How much does a sunken area repair cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
In Scotland, 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 Scotland, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Choose a town for local prices and details for sunken paving:
- Livingston
- Musselburgh
- Bathgate
- Bonnyrigg
- Penicuik
- Broxburn
- Linlithgow
- Armadale
- Dalkeith
- Tranent
- Whitburn
- Dunbar
- Prestonpans
- Haddington
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.
In Scotland, front paving must be porous or drain within the property whatever its size, so drainage is part of every design.
- Same blocks relaid, re-jointed and compacted
- Investigation of the cause (drain, sub-base, laying course, edging)
- 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
How we find the cause
- Replacement blocks or hidden blocks to swap in
- Condition and thickness of your existing blocks
- Falls, so water does not collect again
- Whether the edging has moved or was never set in concrete
- Trees, roots and past trenches
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.
Sunken paving in Edinburgh and the Lothians: questions
Do you cover Livingston, Musselburgh and Bathgate?
Yes. We cover all of Edinburgh and the Lothians, including Livingston, Musselburgh and Bathgate.
How much does a sunken area repair cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
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.
Can you repair block paving in Edinburgh and the Lothians 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.
