Front garden to tarmac driveway in Derby

Front garden driveway conversion prices in Derby

Local guide rates for Derby (the East Midlands, about 2% below our UK midpoint):

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£59–£93 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,300–£2,050
Example: 30 m² drive	£1,950–£3,050
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,650–£4,200

As a 2026 guide in Derby, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £59–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,300–£2,050. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Planning and kerb rules for Derby

In England, householder permitted development (Class F of the 2015 General Permitted Development Order) lets you lay a hard surface in front of a house without planning permission if it is porous, or if the rainwater is directed to a permeable area within the property. If the area is more than 5 m² and neither applies, you need permission. Standard dense tarmac is not porous, so a dense tarmac drive needs a lawn, border, channel to a soakaway or other permeable route for its water. If the job needs a dropped kerb, the highway authority (the county or unitary council) approves it before any work on the footway.

Layer by layer

What we do on a front garden driveway conversion

A front garden conversion turns lawn or planting into a parking space: the ground is excavated, a stone sub-base laid, tarmac surfaced on top, and a lowered kerb arranged so a car can cross the pavement legally.

Highway authority dropped kerb application guided or handled for you
Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
Sub-base and two tarmac courses, or porous asphalt
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Covering Derby

Derby at a glance. We cover Derby as part of our regular Derbyshire rounds.

Postcodes: DE1, DE22, DE23, DE21, DE24, DE3, DE73
Area: Derbyshire
Nearest towns: Belper (7 miles), Ilkeston (8 miles), Heanor (8 miles), Ripley (8 miles)
Pricing: East Midlands, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

The same service is available in Belper, Ilkeston, Heanor, Ripley, Long Eaton.

Your questions answered

How much does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Derby?

As a 2026 guide in Derby, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £59–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,300–£2,050. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Will someone visit before I get a fixed price in Derby?

Yes for new surfacing such as drives, paths, private roads and car parks. Small repairs are often priced from photos; if a visit is needed for a repair-only job, we tell you any charge first.

How long does a front garden driveway conversion take in Derby?

Usually 2–4 working days, after the kerb approval. We book Derby surveys alongside other jobs in Derbyshire, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Do you work in my part of Derby?

We cover Derby including DE1, DE22, DE23, DE21, DE24, DE3, and nearby Belper, Ilkeston, Heanor.

Also in Derby

Tell us what you have in mind for Derby and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.