Front garden to tarmac driveway in Dorking

What does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Dorking?

Local guide rates for Dorking (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 Dorking, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,200–£3,450. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

The build-up we price

Covering Dorking

The key facts for Dorking. Smaller towns such as Dorking are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in Surrey.

Postcodes: RH4, RH3, RH5
Area: Surrey
Nearest towns: Leatherhead (4 miles), Reigate (6 miles), Redhill (7 miles), Epsom (7 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Dorking: Leatherhead, Reigate, Redhill, Epsom, Cobham.

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
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

Planning and kerb rules for Dorking

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

Dorking: common questions

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

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).

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

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.

Do you cover all of Dorking?

We cover Dorking including RH4, RH3, RH5, and nearby Leatherhead, Reigate, Redhill.

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

As a 2026 guide in Dorking, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,200–£3,450. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Also in Dorking

Send us a postcode, a rough size and a photo or two, and we'll come back with survey dates for Dorking.