Replacing tarmac or concrete with block paving in Aldridge: the local picture
Homes in Aldridge include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Clay ground is widespread in the West Midlands, so the sub-base depth and drainage are checked on every survey.
How much does a replacement block drive cost in Aldridge?
For Aldridge, our guide is £95–£180 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² replacement drive is likely to be £4,300–£8,100. 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) | £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 West Midlands, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a replacement block drive involve?
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.
- New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
- Levels set below the damp-proof course with falls away from the house
- Drainage added where the old drive sent water to the house or road
- 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
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
Rules for front drives in Aldridge
Aldridge 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.
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.
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.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
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.
Replace an old drive in Aldridge: questions
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 Walsall, Bloxwich and Sutton Coldfield?
Yes. We cover Aldridge and the places around it, including Walsall, Bloxwich and Sutton Coldfield, and the rest of the West Midlands.
Do I need planning permission for a replacement block drive in Aldridge?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
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 Aldridge
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across West Midlands:
- Replace an old drive in Walsall
- Replace an old drive in Bloxwich
- Replace an old drive in Sutton Coldfield
- Replace an old drive in Wednesbury
- Replace an old drive in Willenhall
- Replace an old drive in West Bromwich
