England · Front garden drives

Front garden to driveway conversions in West Midlands

Thinking about front garden driveways in West Midlands? We survey, specify and build them for homeowners across West Midlands and the surrounding B, CV, DY and WS postcodes, with the dig depth, sub-base, edging and drainage written into your quote.

  • 24 towns listed
  • £85–£140 per m² inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Small front garden of a Victorian terrace converted into a block paved parking space with a planted border

How much does a front garden driveway cost in West Midlands?

Guide price in West Midlands£85–£140 per m²Including VAT at 20%

Guide price in West Midlands: £85–£140 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £4,250–£7,000. These are West Midlands guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.

ItemGuide 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 West Midlands, checked 9 November 2026.

Towns we cover in West Midlands

Choose a town for local prices and details for front garden drives:

What is included?

A front garden conversion turns a lawn or small front garden into off-street parking. For terraces and semis without a drive, it is often the single most useful change to the house, but it only works if a car fits, the water has somewhere to go and the council will drop the kerb.

Inter-war semis with narrow front gardens are common in the West Midlands, so front garden conversions and drive widenings are often the practical choice.

  • Dig-out, sub-base and edging
  • Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
  • Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
  • Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
  • Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends

What the survey covers

  • Trees and roots near the drive
  • Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
  • Steps, thresholds and door heights
  • Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
  • Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway

Rules for front drives in West Midlands

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

  1. Tell us about the job

    Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.

  2. We take a look

    A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.

  3. Price in writing

    Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.

  4. Booked and built

    Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.

Front garden drives in West Midlands: questions

How much does a front garden driveway cost in West Midlands?

Our guide for West Midlands 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.

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 Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton?

Yes. We cover all of the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.

Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in West Midlands?

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.

Neighbouring areas

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Answer four quick questions for an instant guide price, then book a free survey to fix it in writing. Repairs and cleaning can often be priced from photos.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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