How this dropped kerb calculator works
The calculator uses the same pricing rules as our full quotation, so there are no surprises later. It asks for the type of work, the width of the crossing, and how far it is from the road kerb to your property boundary.
Worked example
A typical new dropped kerb in Ipswich has a crossing about 2.5 metres wide, with a pavement around a metre deep between the road and the boundary. For that standard case our guide price is £1,500–£2,000, plus the council's application fee. If the pavement or verge is deeper than 2 metres, the calculator asks for a site visit instead of guessing — because that much extra construction genuinely needs to be seen.
Extending an existing dropped kerb
For extensions, the calculator works from three widths: the existing width, the extra width you need, and the finished width they add up to. You can enter whichever two you know and it shows all three, so you can see the numbers are consistent before you go any further. Council permission is needed for extensions too — see dropped kerb extensions.
What the guide price assumes
The £1,500–£2,000 range is our own guide-pricing assumption for a typical domestic crossing. It isn't a council rule or a fixed quote. In practice the price of a dropped kerb depends on:
- The distance from the road kerb to your boundary — our guide price assumes under 2 metres; further than that, we price after a site visit.
- The crossing width — how many kerbstones need lowering and how much pavement or verge needs strengthening.
- What's in the way — lamp columns, trees, drains, covers and utility boxes may need working around or separate approval.
- Grass verges, slopes and levels — verges and level changes add work.
- The council's fee — charged separately by Suffolk County Council, shown below.
Council charges are separate
Every dropped kerb — new or extended — needs written permission from Suffolk County Council before any work starts. The council charges a non-refundable £450 application fee, with optional pre-application advice at £225. You pay the council directly; it isn't part of our guide price or your construction quotation. We explain the full process in our council permission guide, including when planning permission is needed first.
Frequently asked questions
Is the guide price the final price?
No. It's a guide to help you budget, based on the measurements and options you enter. Your final quotation is confirmed after a free site visit, once we've measured up properly and checked for anything that affects the work. All figures are subject to site conditions and council approval.
Do I need to give my contact details to see a price?
No. The calculator shows your guide price instantly, with no name, phone number or email. If you'd like to carry on, the "continue" button takes you to our free quotation with your answers already filled in — that's the first time anything is shared with us.
Why does the kerb-to-boundary distance matter so much?
The pavement and any verge between the road and your boundary all have to be strengthened, so the deeper it is, the more construction is involved. Under about 2 metres, the job fits our standard guide range. Beyond that, there's too much variation to price honestly without seeing it — so the calculator asks for a site visit rather than giving you a number we couldn't stand behind.
How accurate is the calculator?
It uses exactly the same rules as the guide-price step in our full quotation, so the same answers always produce the same figure. What it can't see is your actual frontage — verges, obstructions and levels are only confirmed on the site visit.
Do you cover my area?
We arrange dropped kerbs across Ipswich, Kesgrave, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Stowmarket and Hadleigh, and the surrounding villages — see the areas we cover. To see examples of finished projects, have a look at the project gallery.