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.
If you have a new driveway on your list for a property in Cricklewood, we can help from the first measurements to the final clean-up. For a typical home, plan for 3–7 days on site, though larger or more complex jobs take longer. We cover postcodes NW2, NW3, NW4 and NW6 and nearby Kilburn, Golders Green and Willesden, and every quote we send is fixed for the scope described in it.
- Guide price
- £5,200–£11,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- NW2, NW3, NW4, NW6 and NW10
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Greater London
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new driveway in Cricklewood?
In Cricklewood, guide figures for a new driveway sit at £5,200–£11,500, VAT included. We set them using rates for London, currently about 30% above the national guide. The table shows what pushes a project towards either end of the range; your own price is set after a free survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Cricklewood |
|---|---|---|
| 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
- Access for machinery and removal of spoil
What’s included?
- Survey of levels, drainage, manholes and access
- Excavation and removal of the old surface and soil
- 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
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.
Terraces suit side-return extensions and rear dormer loft conversions; interwar semis commonly take hip-to-gable lofts. Shared party walls, restricted parking and conservation rules often shape the plans and the programme.
That variety is why a guide price for a new driveway in Cricklewood is only a starting point; the survey shows what your particular property needs.
Planning and building rules in Cricklewood
For anyone in Cricklewood, the relevant framework is England's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.
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?
A visit to your home
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Quote in writing
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Dates and permissions
With the quote agreed, we book the work in and handle preparation: permissions where needed, building control notifications, material orders and access arrangements for your Cricklewood property.
Finish and handover
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.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
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.
How long will a new driveway take?
On a typical home, allow 3–7 days on site. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
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.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway?
Whether a driveway needs planning permission depends on its size, surface and drainage, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. In England, a new or replacement front driveway over 5m² needs permission unless it uses a permeable surface or drains to a lawn or border. We check the rules and design to suit.
Also covering areas around Cricklewood
Homes across NW2, NW3, NW4 and NW6 in Cricklewood are within our coverage, as are those in Kilburn, Golders Green and Willesden. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.