What to know before a replacement block drive in Sandown
Around Sandown, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
Work in the Isle of Wight is by arrangement: we confirm availability and any travel charge before a visit, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
How much does a replacement block drive cost in Sandown?
For Sandown, our guide is £105–£195 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² replacement drive is likely to be £4,600–£8,750. 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) | £105–£195 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£45 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,100–£3,250 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a replacement block drive involve?
Replacing an old drive with block paving means breaking out the existing tarmac, concrete or gravel, checking what is underneath, and then building a block drive on a sound base. Many older tarmac and concrete drives have cracked, sunk or broken up, which is why this is such a common way into block paving.
- 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
- Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace
- Drainage added where the old drive sent water to the house or road
- New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
What the survey covers
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
Do you need permission in Sandown?
Sandown 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
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
How we work
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
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.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Replace an old drive in Sandown: questions
Is the survey in Sandown free?
In the Isle of Wight we cover jobs by arrangement. We will confirm before any visit whether a charge applies, and many jobs can be priced from photos first.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Sandown?
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.
Do you cover Ryde, Newport, Isle of Wight and Cowes?
Yes. We cover Sandown and the places around it, including Ryde, Newport, Isle of Wight and Cowes, and the rest of the Isle of Wight.
Replace an old drive near Sandown
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across Isle of Wight:
- Replace an old drive in Ryde
- Replace an old drive in Newport, Isle of Wight
- Replace an old drive in Cowes
