What to know before a replacement block drive in Giffnock
Around Giffnock, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within the property whatever its size, so drainage is part of every design.
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 Giffnock?
Expect replacement block drives in Giffnock 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 Scotland, 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.
- New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
- 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
- Levels set below the damp-proof course with falls away from the house
- Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace
What we check on a Giffnock survey
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
Rules for front drives in Giffnock
Giffnock 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.
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.
What you can expect from us
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.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Replace an old drive in Giffnock: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in Giffnock?
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 I need planning permission for a replacement block drive in Giffnock?
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within your boundary at any size, and permitted development does not apply in conservation areas. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Do you cover Clarkston, Newton Mearns and Barrhead?
Yes. We cover Giffnock and the places around it, including Clarkston, Newton Mearns and Barrhead, and the rest of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.
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 Giffnock
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across Renfrewshire and Inverclyde:
- Replace an old drive in Clarkston
- Replace an old drive in Newton Mearns
- Replace an old drive in Barrhead
- Replace an old drive in Paisley
- Replace an old drive in Renfrew
- Replace an old drive in Johnstone
