Front garden to tarmac driveway in Bathgate

What does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Bathgate?

Local guide rates for Bathgate (Scotland, 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 Bathgate, 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 Bathgate

In Scotland, permitted development allows a hard surface between a house and a road only if it is porous or the water drains to a porous area within the property. Unlike England there is no 5 m² allowance, so it applies to any size. Conservation areas and the grounds of listed buildings have extra restrictions. The council, as roads authority, controls any new or widened access across a footway.

Where we work in and around Bathgate

Bathgate at a glance. We cover Bathgate by grouping surveys with nearby Edinburgh and the Lothians jobs; Edinburgh is 18 miles away.

Postcodes: EH48
Area: Edinburgh and the Lothians
Nearest towns: Armadale (3 miles), Whitburn (3 miles), Livingston (5 miles), Linlithgow (5 miles)
Pricing: Scotland, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The council

Close to Bathgate: Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, Linlithgow, Broxburn.

What is included in 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.

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
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Questions about front garden driveway conversions in Bathgate

Do you work in my part of Bathgate?

We cover Bathgate including EH48, and nearby Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston.

Do I need permission for a front garden driveway conversion in Bathgate?

In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and a road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a porous area within the property, whatever its size. Dropped kerbs are approved by the council as roads authority.

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

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 quickly can work start in Bathgate?

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

More we do in Bathgate

Questions about front garden driveway conversions in Bathgate? Call, WhatsApp or use the form, and we'll talk it through.