Planning a sunken area repair in Christchurch
Homes in Christchurch 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 Christchurch?
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 you get with our sunken paving service
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.
- New laying course screeded to the correct level and falls
- Sub-base dug out and rebuilt where it has failed
- Same blocks relaid, re-jointed and compacted
- Blocks lifted, cleaned and stacked for re-use
- Investigation of the cause (drain, sub-base, laying course, edging)
How we find the cause
- Falls, so water does not collect again
- Replacement blocks or hidden blocks to swap in
- Condition and thickness of your existing blocks
- Trees, roots and past trenches
- Whether the edging has moved or was never set in concrete
How it works
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
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.
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.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Sunken paving in Christchurch: 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.
Do you cover Bournemouth, Ferndown and Poole?
Yes. We cover Christchurch and the places around it, including Bournemouth, Ferndown and Poole, and the rest of Dorset.
Can you repair block paving in Christchurch 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.
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.
Sunken paving near Christchurch
Nearby towns we cover for sunken paving, and sunken paving across Dorset:
- Sunken paving in Bournemouth
- Sunken paving in Ferndown
- Sunken paving in Poole
- Sunken paving in New Milton
