Front garden to tarmac driveway in Folkestone

How much should I budget in Folkestone?

These Folkestone guide prices reflect rates in the South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£66–£105 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,450–£2,300
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,200–£3,450
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,950–£4,700

As a 2026 guide in Folkestone, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,450–£2,300. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

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.

Check the space: length, width and gate posts for a car
Highway authority dropped kerb application guided or handled for you
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Covering Folkestone

What applies in Folkestone. We reach Folkestone on our Kent survey days; Maidstone is 31 miles away.

Postcodes: CT20, CT19, CT18, CT21
Area: Kent
Nearest towns: Dover (7 miles), Ashford (Kent) (13 miles), Deal (14 miles), Canterbury (14 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Dover, Ashford (Kent), Deal, Canterbury, Faversham.

The build-up we price

Planning and kerb rules for Folkestone

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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Folkestone: common questions

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

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 Folkestone?

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 long will the work take at my Folkestone property?

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

What is the price of a front garden driveway conversion in Folkestone?

As a 2026 guide in Folkestone, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,450–£2,300. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Also in Folkestone

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