Front garden to driveway conversions in Stevenage: the local picture
Across Stevenage, front gardens range from narrow terrace plots to broad modern drives, and the best block, pattern and drainage choice changes with them.
Clay soils are common in parts of the East of England, so drainage and sub-base depth get extra attention.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Stevenage?
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 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.
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- 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 Stevenage survey
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
Do you need permission in Stevenage?
Stevenage 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
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
How we work
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
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.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Front garden drives in Stevenage: questions
Is the survey in Stevenage 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 Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City?
Yes. We cover Stevenage and the places around it, including Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City, and the rest of Hertfordshire.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Stevenage?
Our guide for Stevenage is £90–£145 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,450–£7,350. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Stevenage?
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.
Front garden drives near Stevenage
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Hertfordshire:
- Front garden drives in Hitchin
- Front garden drives in Letchworth Garden City
- Front garden drives in Welwyn Garden City
- Front garden drives in Harpenden
- Front garden drives in Hertford
- Front garden drives in Hatfield
