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Quick Answer: The average price to drop a kerb is £600, but there’s a lot to consider, so keep please continue reading
Are you contemplating dropping a kerb right outside your home and looking for the costs involved? This article will break down all the costs for dropping a kerb, along with the few factors you need to follow and consider.
We’ll go over everything that involves the cost for the job, such as; location, size of the task at hand, labour & time, to council prices and materials.
First steps: Getting started
- Get permission first – Location & Council.
- Size of the job.
- Possible planning permission.
Finding out the costs towards dropping kerbs will involve getting a quote from the council and getting their permission. The kerb is owned by the council so you will need their permission first, before any work is considered and completed.
All prices from the council will vary throughout the UK for different locations. Your local council will provide you with a fixed price when asking for a quote, meaning the cost given is standalone and what you have to pay. This is the very first step to getting a correct insight of how much it will cost you, for a dropped kerb.
The number of kerbs to be lowered will come into play for cost. The width of pavement will also be considered in price. Time spent on the job and labour costs.
If the purpose is to transform your garden into a driveway by dropping the kerb, then there’s a chance it will require planning permission in certain cases. This will increase the cost involved as extra time will be needed for the project.
Inspection will be organised by the council to come and check the area to determine any pipes and running cables that may be underneath the pavement. This process could see a reinforcement by ensuring protection of heavy weight and pressure from cars driving over the pavement.
This is so it can support the weight and setup accordingly. If this is the case, this will see an increase of the overall cost. So, this may need to be considered but having an inspection will guarantee the outcome for you.
Kerb Dropping Price breakdown
The average cost for dropping a kerb is said to be around £600. Generally, completing the job will take around 3 days.
Typically, you would need to drop at least 4 to 5 kerbs. This is the average amount people get done for the job. However, this all depends on the width of your garden and driveway so it could either be less or more.
You can measure up yourself of what you believe and then get a quote, or if you are unsure, you can have somebody come out and inspect for you.
These prices listed below are estimated and priced out as the average cost for dropping a kerb. As mentioned above, location is the pinnacle in determining the cost, along with labour costs and the sizing of the work. Another cost factor would be if you wanted to extend an existing dropped kerb.
You can see the costs for different sizes and materials used, as well as labour and time spent below:
| Number of kerbs | Labour Cost | Material Cost | Time Taken |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Kerbs | £250 | £100 | 2 Days |
| 3 Kerbs | £375 | £150 | 3 Days |
| 4 Kerbs | £500 | £200 | 3-4 Days |
| 5 Kerbs | £625 | £250 | 4 Days |
When you speak with your local council and get a quote given, you’ll later receive a fixed price. Again as mentioned, this will vary depending on the location and the type of road, number of kerbs and sizing, to how long it will generally take to finish the job.
As discussed, the pavement belongs to your local council, but other costs may be required for paying an application fee and a fixed fee in some scenarios for the council’s approved contractors to carry out the work.
It is possible to choose your own contractors to complete the job, but permission needs to be granted first. Also, there can be cases you will receive a list of approved contractors to choose from for your options. All different local councils throughout the UK will have their own policies and may be different from one another, so it’s worth double checking with them.
The purpose and benefits of dropping a kerb
What are the purposes of dropping a kerb and how do we benefit by getting the work done?
The overall purpose is to allow vehicles to carefully cross onto the pavement from the road to a driveway. Once the kerb is dropped, it looks greatly organised along with a driveway and it visually looks whole a lot better.
The benefits would see a smoother experience all-round and would allow you to breeze up and down the kerb, without having to climb up and plummeting off each time you drive.
This can also grant benefits for off-street parking. Visitors coming to your house can use this space to park. Or alternatively, if you can’t fit all of your household’s vehicles onto your driveway, this will easily allow them to stand onto the pavement away from the road.
This may have a positive impact on bringing more value to your property. An increase has notably gone up for dropping kerbs throughout the UK. They hold the ability to bypass parking restrictions down in many residential areas that are limited.
Is it possible to drop the kerb by myself?
In very few cases, it may be possible to achieve doing the work yourself. However, it’s not classed as a DIY project. So chances are, you wouldn’t be able to carry this job out yourself.
Dropping a kerb, in most scenarios, will require your local council carrying out the job using their own workers or allowing you to choose contractors from their selective system. Realistically, that would be the case for this line of work.
Guaranteeing you receive planning permission
Am I certain to get the council’s permission for dropping a kerb? Follow the below list for preparation, things to consider and generally, what to expect for guaranteeing the go ahead for dropping a kerb.
- Minimum of 2.4m wide for parking area.
- Access to your property must be more than 10m away from a road junction; 15m away from busy junctions or on major roads.
- The kerb must be at least 4.8m from the front of your house; or 6m if the parking area is in front of a door or garage.
- Able to park comfortably within your front garden.
- 1.5m away from street lamps and other street furniture.
- Suitable drainage must be provided to take the excess surface water.
Agreement on the kerb being dropped must come from you, as the property owner and not a tenant on a landlords behalf, for example.
Final say
Is it worth getting the job done? In short, yes it is. Dropping a kerb can withhold so many opportunities and benefits. Along with the possibilities of upping your house’s value.
If your house ticks all the boxes needed to get permission and passes all the relevant checks, then consider the job to lower a kerb. The overall cost isn’t too daunting either and will most likely come back to giving you an increase in your homes value.
