A new driveway is a hard-wearing surface for parking, such as block paving, resin bound gravel, tarmac or gravel, laid on an excavated and compacted sub-base with edging and drainage designed to carry vehicle loads and handle rainwater.
Addresses across CT19 and CT20 fall within our coverage for a new driveway, so if your home is in Folkestone we can arrange a survey on a day that works for you. We inspect the existing building, discuss materials and layout, and then price the agreed specification in writing. Expect a guide range of £4,500–£10,000 including VAT before that visit.
- Guide price
- £4,500–£10,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- CT19 and CT20
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Kent
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new driveway cost in Folkestone?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a new driveway in Folkestone. Because rates in the South East are about 12% above the national guide, the overall guide comes to £4,500–£10,000, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Folkestone |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel or tarmac | A typical 40–50m² drive in gravel on a grid, or tarmac with block edging. | £2,200–£5,600 |
| Block paving or resin bound | A typical 40–50m² drive with sub-base, edging and drainage. | £4,500–£10,000 |
| Large or premium driveway | Larger drives, natural stone, walls, steps or a new dropped kerb. | £9,000–£18,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Driveway area and the depth of excavation needed
- Surface: gravel, tarmac, block paving, resin or stone
- Drainage, soakaways and changes in level
- Access for machinery and removal of spoil
What does the job include in Folkestone?
- Excavation and removal of the old surface and soil
- Weed membrane and compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base
- Edging kerbs or restraints to hold the surface in place
- Drainage channels or soakaway where needed
- Manhole covers raised or replaced to new levels
- Site cleared and waste removed
Local housing and a new driveway
Kent's older buildings include oast houses, weatherboarded cottages, Wealden timber-framed houses and Kentish ragstone walls. Medway towns have long rows of Victorian terraces, Margate and Ramsgate have Regency and Victorian seafronts, and Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford have seen large new estates alongside interwar and post-war housing.
One of England's sunnier, drier counties, but Thanet and the coast are windy, and Weald and London Clay soils can shrink in summer.
None of this holds for every street in Folkestone, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a new driveway rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules in Folkestone
The notes below cover England, which is where Folkestone sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
In England, a new or replacement front-garden surface over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your property. A new dropped kerb needs consent from the council’s highways team, and access onto a classified road may need planning permission.
Building Regulations do not usually apply to driveways, but drainage must not discharge onto the road or a neighbour’s land.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
Survey and measure
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about a new driveway.
Quote in writing
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a new driveway.
Booking the work
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a new driveway are in place before the first day on site.
Finish and handover
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
Why homeowners choose us
Driveways in Folkestone: questions
How long does it take to lay a driveway?
Laying a typical driveway takes around three to seven days, depending on size, surface and ground conditions. Excavation and sub-base usually take the first few days, then edging, drainage and the surface. Resin needs dry weather and time to cure, and you will usually need to keep cars off for a short period afterwards. We confirm timings and access arrangements with your quote.
Do I need planning permission in Folkestone?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Folkestone is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
How much does a new driveway cost?
A typical 40–50m² block paved or resin bound driveway costs £4,500–£10,000, including excavation, sub-base, edging and drainage. As a guide, allow roughly £70–£150 per square metre plus fixed costs for machinery and waste. Gravel and tarmac cost less, while natural stone, steps and walls cost more. A new dropped kerb is a separate cost. We confirm a fixed price after measuring.
What is a sub-base and why does it matter?
The sub-base is the layer of crushed, compacted stone beneath the driveway surface that spreads the weight of vehicles into the ground. Most driveway failures, such as sinking, rutting and loose blocks, come from a sub-base that is too thin or poorly compacted. We excavate to the right depth for your soil and compact the sub-base in layers before laying the surface.
Do you cover Dover, Ashford, Kent and Deal?
Yes. As well as Folkestone, we cover Dover, Ashford, Kent and Deal and the rest of Kent. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Also covering areas around Folkestone
We cover every part of Folkestone, including CT19 and CT20, and nearby Dover, Ashford, Kent and Deal. Wherever you are within that patch, the survey is free and the quote comes to you in writing.