Driveway conversion companies?

Please can anyone recommend a good quality drive conversion company. Currently I have a raised front garden that I would like excavated and converted into a car driveway and front door path.

I would suggest that you check with the local council first to see if you can have a dropped kerb and vehicle crossover put in. There’s no point digging out your front garden to create an off street parking space if the local council then don’t let you have the dropped kerb.
It is illegal to drive on the footway, and it’s illegal for anyone to do works on the carriageway or footway without the permission of the highway authority (which if you’re not on the red route would be Lewisham Council). You’ll have to pay for the council to install the dropped kerb and vehicle crossover, but when they do the work, the footway will be strong enough to take the extra weight of vehicles crossing it onto your drive. All of the above is also only relevant if the road is public highway - if it’s a private road then the above doesn’t apply, and you’d have to get permission of the owner of the private road (which could well be yourself).
I’m not saying that you can’t or shouldn’t get this done, but am advising you that there are procedures to take before you get the garden excavated. just in case you didn’t already know. Maybe you do already know all this, in which case my information is redundant to you (but might be useful for someone else).

I would add, depending on how long you’ve been there, ask neighbours. Rather than spending £100 on the initial assessment we found out from our neighbours that past 2 owners had tried and been rejected due to services in the pavement. Nb If the work is authorised the starting cost is £900 through council’s chosen contractor

Hi Jon - many thanks for your note and helpful advice!

I’ve done a bit of research on the Lewisham Council website and submitted my request for a dropped curb (including paying the £100 fee!). Fingers crossed, I don’t anticipate too much in the way of challenges from them as probably around half of my street have already completed similar conversion projects - including several of my immediate neighbours.

Next step then is to pull in a couple of quotes to do the conversion project.

Cheers!

Hi Amanda - many thanks for your response and advice. Much appreciated!

Fortunately, many of my immediate neighbours have already completed this kind of conversion project (part of the reason why I’m looking into it is there’s almost no curbside parking space left!) so hopefully the assessment process should be relatively straightforward.

Next stage then (while I wait for Lewisham to complete their review) is to get a couple of quotes for completing the garden conversion project.

Cheers!

Also if you do go ahead please ensure any company you use follows the planning rules regarding permeable paving. Or consider adding in a planted area. Quite a few driveways down our street have simply got in a dodgy company who have slapped a load of basic tarmac over the top of the whole thing with no drainage. Not only is it unpleasant to look at, it adds a lot of pressure on the drainage system and adds to subsidence problems in the area. Lots of good advice here:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=878

Here is the government document giving guidance on permeability of front driveways:

There is a permeable, SuDS compliant, block paving material available by ‘Marshalls’ (and probably others). Also, resin bound is a SuDS compliant material for front driveways also.
Alternatively, add a “ACO” drainage to the pavement side of your new drive - but they need to be maintained for leaves etc.

Good luck!

My next door but one neighbour does block paving driveways. Google DSP Paving for his website. He’s been there for at least 10-15 years and done loads of driveways in the surrounding roads to us.

I remember last summer when about 15 properties on Priestfield Road all got DSP to do their driveways. They all look reasonably good, though no idea of the cost.

DSP must have made a packet though!

I can recommend Paramount Paving http://www.paramountpaving.co.uk