Front garden to tarmac driveway in Nailsea

How much should I budget in Nailsea?

Local guide rates for Nailsea (the South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint):

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£62–£98 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,350–£2,150
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,050–£3,250
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,800–£4,400

As a 2026 guide in Nailsea, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,800–£4,400. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

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
Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
Sub-base and two tarmac courses, or porous asphalt
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel

Do I need permission in Nailsea?

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).

Covering Nailsea

Survey cover and pricing for Nailsea. Smaller towns such as Nailsea are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in Somerset.

Postcodes: BS48, BS49
Area: Somerset
Nearest towns: Portishead (3 miles), Clevedon (4 miles), Bristol (7 miles), Weston-super-Mare (11 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Portishead, Clevedon, Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Keynsham.

How it is built

Nailsea: common questions

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

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).

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

As a 2026 guide in Nailsea, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,800–£4,400. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Is the survey in Nailsea 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.

How long does a front garden driveway conversion take in Nailsea?

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

Also in Nailsea

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