What to know before a replacement block drive in Aston
Homes in Aston 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 Aston?
For Aston, 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 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.
- Break-out of the old surface with waste removal and skip or grab lorry
- New edging, sub-base where needed, and the block drive
- Assessment of the old base: keep, top up or replace
- 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
What the survey covers
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- 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
Planning and kerb rules in Aston
Aston 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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Replace an old drive in Aston: questions
Do you cover Birmingham, Washwood Heath and Smethwick?
Yes. We cover Aston and the places around it, including Birmingham, Washwood Heath and Smethwick, and the rest of the West Midlands.
Do I need planning permission for a replacement block drive in Aston?
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Aston?
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.
Replace an old drive near Aston
Nearby towns we cover for replace an old drive, and replace an old drive across West Midlands:
- Replace an old drive in Birmingham
- Replace an old drive in Washwood Heath
- Replace an old drive in Smethwick
- Replace an old drive in Acocks Green
- Replace an old drive in West Bromwich
- Replace an old drive in Sutton Coldfield
