Cornwall · Sunken paving

Sunken and rutted block paving in Falmouth

When a block drive in Falmouth or nearby Truro starts to dip or rattle, the blocks are rarely the problem; the bed and base usually are.

  • Postcodes TR11, TR10
  • £300–£1,200 inc VAT
  • Free survey for new paving
Older block paved driveway with a sunken dip and a puddle in the wheel track

Sunken and rutted block paving in Falmouth: what to expect

Homes in Falmouth include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.

Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.

How much does a sunken area repair cost in Falmouth?

Guide price in Falmouth£300–£1,200Including VAT at 20%

Most sunken area repair quotes in the South West fall within £300–£1,200 including VAT, with any extras listed separately on your quote.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Sunken or rutted patch repaired£300–£1,200
Small repair (a few blocks or a short trench)£200–£650
Lift and re-lay on a sound base£35–£80 per m²
Lift and re-lay with sub-base rebuilt£60–£110 per m²

Guide figures for the South West, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.

What does a sunken area repair involve?

Common causes are a sub-base that was too thin or not compacted, a laying course that was too thick, water washing sand out through a broken drain, or a trench that was never properly filled. Re-levelling means lifting the blocks in and around the dip, finding and fixing the cause, rebuilding and compacting the layers, and relaying the same blocks so they match.

  • Investigation of the cause (drain, sub-base, laying course, edging)
  • Same blocks relaid, re-jointed and compacted
  • New laying course screeded to the correct level and falls
  • Blocks lifted, cleaned and stacked for re-use
  • Sub-base dug out and rebuilt where it has failed

Before we price your sunken area repair

  • Replacement blocks or hidden blocks to swap in
  • Condition and thickness of your existing blocks
  • What caused the dip or movement: base, laying course, edging or drains
  • Falls, so water does not collect again
  • How much of the area needs lifting to blend the repair

How it works

  1. Send the basics

    Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.

  2. Survey

    We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.

  3. Written quote

    An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.

  4. The work

    Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.

What you can expect from us

Honest timescales

We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.

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.

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.

Sunken paving in Falmouth: questions

Do you cover Truro, Redruth and Camborne?

Yes. We cover Falmouth and the places around it, including Truro, Redruth and Camborne, and the rest of Cornwall.

Why does block paving sink?

Most dips come from a thin or poorly compacted sub-base, too much sand under the blocks, failed edging, or water washing material out from a broken drain.

Can you send someone just to look?

For larger or unclear problems we visit; for small repairs, clear photos with a tape measure in shot are often enough to price it.

How much does a sunken area repair cost in Falmouth?

Our guide is £300–£1,200 including VAT. Small repairs are often priced from photos.

Sunken paving near Falmouth

Nearby towns we cover for sunken paving, and sunken paving across Cornwall:

Other block paving services in Falmouth

Or see all block paving services in Falmouth.

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Want a number before a visit? Try the guide price tool, then book a survey to fix it.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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