Planning a replacement block drive in Market Harborough
In and around Market Harborough, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Block drives laid twenty or thirty years ago are often ready for re-laying rather than replacing, because sound blocks outlast a weak base.
How much does a replacement block drive cost in Market Harborough?
Expect replacement block drives in Market Harborough 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.
| 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 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.
- 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
- Break-out of the old surface with waste removal and skip or grab lorry
- Levels set below the damp-proof course with falls away from the house
What we check on a Market Harborough survey
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
Rules for front drives in Market Harborough
Market Harborough 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
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Replace an old drive in Market Harborough: 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.
Is the survey in Market Harborough 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 Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough?
Yes. We cover Market Harborough and the places around it, including Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough, and the rest of Northamptonshire.
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.
Replace an old drive near Market Harborough
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across Northamptonshire:
- Replace an old drive in Corby
- Replace an old drive in Kettering
- Replace an old drive in Wellingborough
- Replace an old drive in Northampton
- Replace an old drive in Daventry
- Replace an old drive in Rushden
