How Much to Drop a Kerb?
Many people will choose to drop a kerb to help with domestic vehicle access to their property. The price for this type of work will vary, and the ability to drop a kerb will depend on your location and the policy of your local council.
The pavement outside your home usually belongs to the council. With this in mind, you will have to apply to the council if you want to get a kerb dropped.
When applying to have a kerb dropped, you will have to pay a non-refundable application fee to your local council. This fee is usually around £70-£100, depending on your location.
In most cases, you will need to hire one of your local council's approved contractors to carry out this type of work, and that usually comes at a fixed fee. However, some councils will allow you to choose a contractor of your own.
Every local council will charge a different amount for dropping a kerb. However, the average cost of this type of job is usually around £800-£1,200.
There are several factors that may affect the overall kerb dropping prices, including your location, the size of the pavement, and the number of kerbs that need to be dropped for the job.
Dropped Kerb Prices
On average, most kerb dropping jobs require around 3-7 kerbstones to be dropped. The cost of this will vary depending on several factors.
However, the average costs for dropping a kerb of various sizes can be found in the table below:
| Number of Kerbs | Pavement Size Under 2M | Pavement Size 2-2.5M | Pavement Size 2.5-3M | Pavement Size 3-3.5M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kerbs | £300-£350 | £380-£430 | £420-£470 | £510-£560 |
| 3 kerbs | £420-£470 | £510-£560 | £580-£620 | £650-£700 |
| 4 kerbs | £580-£630 | £670-£720 | £790-£840 | £900-£950 |
| 5 kerbs | £700-£750 | £790-£840 | £950-£1,000 | £1,080-£1,130 |
| 6 kerbs | £880-£930 | £1,000-£1,050 | £1,140-£1,190 | £1,280-£1,330 |
| 7 kerbs | £980-£1030 | £1,120-£1,170 | £1,280-£1,330 | £1,470-£1,520 |
What are the Supply Costs for Dropping a Kerb?
When it comes to dropping a kerb, there are no supplies needed for this type of work since it just basically involves a removal. Your contractor will bring the tools needed for the removal with them, and they will also take care of removing the waste for you.
What are the Additional Costs of Dropping a Kerb?
There are several additional costs that you may need to budget for with this type of work. Below is a list of the additional jobs that may come up when dropping a kerb, including installing the new driveway.
New Driveway Installation
Most of the time, the reason for wanting a dropped kerb is so that the homeowner can install an accessible driveway in front of their home for parking their vehicles on their private property. If this sounds like you, then you’ll likely have to have a new driveway installed when your kerb has been dropped.
The cost for a new driveway will vary quite considerably depending on the size of the driveway, the materials used, and your location within the UK. For a tarmac driveway, you can expect to pay around £1,350-£7,300.
For a concrete driveway, it would be around £2,700-£11,800. For block paving, it would be around £1,200-£12,200. For gravel, you can expect to pay around £1,050-£7,100, and for a resin driveway, you can expect to pay around £1,230-£7,800.
Wall Demolition
Similarly, if you are planning on installing an accessible driveway, you may need to begin by removing a wall from the front of your property. The price for this type of work will depend on the size of the wall that needs to be removed and the materials that the wall is made up of.
The average cost of demolishing a garden wall is around £900-£1,200. Most of the time, this type of work can be completed within a day, and the contractor will usually take care of removing all of the waste for you as part of the quote.
New Driveway Gate
If you are dropping your kerb to install a driveway in front of your home, you may also be interested in installing a new driveway gate to further improve the look of your home and increase security.
The cost of installing a driveway gate can vary depending on the size and type of the gate and your location in the UK. The average cost of installing a driveway gate is around £150-£4,000.
The prices vary quite a lot as there are so many different types of driveway gates, from a simple wooden gate to a smart electric sliding gate.
Skip Hire
In most cases, the tradesman will include the cost of removing all of the waste from the job within the overall quote. However, some contractors may not include waste removal as part of their work.
In that case, you may need to hire a skip to remove all of the waste accumulated from the kerb dropping job. The average cost to hire a skip for this type of work is around £60-£300, depending on the size of the skip that you need and the length of time that you require the skip.
Tradesmen Costs for Kerb Dropping
When it comes to dropping a kerb, there are several costs that you need to be aware of in terms of labour. Before the job can begin, your local council will need to come and do an inspection of the area.
This inspection usually costs around £180-£220. Once the area has been inspected, and the council have approved the job, the work can then begin.
Your local council may choose to appoint an approved contractor to carry out the work for you. In other cases, the council may allow you to choose your own contractor for the job. However, you will usually need to get your chosen contractor approved by the council before the work can start.
On average, a contractor will usually charge around £200-£300 per day for this type of work. However, this price will depend upon the complexity of the job and your location in the UK. Some kerbs may take longer to drop, and so this will end up in higher labour costs.
Those based in the London area can also expect to pay around 10-20% more for the cost of labour than those based in the North or other parts of the UK, as labour costs here are generally higher across the board.
How Long Does It Take to Drop a Kerb?
If you’re planning on dropping a kerb outside of your property, then you’re probably also wondering about how long this type of work may take to complete.
Before the work can begin, you will need to apply to your local council for approval for the dropped kerb. Once you've sent your application to your local council, you will then have to wait for around 8-16 weeks before you get your approval back.
This is something to keep in mind if you are planning on installing a driveway at your property, as you will have to wait for the dropped kerb approval before any work can take place.
The time it takes to drop a kerb can vary depending on a number of factors, including the complexity of the job, the length and width of the kerb that needs to be dropped, and the number of people that are working on the job.
On average, you can expect it to take around three days to a week to complete a typical kerb dropping job. Most of the time, there will be either one or two contractors working on a dropped kerb at any one time.
Types of Kerb Dropping
There is only one type of kerb dropping job, and this involves removing a section of kerb to allow vehicles to access a driveway. There are several steps involved with this type of work.
The contractor that completes the work for you will be qualified to complete the entire job. Below, we will go over the steps that are involved with a typical kerb dropping job.
Assessment
The first step in any kerb dropping job is the initial assessment. This involves assessing the area and checking for any pipes or cables in the ground that may affect the contractor’s ability to complete the job.
If there are pipes or cables present, these may need to be protected before the job can begin. This is to avoid any damage that may occur during the process of dropping the kerb or any damage that may come up once the job is complete and vehicles start travelling over it.
Excavation
The next step involves excavating the area. The contractors will have to measure the area needed to dig into the pavement so that they can complete the job without damaging any of the existing foundations. This step will prepare the ground ready for the dropped kerb installation.
Lowering the Kerbstones
In the final step of the job, the kerbstones will be lowered to create a ramp-style entry to the driveway. This drop is then strengthened to ensure the new kerbstones are strong enough to support the weight of the vehicles that need to move over or park on the newly dropped kerbstones.
Once the newly dropped kerbstones have been installed, the surrounding area can then be re-tarmacked to finish off the job.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Dropped Kerb?
If you need to remove a dropped kerb, this will involve reinstating the full-sized kerbstones and ensuring that the new kerb is lifted to the original height in line with the kerbstones that surround it.
Your local council may reinstall a kerb if the dropped kerb has any complications or cracks in it or if it has been installed illegally.
If you would like to have a dropped kerb removed at your property and replaced with a full kerb, you will need to begin by contacting your local council, who will usually provide you with an approved contractor to complete the job.
You can typically expect to pay a contractor around £200-£300 per day for this type of work. However, this price may differ depending on your location and the complexity of the job. Some kerbs may take longer to remove and reinstate, so this will incur higher costs.
As the local council must approve the contractor for this work, it is not recommended that you attempt to remove and replace a kerb yourself, and it shouldn't be attempted as a DIY project.
FAQs
Q: What are the rules when removing a dropped kerb?
A: If you want to drive over the pavement to get onto the driveway on your property, you can only do this if you have a dropped kerb. This is a rule that is a law, and if you break this law, you may face enforcement action.
You may also be financially liable to pay compensation to any pedestrians that are hit or for any damage to the existing kerb or pavement that is caused.
You will also be financially liable to pay for any damage to electricity, water, or gas utilities that may be underneath the pavement, and this can be very expensive.
Whether you want to install or remove a dropped kerb, you will need to make an application to your local council for this work to be completed.
Q: Can I drop a kerb myself?
A: Most local councils will advise against completing the work as a DIY project. If your council does allow you to complete the work yourself, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must adhere to the highway guidelines set out in chapter eight
- You must obtain a Road Opening Notice
- You need to have access to a utility drawing of the area
- You must be fully NRSWA accredited
- You must have public liability insurance that covers a minimum of £10 million
- You need to have access to the highway authority’s vehicle crossing installation standards
- You must have planning consent for the work
Q: What would happen if I dropped a kerb without permission from the council?
A: If you drop a kerb without the council's approval, this may be removed at any time without warning. You may also have to pay some additional fees to have the kerb reinstated, or you may be charged a fee for any damage that is caused to the footpath or utilities as a result of the work.
Some councils may also issue a fine to anyone who has dropped a kerb illegally.
Q: How to apply for a dropped kerb?
A: You must apply for a dropped kerb through your local council. Visit your local council’s website or give them a phone call to find out more about how to apply.
You must pay an application fee and obtain approval before you can drop a kerb.
Q: What type of vehicles can be driven over a new dropped kerb?
A: Dropped kerbs are designed to support the weight of private light goods vehicles.
Heavy goods vehicles should not be driven over a dropped kerb as this can damage the area and may result in some fines or additional costs for repairs.
Q: Can I be refused an application for a dropped kerb for a driveway?
A: Yes, it is possible for you to be refused a dropped kerb for several reasons. If your property is near a road junction or on a bend, you may be refused a dropped kerb.
Similarly, if there is a street lamp or tree in the area, or if there is a steep slope between the property and the road, your application may be refused.
Q: Do I need to get planning permission for a dropped kerb?
A: If you plan on dropping a kerb at your property to accommodate a new driveway, you will need to apply for dropped kerb planning permission.
This will require an application fee, and you will need to wait for around 8-16 weeks before you receive the approval for the work. If you drop kerbing without planning permission, you may incur some large fines or additional costs.
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