Rough estimate for turning front garden into driveway.

[foreverhome]

I know we have to request permission from the council first to drop the kerb but before we do that I wanted a rough estimate at how much it would cost to turn our front garden (It currently has a wall around it with a path going to the front door steps, a few shrubs/grass) into a driveway (with space for 2 cars.)

We are happy to do some of the work ourselves to keep costs down.

We were quoted £4,500, but didn't want to spend that kind of money yet. (Surrey) Friends of ours had theirs cobbled for £3,500 (narrower frontage as no side extension). (Also Surrey)

Last year we paid almost £500 to get Council permission/application fees for the drop kerb

£2000 to a Council approved contractor for the kerb itself - he was the cheapest - quotes ranged from £2000 - £4,500 - so really worth shopping around.

Front garden dug out, hard cored and replaced with gravel about £3,500 including some drainage work

Block paving quotes were up to £5000 for same area - about 35 square metres

The drop kerb (depending on whether it's concrete or tarmac - the Council will tell you what is permitted) will take about 1 - 3 days depending on contractor and about a week before you can use it.

The garden - drive process took 3 days with a team of 3/4.

Sometimes you get people who do both - we did them separate as the dropped kerb contractor came from a Council list and the drive chap didn't.

Watching with interest...

Wow that's a lot more than I expected actually! I will request more info from the council as I believe the cost varies dependant on your area (We are in the North.)

Ours took 8 months from start to completion as follows:

Aug '15 £80 for application to Council (Surrey)
Sep '15 They turned down our request
Sep/Oct '15 we appealed, they sent 'experts' out to look at road (plenty of other front gardens turned into driveways)
Oct '15 council agreed we could drop kerb. They told us cost was c. £1800-2000 to drop the actual kerb (they contract out the work). But.... we had to install hard standing first and then they had to come and inspect it to check it met their 'standards'.
Oct/Nov '15 we got quotes from various providers (ranged from £2,300 - £4,500)
Jan '16 Preferred provider started work (took 3 days - space only just big enough for 2 cars, small retaining wall of 1m)
Jan '16 we let Council know work had been done. they came and inspected said hard-standing.
Feb '16 They agreed hard-standing was OK, we paid Council for kerb to be dropped. They confirmed it would be done within 6-8 weeks.
Apr '16 Two days short of 8 weeks, they put cones in the road and a letter through our door announcing they were starting the next day!! It took 2 days to do.

Best decision EVER!!!

Have to agree - worth every penny.

Ours (only just big enough for 2 cars side by side if you're skinny) was around £4000 as far as I remember, 2 years ago in the Midlands and included dropped kerb, gravel driveway and new steps at front door. Totally worth it, though. Took about 3 days I think, all in, but they were booked so far inadvance the whole process including multiple quotes, kerb application, approval and booking them to do it took more like a year!

We got a quote and to redo our existing driveway for one car and have a new one alongside (bricks) it was £3800. We didn't need a dropped curb though as we are on a private drive and our front garden isn't raised off it.