Front garden to tarmac driveway in Bow

Front garden driveway conversion prices in Bow

These Bow guide prices reflect rates in London, about 20% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£72–£114 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,600–£2,500
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,400–£3,750
Example: 45 m² drive	£3,250–£5,150

As a 2026 guide in Bow, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £72–£114 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,400–£3,750. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Do I need permission in Bow?

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.

What we do on a front garden driveway conversion

Turning a lawn or front garden into off-road parking: dig, base, tarmac, kerb crossing and planting.

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
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Where we work in and around Bow

What applies in Bow. We cover Bow as part of our regular Greater London rounds.

Postcodes: E3, E14, E9, E1, E1W
Area: Greater London
Nearest towns: Stratford (1 mile), Canning Town (2 miles), Leytonstone (3 miles), Greenwich (3 miles)
Pricing: London, about 20% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Stratford, Canning Town, Leytonstone, Greenwich, Islington.

Layer by layer

Your questions answered

Which Bow postcodes do you cover?

We cover Bow including E3, E14, E9, E1, E1W, and nearby Stratford, Canning Town, Leytonstone.

Are there planning or highway rules in Bow?

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).

Is the survey in Bow free?

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.

Front garden driveway conversion cost in Bow: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Bow, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £72–£114 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,400–£3,750. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

More we do in Bow

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