What to know before a replacement block drive in Irvine
In Irvine, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Frost and heavy rain test paving in Scotland, so a well-drained sub-base and full joints matter as much as the blocks.
In Scotland block paving is often called monoblock; it is the same thing, and the same rules for the base, edging and drainage apply.
How much does a replacement block drive cost in Irvine?
For Irvine, our guide is £95–£180 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² replacement drive is likely to be £4,300–£8,100. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Replace tarmac or concrete with block (incl. break-out) | £95–£180 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 Scotland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
Sometimes the old base can be kept: a thick, sound concrete or well-compacted hardcore layer may only need trimming and topping up. Often it cannot, because it was too thin, has sunk or sits too high against the house. The survey checks levels against the damp-proof course and the existing base before the quote is written, so the price reflects the real dig.
- New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
- Levels set below the damp-proof course with falls away from the house
- Drainage added where the old drive sent water to the house or road
- Break-out of the old surface with waste removal and skip or grab lorry
- Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace
What we check on an Irvine survey
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- 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?
Planning and kerb rules in Irvine
Irvine is in Scotland, so these rules apply:
In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.
Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.
A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.
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.
How we work
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
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.
Replace an old drive in Irvine: questions
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.
How much does a replacement block drive cost in Irvine?
Our guide for Irvine is £95–£180 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² replacement drive is usually about £4,300–£8,100. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Is the survey in Irvine 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 Kilwinning, Stevenston and Saltcoats?
Yes. We cover Irvine and the places around it, including Kilwinning, Stevenston and Saltcoats, and the rest of Ayrshire.
Replace an old drive near Irvine
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across Ayrshire:
- Replace an old drive in Kilwinning
- Replace an old drive in Stevenston
- Replace an old drive in Saltcoats
- Replace an old drive in Troon
- Replace an old drive in Kilmarnock
- Replace an old drive in Ardrossan
