What to know before a replacement block drive in Llantwit Major
In and around Llantwit Major, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Hilly streets in much of Wales mean many drives slope, which shapes the falls, the edging and the water route.
How much does a replacement block drive cost in Llantwit Major?
In Wales, a replacement block drive usually costs £90–£165 per m² including VAT. For a 45 m² replacement drive, that is roughly £4,000–£7,550. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Replace tarmac or concrete with block (incl. break-out) | £90–£165 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9.50–£35 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £19–£45 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £330–£930 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £930–£2,800 |
Guide figures for Wales, 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
- Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace
- New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
- 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
Before we price your replacement block drive
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Do you need permission in Llantwit Major?
Llantwit Major is in Wales, so these rules apply:
In Wales, any new or replacement hard surface at the front of a house should be permeable or drain to a permeable area within the property to avoid needing planning permission. Unlike England, there is no 5 m² allowance for new paving; only repairs of up to 5 m² of existing surface are exempt.
Since January 2019, construction work covering 100 m² or more with drainage implications, including drives and patios, needs approval from the local SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed.
A dropped kerb needs your council's approval as highway authority, and a new access onto a classified road needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
What happens next
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.
How we work
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Replace an old drive in Llantwit Major: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in Llantwit Major?
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 Barry, Dinas Powys and Penarth?
Yes. We cover Llantwit Major and the places around it, including Barry, Dinas Powys and Penarth, and the rest of South Glamorgan.
Is the survey in Llantwit Major 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.
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 Llantwit Major
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across South Glamorgan:
- Replace an old drive in Barry
- Replace an old drive in Dinas Powys
- Replace an old drive in Penarth
- Replace an old drive in Cardiff
- Replace an old drive in Rhiwbina
