Front garden to driveway conversions in Oadby: the local picture
Around Oadby, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
Block drives laid twenty or thirty years ago are often ready for re-laying rather than replacing, because sound blocks outlast a weak base.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Oadby?
Expect front garden driveways in Oadby 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 the East Midlands, 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.
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
What we check on an Oadby survey
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
Do you need permission in Oadby?
Oadby 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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Front garden drives in Oadby: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Oadby?
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.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Oadby?
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.
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.
Front garden drives near Oadby
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Leicestershire:
- Front garden drives in Wigston
- Front garden drives in Leicester
- Front garden drives in Loughborough
- Front garden drives in Hinckley
- Front garden drives in Melton Mowbray
- Front garden drives in Coalville
