What to know before a permeable block drive in Hounslow
Hounslow has everything from short terrace frontages to wide drives on newer estates, so the survey sets the layout and the dig.
Front gardens in much of London are short, so parking depth and the dropped kerb usually decide whether a drive is possible.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Hounslow?
For Hounslow, our guide is £125–£205 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is likely to be £6,300–£10,200. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Permeable block paving driveway | £125–£205 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £12–£50 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £25–£60 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £420–£1,200 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,200–£3,600 |
Guide figures for London, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
Permeable block paving is block paving built so that rainwater drains down through the joints into a deep, open-graded stone sub-base, where it is stored and soaks away slowly into the ground or is piped off. The blocks have small spacers or wider joints filled with fine grit instead of sand.
- Grit laying course and permeable blocks with grit-filled joints
- Open-graded crushed stone (no fines) laid and compacted in layers
- Geotextile layer where the design needs one
- Ground check: how well the soil drains and how high the water table sits
- Edge restraints and any overflow or outlet the design needs
What we check on a Hounslow survey
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
Do you need permission in Hounslow?
Hounslow 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.
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.
How we work
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Permeable paving in Hounslow: questions
Do you cover Heston, Feltham and Southall?
Yes. We cover Hounslow and the places around it, including Heston, Feltham and Southall, and the rest of Greater London.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Hounslow?
Our guide for Hounslow is £125–£205 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is usually about £6,300–£10,200. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Do I need planning permission for a permeable block drive in Hounslow?
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 permeable block drive 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.
Permeable paving near Hounslow
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across Greater London:
- Permeable paving in Heston
- Permeable paving in Feltham
- Permeable paving in Southall
- Permeable paving in Greenford
- Permeable paving in Hayes
- Permeable paving in Acton
