Front garden to tarmac driveway in Poole

What does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Poole?

For Poole, we apply the South West rate, about 3% above our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£62–£98 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,350–£2,150
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,050–£3,250
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,800–£4,400

As a 2026 guide in Poole, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,800–£4,400. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Layer by layer

What the price covers

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.

Check the space: length, width and gate posts for a car
Highway authority dropped kerb application guided or handled for you
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 Poole

What applies in Poole. Poole is one of the bigger places we cover in Dorset, so survey slots come round regularly.

Postcodes: BH15, BH14, BH17, BH16
Area: Dorset
Nearest towns: Bournemouth (5 miles), Wimborne Minster (5 miles), Ferndown (7 miles), Christchurch (9 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Bournemouth, Wimborne Minster, Ferndown, Christchurch, Dorchester.

Planning and kerb rules for Poole

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.

Questions about front garden driveway conversions in Poole

How long will the work take at my Poole property?

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

Can I get a free survey in Poole?

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.

Do you cover all of Poole?

We cover Poole including BH15, BH14, BH17, BH16, and nearby Bournemouth, Wimborne Minster, Ferndown.

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

As a 2026 guide in Poole, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,800–£4,400. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Also in Poole

Ready for a price in Poole? Use the guide price tool or send the form, and we'll arrange a visit.