Front garden to tarmac driveway in Rochester

What does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Rochester?

Guide prices below are for Rochester, adjusted for the South East, where surfacing rates run 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 Rochester, 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.

Do I need permission in Rochester?

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

What we do on 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.

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
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Where we work in and around Rochester

The key facts for Rochester. We cover Rochester by grouping surveys with nearby Kent jobs; Maidstone is 8 miles away.

Postcodes: ME1
Area: Kent
Nearest towns: Chatham (1 mile), Strood (1 mile), Gillingham (2 miles), Gravesend (7 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

The same service is available in Chatham, Strood, Gillingham, Gravesend, Maidstone.

How it is built

Rochester: common questions

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

As a 2026 guide in Rochester, 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.

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

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 Rochester property?

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

Do you work in my part of Rochester?

We cover Rochester including ME1, and nearby Chatham, Strood, Gillingham.

Other work in Rochester

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