Driveways for Esher gardens
KT10 is a mix of period houses and later twentieth century detached stock, with noticeably larger plots on the roads off the High Street and around Esher Green. Those bigger gardens are where the full transformations happen: levels to resolve, a terrace big enough to be a room, and enough depth for real planting.
Esher is a short run from our yard in Thames Ditton and it is the town we work in most after our own. Deliveries get staged rather than dumped, which matters on roads where a lorry cannot sit for long.
The build
How we build it, Esher or anywhere else
Front gardens are the fiddly ones: a live road, a pavement crossing, and neighbours who need to get their own cars out while we work. We stage deliveries so the road stays passable and sweep down at the end of each day.
The build-up does not change: membrane, deep compacted sub-base, concrete haunched edges, permeable jointing so rainwater stays on your ground.
- Survey of levels, the pavement crossing and where surface water currently goes
- Break-out and removal of the existing drive
- Membrane and a compacted sub-base built for vehicle loads
- Concrete haunched edge restraints on every open edge
- Permeable jointing, or a channel drain and soakaway where needed
- Manholes brought to finished level
- Road and pavement swept daily, full clear-up at the end
The full detail on materials, build-up and what a quote covers is on our driveways page.
A Esher project
New turf lawn, Esher


A tired lawn stripped out and replaced with fresh turf on a properly prepared base, running from the house down to the pergola seating area.
- Timescale
- Under a week
- Approximate value
- Available on request
On the ground
Working in Esher
How we get materials in
The larger plots around Esher Green often have side or rear access that lets a machine work on site, which speeds up the groundworks stage. The older village properties nearer the High Street need a barrow route or, occasionally, a crane over the back where there is no side access.
Permits and deliveries
Elmbridge Borough Council skip permits are sorted before work starts, especially on the busier stretches near the High Street where parking pressure decides the best approach.
Reviews
What our clients say
“HD Landscapers rebuilt my front wall and alleyway exactly as planned. The new wall looks really nice, and the Victorian tiling and porcelain paving were finished to a very high standard. They were well priced, hard-working, and kept me informed throughout. Very happy with the result and would definitely recommend.”
Jack · 9 months ago
Google · 5/5
“The professionalism, skill and wanting to do the very best for their customer, shines from the first moment you meet the team to discuss your thinking.”
Checkatrade Reviewer · 3 months ago
Checkatrade · 10/10
FAQs
Driveways questions we get asked
How long does a driveway take?
A typical two car driveway is about five to ten working days: two days to break out and dig, a day or two for the sub-base and edges, then laying, cutting in and jointing. New drainage or a rebuilt front wall adds a few days.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway?
If the surface is permeable, or the water is directed to a border or soakaway inside your own boundary, a front driveway normally falls under permitted development. A non-permeable surface over five square metres draining to the road does need an application. We build permeable by default so it does not become an issue. Dropped kerbs are a separate application to the highway authority.
Block paving or something else?
We only lay block. It takes vehicle loads, individual blocks can be lifted and relaid if a service needs digging up, and it is the surface with the best long term record on our local clay. We do not offer resin driveways.
What happens to the old driveway?
It is broken out and carted away as part of the job, whether that is concrete, tarmac or a failed block drive. We check what is underneath before we quote, because an old concrete raft can change the excavation cost.
How much does a driveway cost?
Most driveways we build land between £4,000 and £12,000. Price is driven by area, the block you choose, what has to come out and whether the drainage needs rebuilding. Every price is fixed in writing after a site visit.
Do you guarantee the work?
Yes. Workmanship is guaranteed and the blocks carry their manufacturer's warranty. Settlement at edges is the usual complaint with block drives and it comes from skipped edge restraints, so ours are concrete haunched on every open edge.
Free site visit
Get a fixed price for your Esher garden
Tell us the postcode and roughly what you are after. We will come out, measure up and give you a proper fixed price for Esher, not a ballpark over the phone.


