What to know before a front garden driveway in Shirley
Homes in Shirley include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
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.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Shirley?
Guide price in Shirley: £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.
| 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 West Midlands, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a front garden driveway involve?
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.
- 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
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
What the survey covers
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
Rules for front drives in Shirley
Shirley 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.
From enquiry to finished paving
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.
What you can expect from us
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.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Front garden drives in Shirley: questions
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Shirley?
Our guide for Shirley 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.
Is the survey in Shirley 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.
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 Solihull, Acocks Green and Birmingham?
Yes. We cover Shirley and the places around it, including Solihull, Acocks Green and Birmingham, and the rest of the West Midlands.
Front garden drives near Shirley
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across West Midlands:
- Front garden drives in Solihull
- Front garden drives in Acocks Green
- Front garden drives in Birmingham
- Front garden drives in Washwood Heath
- Front garden drives in Aston
- Front garden drives in Bartley Green
