What to know before a permeable block drive in Bartley Green
Around Bartley Green, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
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 permeable block drive cost in Bartley Green?
For Bartley Green, our guide is £105–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is likely to be £5,250–£8,500. 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 | £105–£170 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 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.
- Ground check: how well the soil drains and how high the water table sits
- Deeper dig-out for the open-graded sub-base
- Geotextile layer where the design needs one
- Edge restraints and any overflow or outlet the design needs
- Grit laying course and permeable blocks with grit-filled joints
Before we price your permeable block drive
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Rules for front drives in Bartley Green
Bartley Green 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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Permeable paving in Bartley Green: questions
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.
Is the survey in Bartley Green 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.
Do you cover Halesowen, Smethwick and Birmingham?
Yes. We cover Bartley Green and the places around it, including Halesowen, Smethwick and Birmingham, and the rest of the West Midlands.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Bartley Green?
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.
Permeable paving near Bartley Green
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across West Midlands:
- Permeable paving in Halesowen
- Permeable paving in Smethwick
- Permeable paving in Birmingham
- Permeable paving in Dudley
- Permeable paving in West Bromwich
- Permeable paving in Brierley Hill
