Front garden to tarmac driveway in Colchester

How much should I budget in Colchester?

Guide prices below are for Colchester, adjusted for the East of England, where surfacing rates run about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£63–£100 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,400–£2,200
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,100–£3,300
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,850–£4,500

As a 2026 guide in Colchester, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £63–£100 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,400–£2,200. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Covering Colchester

The key facts for Colchester. We cover Colchester as part of our regular Essex rounds.

Postcodes: CO1, CO2, CO4, CO3, CO7, CO6
Area: Essex
Nearest towns: Clacton-on-Sea (13 miles), Witham (13 miles), Maldon (15 miles), Braintree (15 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Colchester: Clacton-on-Sea, Witham, Maldon, Braintree, Frinton-on-Sea.

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
Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
Sub-base and two tarmac courses, or porous asphalt
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint

How it is built

Rules that apply in Colchester

In England, a new hard surface over 5 m² in front of a house needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within the property. 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 Colchester

Are there planning or highway rules in Colchester?

In England, a new hard surface over 5 m² in front of a house needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within the property. Dropped kerbs are approved by the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

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

As a 2026 guide in Colchester, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £63–£100 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,400–£2,200. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Can I get a free survey in Colchester?

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 work in my part of Colchester?

We cover Colchester including CO1, CO2, CO4, CO3, CO7, CO6, and nearby Clacton-on-Sea, Witham, Maldon.

Also in Colchester

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