How much does a front garden driveway cost in Highlands?
Expect front garden driveways in Highlands to come in at around £85–£140 per m², including VAT at 20%. As an example, a 50 m² double drive usually comes to between £4,250 and £7,000.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £85–£140 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £10–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
Guide figures for Scotland, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Highlands
Choose a town for local prices and details for front garden drives:
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.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
What the survey covers
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
Rules for front drives in Highlands
In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.
Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.
A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
How it works
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.
Front garden drives in Highlands: 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.
Do you cover Inverness, Fort William and Nairn?
Yes. We cover all of the Highlands, including Inverness, Fort William and Nairn.
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 Highlands free?
In the Highlands we cover jobs by arrangement. We will confirm before any visit whether a charge applies, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
