How much does a front garden driveway cost in Scottish Borders?
Guide price in Scottish Borders: £85–£140 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £4,250–£7,000. These are Scotland guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| 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 Scottish Borders
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.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
What the survey covers
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- 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?
- Trees and roots near the drive
Rules for front drives in Scottish Borders
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 Scottish Borders: questions
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 Hawick, Galashiels and Peebles?
Yes. We cover all of the Scottish Borders, including Hawick, Galashiels and Peebles.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Scottish Borders?
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.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Scottish Borders?
Our guide for Scottish Borders is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,250–£7,000. Your fixed price follows the survey.
