Do dropped kerbs increase house price?

thegentleway

Hi, how much does a dropped curb kerb increasing house prices by? I've just been quoted a couple of grand by council to drop the curb kerb in front of property to access two parking spaces and wondering if it's worth it. I'm told you're not supposed to drive over curbs kerbs but I've noticed that lots of people do it (plenty of cars parked in front of houses with no dropped curb kerb).

Thanks,

MaryNB

I would guess that people would pay a lot more than 2 grand for a house with a parking space. In addition to not having to fight for on street parking, as EV uptake increases it going to far easier to charge a car if you have a driveway.

In understand some councils may bring enforcement proceedings against people who drove over a footpath to park when there is no dropped kerb in place. I guess it depends on how much effort they put into enforcement and how likely neighbours are to report it.

davidmcn

Kerb, kerb, kerb. Unless it's American.

The problem is more that the lack of a dropped kerb indicates you haven't had permission from the council to park on your front garden (and therefore no right to stop others parking on the road in front). So the lack of it will put off some buyers.

I expect the difference in price depends on how short of parking space the area is.

NaughtiusMaximus

Financially it's worthwhile getting it done.

You're correct that many people do drive over raised kerbs but:

• It's illegal to block someone's drive by parking in front of dropped kerb but perfectly legal to do the same where there is a regular raised kerb
• It's not unheard of for councils to do this (don't forget to practice your 'entitled and angry' pose for the photo shoot    ): 
• 
  

ProDave

I would not consider a house without off road parking, so yet it will increase demand which must increase value or at least make it easier to sell.

Re obstructions, I remember a case where I lived once someone built a garage without planning permission.  the council did not make him take it down but they put bollards on the pavement to stop him ever getting a car into it.

eddddy

I guess it depends on things like is how easy it is to park elsewhere, and how much better or worse the property looks with the garden used for parking etc.

I once owned a house in a Victorian terrace where all the houses had nice uniform front lawns and fences, and on-street parking wasn't too difficult.

Then one or two houses paved over their front gardens for parking, and spoilt the terrace effect. I suspect they devalued their houses, and possibly other houses in the terrace as well.

Further down the road, almost everyone had paved over their gardens in different styles and using different materials, with cars parked in haphazard ways in each garden - and it looked a mess. Again, I'm pretty sure the houses were devalued as a result.


But obviously the situation may be different, or example, in a city/town centre where parking is very difficult.

MaryNB

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Financially it's worthwhile getting it done.

You're correct that many people do drive over raised kerbs but:

• It's illegal to block someone's drive by parking in front of dropped kerb but perfectly legal to do the same where there is a regular raised kerb
• It's not unheard of for councils to do this (don't forget to practice your 'entitled and angry' pose for the photo shoot    ): 
• 
  

Is there a standard pose for "I didn't get a dropped kerb so the council installed bollards to block my driveway"?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/63393713/#Comment_63393713

NaughtiusMaximus

eddddy said:

I guess it depends on things like is how easy it is to park elsewhere, and how much better or worse the property looks with the garden used for parking etc.

I once owned a house in a Victorian terrace where all the houses had nice uniform front lawns and fences, and on-street parking wasn't too difficult.

Then one or two houses paved over their front gardens for parking, and spoilt the terrace effect. I suspect they devalued their houses, and possibly other houses in the terrace as well.

Further down the road, almost everyone had paved over their gardens in different styles and using different materials, with cars parked in haphazard ways in each garden - and it looked a mess. Again, I'm pretty sure the houses were devalued as a result.


But obviously the situation may be different, or example, in a city/town centre where parking is very difficult.

I seriously doubt the houses in question were devalued. A drive is more desirable than a pretty front garden to the majority of homebuyers IMO.

Marvel1

No dropped kerb, then I and others can in front of the driveway.

SpiderLegs

Oh man I would really love to get a job as council’s enforcement officer for these morons.

Just imagine the joy of seeing those bollards being cemented into place and the look of desperate anguish on the homeowner as they spend hours trying to manoeuvre their Qashqai through a gap that whichever way they go, is just too small to fit through.

SaintJudy

Councils can and do, the flat I rented in a converted house didn't have a dropped kerb and the tenant in the ground floor flat used to drive over the pavement to park on the front, a neighbour over the road complained and the council put bollards into the pavement. Made me feel slightly better about the couple of hundred quid a year I was paying for my parking permit