County Down · Sunken paving

Sunken and rutted block paving in Comber

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

  • Postcodes BT23
  • £285–£1,150 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 Comber: the local picture

Comber is a smaller town, and many of its homes have more frontage to work with than city houses, which leaves room for borders and planting.

Wet winters in Northern Ireland make falls, edge restraints and full joints especially important.

How much does a sunken area repair cost in Comber?

Guide price in Comber£285–£1,150Including VAT at 20%

In Northern Ireland, a sunken area repair usually costs £285–£1,150 including VAT. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Sunken or rutted patch repaired£285–£1,150
Small repair (a few blocks or a short trench)£190–£620
Lift and re-lay on a sound base£35–£75 per m²
Lift and re-lay with sub-base rebuilt£55–£105 per m²

Guide figures for Northern Ireland, 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.

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

What we look at first in Comber

  • Falls, so water does not collect again
  • Trees, roots and past trenches
  • Whether the edging has moved or was never set in concrete
  • Whether a drain or gully is leaking under the paving
  • Condition and thickness of your existing blocks

From enquiry to finished paving

  1. Tell us about the job

    Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.

  2. We take a look

    A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.

  3. Price in writing

    Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.

  4. Booked and built

    Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.

Why choose Block Paving Contractors

The dig and sub-base in writing

Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.

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.

Water planned first

Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.

Sunken paving in Comber: questions

Can you repair block paving in Comber without replacing it?

Usually, yes. We lift the affected blocks, fix the bed or base, and re-lay the same blocks so the repair matches.

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.

Do you cover Newtownards, Dundonald and Carryduff?

Yes. We cover Comber and the places around it, including Newtownards, Dundonald and Carryduff, and the rest of County Down.

Sunken paving near Comber

Nearby towns we cover for sunken paving, and sunken paving across County Down:

Other block paving services in Comber

Or see all block paving services in Comber.

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Get a guide price in a couple of minutes with our quote tool, or book a survey in Comber.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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