Front garden to tarmac driveway in South Croydon

How much should I budget in South Croydon?

Guide prices below are for South Croydon, adjusted for London, where surfacing rates run 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 South Croydon, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £72–£114 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £3,250–£5,150. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Where we work in and around South Croydon

The key facts for South Croydon. We cover South Croydon as part of our regular Greater London rounds.

Postcodes: CR0, CR2
Area: Greater London
Nearest towns: Croydon (1 mile), Purley (2 miles), Carshalton (3 miles), Coulsdon (4 miles)
Pricing: London, about 20% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Croydon, Purley, Carshalton, Coulsdon, Mitcham.

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
Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel

Do I need permission in South Croydon?

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. Any new or widened crossing over the pavement needs approval from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Your questions answered

How long will the work take at my South Croydon property?

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

Do you cover all of South Croydon?

We cover South Croydon including CR0, CR2, and nearby Croydon, Purley, Carshalton.

What approvals apply in South Croydon?

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).

Can I get a free survey in South Croydon?

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.

Also in South Croydon

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