County Londonderry · Replace an old drive

Replacing tarmac or concrete with block paving in Coleraine

Replacing tarmac or concrete with block paving in Coleraine: built on a properly dug and compacted base, edged in concrete and laid to falls that take water away from the house.

  • Postcodes BT52, BT51
  • £90–£170 per m² inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Driveway half old cracked tarmac and half new brindle herringbone block paving

Planning a replacement block drive in Coleraine

Coleraine is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.

Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland go through DfI Roads, so we build that timing into the plan for new drives.

How much does a replacement block drive cost in Coleraine?

Guide price in Coleraine£90–£170 per m²Including VAT at 20%

For Coleraine, our guide is £90–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² replacement drive is likely to be £4,050–£7,700. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Replace tarmac or concrete with block (incl. break-out)£90–£170 per m²
Breaking out an old surface£9.50–£40 per m²
Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched£19–£50 per metre
Typical channel drain run£330–£950
Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction£950–£2,850

Guide figures for Northern Ireland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.

What you get with our replace an old drive service

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.

  • Drainage added where the old drive sent water to the house or road
  • Levels set below the damp-proof course with falls away from the house
  • Break-out of the old surface with waste removal and skip or grab lorry
  • New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
  • Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace

What the survey covers

  • Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
  • Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
  • Trees and roots near the drive
  • Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
  • Whether front-garden planning rules apply

Do you need permission in Coleraine?

Coleraine is in Northern Ireland, so these rules apply:

In Northern Ireland, a hard surface between the front of the house and the road that covers or replaces more than 5 m² must be porous or permeable, or drain to a permeable area within the property, to be permitted development.

Hard surfaces within the grounds of a listed building need listed building consent. Planning is handled by your district council, so check with its planning office if you are unsure.

Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland are approved by DfI Roads (the Department for Infrastructure), not the council; check planning separately with the council.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.

From enquiry to finished paving

  1. Send the basics

    Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.

  2. Survey

    We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.

  3. Written quote

    An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.

  4. The work

    Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.

Why choose Block Paving Contractors

Repair before replace

If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.

Water planned first

Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.

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.

Itemised quotes

Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.

Replace an old drive in Coleraine: questions

How much does a replacement block drive cost in Coleraine?

Our guide for Coleraine is £90–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² replacement drive is usually about £4,050–£7,700. Your fixed price follows the survey.

Do I need planning permission for a replacement block drive in Coleraine?

In Northern Ireland, front paving over 5 m² must be porous or drain within your boundary to be permitted development. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.

Can you match the blocks to my house in Coleraine?

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.

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.

Replace an old drive near Coleraine

Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across County Londonderry:

Other block paving services in Coleraine

Or see all block paving services in Coleraine.

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Get a guide price in a couple of minutes with our quote tool, or book a survey in Coleraine.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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