Experiences Applying for Dropped Kerbs?

pinkteapot

I'll give the council a ring on Monday about this, but I just wondered if anyone had recently applied for and got a dropped kerb. How much did it cost for the application and work to be done?

Our house is detached. Originally it had a drive and front garden across the front. The kerb was dropped at the mouth of the drive. At some point before we bought, someone took out the front garden and the drive is now the full width of the front of the house. Great, as you can fit three cars on it and street parking is limited. We now have two cars (previously only one) so one always has to 'bump up' the kerb to get onto the drive. Previously only visitors had to do this. So I'd like to drop it all the way across.

It's a low kerb so it's not the end of the world if we can't drop it as we always bump up gently.

A couple of things make me wonder if they'll say no:

1) The part of the kerb that is currently raised is directly opposite a neighbour's dropped kerb. Do they let you have dropped kerbs right opposite each other, or has the street been designed so that driveway entrances are offset?

2) Next to the part of our drive that was originally garden is our next door neighbour's drive (right next to it, only separated by a short thin fence). Dropping our kerb right across the house would probably then run into their dropped kerb, so the stretch of dropped kerb would span their double-width drive and then our triple-width drive. Are the council likely to think this is too long?

I know this thread is a classic "Just call and ask" one. As I said, just wondered if anyone had recent experience of costs/restrictions...

Counting_Pennies_2

I would suggest taking photos and sending a letter in with them enclosed.

In terms of cost I think my friend paid £1000. The personal liability of the firm who do the work need a very high compensation amount, running to several million, so the council like you to use their contractor, which is often more money.

I would suggest if you do get approval, to then ask what the liability insurance needs to be set at and then look for a builder who has that amount as they will normally be cheaper.

hth

Innys

Nowhere in your post have you put any measurements so expecting us to provide a cost estimate for you is a little ambitious, to say the least.

I have recently applied for a VCO (Vehicle Cross Over) and the local Highways Agency charged me £180 odd for the privelidge including a full site survey. They granted it (which is by no means guaranteed) and I now have to use one of their "approved" contractors. Yes, we all know what that means - get ripped off at the Council's behest.

So far, I've had two quotes to do the work - a VCO 10ft wide at its maximum. The cheapest was £1,100 plus VAT.

I suggest you go to your local Highways Agency website to see what restrictions they have which may affect you. Alternatively, for a smaller fee, my agency would do a "mini-survey" to assess whether or not what I was proposing met their guidelines. I didn't bother as the work was included in approved planning permission for an extension. Maybe your agency will also offer the mini-survey option.

Cash-Cow_3

1. This won't be an issue.

2. Unlikely to be an issue unless the council have a specific policy on it, which I very much doubt. The council will prefer you to have a properly set out crossover rather than bumping up the kerbs which damages them.

I can't see a problem with you getting what you want.

In terms of cost, it's pointless trying to estimate them on here. They vary considerably depending on width, type of kerbs used, and highway drainage. As a rule of thumb though using your own contractor will usually be cheaper than using the council's ones though.

pinkteapot

Thanks all - we didn't think it would be as much as £1k so that as a very rough ball-park is good to know before we proceed. The width is probably about 10ft approx but I appreciate that the cost will always vary and you don't have sufficient info.

I read on the directgov website that you have to use the council or a contractor from the council's approved list.

I'll give our council a call on Monday and find out the process locally.

Innys

pinkteapot wrote: »

I read on the directgov website that you have to use the council or a contractor from the council's approved list.

This was my understanding.

I did not think the Highways Agency would grant an application and then allow you to use your own, cheaper, contractor. Their argument against this would be they had not vetted the unapproved contractor in terms of quality of their work.

ukjoel

quality my a*** - we had ours done and used the council approved guys and they were back 4 times to put it right.

They seemed to think that because it wasnt work being done by the local authority they wouldnt check it themselves. Dont think they realised that I paid £500 myself so expected it done properly.

Also remember they are only paid to lower curb to road. Not tie it in with your driveway.

pinkteapot

ukjoel wrote: »

Also remember they are only paid to lower curb to road. Not tie it in with your driveway.

Not quite sure what this bit means... There's our driveway, then there's a pavement across the front, then a kerb (dropped across part of the drive already).

Do you mean in cases where there is no pavement in between, and they don't tidy up the join between the kerb and the driveway materials?

riverboat2001

Hiya, we are in a similar position. (needing to make dropped kerb wider)

It seems they don't grant these that readily, and you new access would have to comply with sighting distances, angle of sight, and all sorts of shennanigans.

I spoke to lady at council to get a quick overview.

Fill out forms (including measurements) pay non-refundable £87, they come out and survey, then say yes or no and the descision is valid for two years.

Average costs last year for a dropped kerb in our borough £1100

pinkteapot

Thanks - I spoke to my council this morning and they are sending out an information pack.

Hoping the non-refundable survey fee at ours is similar to yours (and not more expensive). I don't mind dropping up to £100 but if it's more than that and there's a good chance they'll say no I'll think again about bothering with it all. What we don't know is whether the previous owner who got rid of the front garden and widened the drive ever applied, or whether they didn't bother due to the cost. It was someone a couple of owners prior to the people we bought from so that information is long gone.

The average cost you quoted ties in with the amounts mentioned above so that seems pretty good as a ball-park.

Errata

2) Next to the part of our drive that was originally garden is our next door neighbour's drive (right next to it, only separated by a short thin fence). Dropping our kerb right across the house would probably then run into their dropped kerb, so the stretch of dropped kerb would span their double-width drive and then our triple-width drive. Are the council likely to think this is too long?

They may do. Kerbs are there to stop gutter rainwater running all over the walkway. That's not a problem with a dropped kerb wide enough for one vehicle to pass over the walkway, but you're talking about something five vehicles wide - a very different kettle of fish.