Sunken and rutted block paving in Bideford: the local picture
Bideford is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.
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 Bideford?
In the South West, a sunken area repair usually costs £300–£1,200 including VAT. 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 |
|---|---|
| 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
- Blocks lifted, cleaned and stacked for re-use
- New laying course screeded to the correct level and falls
- Sub-base dug out and rebuilt where it has failed
How we find the cause
- How much of the area needs lifting to blend the repair
- Falls, so water does not collect again
- Replacement blocks or hidden blocks to swap in
- Trees, roots and past trenches
- Condition and thickness of your existing blocks
From enquiry to finished paving
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
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.
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.
Sunken paving in Bideford: questions
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 Barnstaple, Tiverton and Exeter?
Yes. We cover Bideford and the places around it, including Barnstaple, Tiverton and Exeter, and the rest of Devon.
How much does a sunken area repair cost in Bideford?
Our guide is £300–£1,200 including VAT. Small repairs are often priced from photos.
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.
Sunken paving near Bideford
Nearby towns we cover for sunken paving, and sunken paving across Devon:
