Tyne and Wear · Sunken paving

Sunken and rutted block paving in Washington

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

  • Postcodes NE38, NE37
  • £270–£1,100 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 Washington: the local picture

Washington is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.

Wind-driven rain on the North East coast makes falls and a well-filled joint more important.

How much does a sunken area repair cost in Washington?

Guide price in Washington£270–£1,100Including VAT at 20%

Guide price in Washington: £270–£1,100 including VAT. These are North East guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.

ItemGuide price inc VAT
Sunken or rutted patch repaired£270–£1,100
Small repair (a few blocks or a short trench)£180–£590
Lift and re-lay on a sound base£30–£70 per m²
Lift and re-lay with sub-base rebuilt£55–£100 per m²

Guide figures for the North East, 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.

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

What we look at first in Washington

  • Falls, so water does not collect again
  • Trees, roots and past trenches
  • Condition and thickness of your existing blocks
  • Whether the edging has moved or was never set in concrete
  • Replacement blocks or hidden blocks to swap in

What happens next

  1. Quick details

    Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.

  2. On-site check

    Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.

  3. Itemised quote

    Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.

  4. Laid and finished

    Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.

What you can expect from us

Clean finish

The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.

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.

Honest timescales

We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.

Repair before replace

If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.

Sunken paving in Washington: questions

How much does a sunken area repair cost in Washington?

Our guide is £270–£1,100 including VAT. Small repairs are often priced from photos.

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.

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 Washington 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 Washington

Nearby towns we cover for sunken paving, and sunken paving across Tyne and Wear:

Other block paving services in Washington

Or see all block paving services in Washington.

Next step

Get a guide price in two minutes

Ready to talk about your sunken area repair? Send your postcode and a few details, and we will arrange the next step.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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