Derbyshire · Replace an old drive

Replacing tarmac or concrete with block paving in Ripley

Thinking about replacement block drives in Ripley? We survey, specify and build them for homeowners across Ripley and the surrounding DE postcodes, with the dig depth, sub-base, edging and drainage written into your quote.

  • Postcodes DE5
  • £95–£180 per m² inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Driveway half old cracked tarmac and half new brindle herringbone block paving

Replacing tarmac or concrete with block paving in Ripley: the local picture

In and around Ripley, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.

Clay and mudstone ground is common in the East Midlands, so we allow for a deeper sub-base where the survey shows soft ground.

How much does a replacement block drive cost in Ripley?

Guide price in Ripley£95–£180 per m²Including VAT at 20%

Expect replacement block drives in Ripley to come in at around £95–£180 per m², including VAT at 20%. As an example, a 45 m² replacement drive usually comes to between £4,300 and £8,100.

ItemGuide 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 the East Midlands, 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.

  • 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
  • New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
  • Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace
  • Break-out of the old surface with waste removal and skip or grab lorry

What the survey covers

  • The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
  • Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
  • Whether front-garden planning rules apply
  • Trees and roots near the drive
  • Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house

Planning and kerb rules in Ripley

Ripley 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

  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.

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.

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.

Replace an old drive in Ripley: questions

How much does a replacement block drive cost in Ripley?

Our guide for Ripley 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.

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 long does a replacement 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.

Do you cover Heanor, Belper and Alfreton?

Yes. We cover Ripley and the places around it, including Heanor, Belper and Alfreton, and the rest of Derbyshire.

Replace an old drive near Ripley

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

Other block paving services in Ripley

Or see all block paving services in Ripley.

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Tell us what you have in mind for Ripley, and we will put a written price together.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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