Sunken and rutted block paving in Bournemouth: what to expect
Bournemouth has everything from short terrace frontages to wide drives on newer estates, so the survey sets the layout and the dig.
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 Bournemouth?
Guide price in Bournemouth: £300–£1,200 including VAT. These are South West guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.
| 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
- Sub-base dug out and rebuilt where it has failed
- New laying course screeded to the correct level and falls
What we look at first in Bournemouth
- Replacement blocks or hidden blocks to swap in
- Whether a drain or gully is leaking under the paving
- Falls, so water does not collect again
- Trees, roots and past trenches
- Whether the edging has moved or was never set in concrete
How it works
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.
How we work
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
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.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Sunken paving in Bournemouth: questions
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.
How much does a sunken area repair cost in Bournemouth?
Our guide is £300–£1,200 including VAT. Small repairs are often priced from photos.
Do you cover Christchurch, Poole and Ferndown?
Yes. We cover Bournemouth and the places around it, including Christchurch, Poole and Ferndown, and the rest of Dorset.
Can you repair block paving in Bournemouth 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.
Sunken paving near Bournemouth
Nearby towns we cover for sunken paving, and sunken paving across Dorset:
- Sunken paving in Christchurch
- Sunken paving in Poole
- Sunken paving in Ferndown
- Sunken paving in Dorchester
