What to know before a front garden driveway in Esher
Homes in Esher include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Esher?
Expect front garden driveways in Esher to come in at around £90–£150 per m², including VAT at 20%. As an example, a 50 m² double drive usually comes to between £4,600 and £7,550.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £90–£150 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£45 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,100–£3,250 |
Guide figures for the South East, 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.
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
What we check on an Esher survey
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Trees and roots near the drive
Planning and kerb rules in Esher
Esher 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
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.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Front garden drives in Esher: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Esher?
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Esher?
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.
Do you cover Walton-on-Thames, Sunbury-on-Thames and Epsom?
Yes. We cover Esher and the places around it, including Walton-on-Thames, Sunbury-on-Thames and Epsom, and the rest of Surrey.
Is the survey in Esher 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 Esher
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Surrey:
- Front garden drives in Walton-on-Thames
- Front garden drives in Sunbury-on-Thames
- Front garden drives in Epsom
- Front garden drives in Leatherhead
- Front garden drives in Ewell
- Front garden drives in Ashford, Surrey
