A full dig-out
A driveway has to carry a car, so the whole front garden was dug out to depth with a mini digger. Shrubs, roots, soil and old material were loaded straight into a grab lorry and taken away.
Case study · Kingston upon Thames KT1/KT2 · July 2026
Permeable block paving driveway in Kingston
Phil's overgrown front garden in Kingston upon Thames is now a permeable block paving driveway. We dug the whole area out with a mini digger, removed the soil and waste, built a permeable base, laid Marshalls Priora permeable blocks in three colours inside concrete edging, and added timber sleepers along the border. Four days, £5,500 including VAT.
- Location
- Kingston, KT1/KT2
- Client
- Phil
- Price
- £5,500 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 4 days
- Blocks
- Marshalls Priora, 3 colours
- Finished
- July 2026
Where we started
The brief
Phil's front garden in Kingston upon Thames was overgrown with shrubs and weeds and gave no space to park. Phil wanted it turned into a proper driveway that would look good from the street and handle a car every day.
Because it is a front garden, the new surface needed to let rainwater through rather than send it onto the pavement. Permeable block paving on a permeable base does exactly that, which is why it is our usual recommendation for block paving in Kingston and other front-garden driveways.
Before & after
The same driveway, four days apart
The tricky parts
What we planned for
Step by step
How we built it
Digging out with a mini digger
The mini digger cleared the shrubs and dug the whole area out to depth, and the soil and waste were loaded into a grab lorry and removed.
Mini digger digging out the Kingston front garden 
Soil and roots dug out ready for removal 
Soil loaded straight into a grab lorry Permeable base and edging
A permeable sub-base was laid, levelled and compacted, and concrete edging was set all around the driveway.
Permeable sub-base levelled across the new driveway 
Compacted base and edging ready for the blocks Laying the blocks
The Marshalls Priora permeable blocks were laid in a three-colour herringbone with a darker border, cut to fit at the edges.
Laying permeable block paving in herringbone 
Driveway half laid, with sleepers ready for the border Sleepers and finishing
Wooden sleepers were installed along the border, the joints were filled and the driveway was cleaned and handed over.
Timber sleeper border along the finished driveway
The finished work
The finished driveway
Budget
What it cost
This driveway cost £5,500 including VAT, covering the full dig-out with a mini digger, soil and waste removal, the permeable base, Marshalls Priora permeable blocks ordered direct, concrete edging, timber sleepers and labour, over four days. A larger area, a dropped kerb or extra drainage would add to the price. See our driveways in Kingston page for more options.
Get a free quote- Price
- £5,500 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 4 days
- Blocks
- Marshalls Priora, 3 colours
Questions
About permeable block paving driveways
Thinking about something similar? These are the questions we hear most.
How much does a block paving driveway cost in Kingston?
Phil's permeable block paving driveway in Kingston upon Thames cost £5,500 including VAT, covering a full dig-out, soil removal, a permeable base, Marshalls Priora blocks, concrete edging and sleepers. Size, access and whether a dropped kerb is needed make the biggest difference.
Do I need planning permission for a block paving driveway?
Not if the new front surface is permeable, or drains into a lawn or border within your property. That is why we use a permeable base and permeable blocks. If you drive over the pavement, you also need a dropped kerb approved by the council.
What makes block paving permeable?
The blocks have wider joints filled with fine stone instead of sand, and they sit on a permeable base. Rainwater soaks down through the joints and base into the ground rather than running off.
What is Marshalls Priora?
Priora is Marshalls' permeable block paving range. The blocks have small spacer nibs that create wider joints, which are filled with fine grit so rainwater can drain through into the permeable base below. We ordered the blocks for this driveway direct from Marshalls.
Why use herringbone for a driveway?
Herringbone interlocks the blocks in both directions, so it resists the turning and braking forces of a car better than straight-line patterns. It also looks good with mixed colours.
Do you lay driveways elsewhere near Kingston?
Yes, including New Malden, Tolworth, Surbiton and Norbiton. See all our landscaping in Kingston.
Free survey
Want a driveway like Phil's?
Tell us about your garden and we will arrange a visit and a written quote.
020 3633 5529 info@finelandscape.co.ukFine Landscape Ltd
31 Tylecroft Road, Norbury, London SW16 4BL
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