for front drives in Hitchin
Hitchin 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.
How it works
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.
What you can expect from us
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
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.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Front garden drives in Hitchin: questions
Do you cover Letchworth Garden City, Stevenage and Harpenden?
Yes. We cover Hitchin and the places around it, including Letchworth Garden City, Stevenage and Harpenden, and the rest of Hertfordshire.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Hitchin?
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.
Is the survey in Hitchin 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.
Front garden drives near Hitchin
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Hertfordshire:
- Front garden drives in Letchworth Garden City
- Front garden drives in Stevenage
- Front garden drives in Harpenden
- Front garden drives in Welwyn Garden City
- Front garden drives in Hatfield
- Front garden drives in Hertford
