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.
Thinking about a new driveway in Catford? We take charge of the whole project, co-ordinating every trade involved, and one person keeps you updated. Guide prices for London sit at £5,200–£11,500 including VAT, and a typical job takes 3–7 days on site. Your own figure depends on what the survey finds and the specification you settle on.
- Guide price
- £5,200–£11,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- SE4, SE6, SE12, SE13 and SE23
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Greater London
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Driveways prices in Catford
Here is how the guide price for a new driveway breaks down in Catford. We start from national figures and adjust for London, which comes out about 30% above the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £5,200–£11,500, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Catford |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel or tarmac | A typical 40–50m² drive in gravel on a grid, or tarmac with block edging. | £2,600–£6,500 |
| Block paving or resin bound | A typical 40–50m² drive with sub-base, edging and drainage. | £5,200–£11,500 |
| Large or premium driveway | Larger drives, natural stone, walls, steps or a new dropped kerb. | £10,500–£21,000 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Driveway area and the depth of excavation needed
- Surface: gravel, tarmac, block paving, resin or stone
- Drainage, soakaways and changes in level
- Edging, steps, walls and manhole adjustments
What’s included?
- Survey of levels, drainage, manholes and access
- 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
- New surface laid, compacted and finished
- Site cleared and waste removed
What are homes like around Catford?
London's housing is dominated by Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often in yellow London stock brick, with Georgian terraces in central districts and mansion blocks across many inner areas. Outer boroughs have large belts of interwar semis, and there are extensive post-war council estates. Many houses have been split into flats, and conservation areas are widespread.
London Clay shrinks and swells with the seasons, and street trees close to houses can contribute to movement, which affects foundation design.
So when we survey a Catford property for a new driveway, the first step is working out how it was built and what has been changed since.
Permissions for a new driveway in Catford
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Catford is in England. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
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.
The four stages
Survey and measure
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a new driveway, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Your fixed price
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Plan and prepare
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.
The work itself
Our trades complete a new driveway while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
What you can expect from us
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover Blackheath, Greenwich and Beckenham?
Yes. As well as Catford, we cover Blackheath, Greenwich and Beckenham and the rest of London. 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.
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.
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.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from a new driveway, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
How much does a new driveway cost?
A typical 40–50m² block paved or resin bound driveway costs £5,200–£11,500, 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.
Also covering areas around Catford
Whether you're in the centre of Catford or on its outskirts, SE4, SE6, SE12 and SE13 addresses are covered. We extend the same service, and the same fixed-price approach, to Blackheath, Greenwich and Beckenham.