Patios, drives and drainage for Torquay's hillside homes
Patios, paving, driveways, drainage, walls and groundworks in Torquay (TQ1, TQ2), from our base in Newton Abbot.
Torquay is built on a set of hills around the harbour, and a lot of its homes sit on slopes: Victorian villas with terraced gardens, rows of houses stepping up steep streets, and later estates spreading inland towards the Newton Abbot side. We come down from Newton Abbot on the A380, so the whole town is within easy reach.
Slopes shape most outdoor jobs here. Gardens often need retaining walls and steps before a level patio is possible, and surface water running downhill has to be caught and taken somewhere. Parts of the town sit on limestone, which can be hard digging, while other areas have mixed soils and fill. Narrow streets and on-street parking also affect how materials are delivered and where a skip can go.
Torbay Council rules
Torquay is in Torbay Council's area, which handles both planning and highways here, so dropped kerbs and skip permits on the road are applied for through Torbay rather than Devon County Council. Parts of the town are conservation areas, so check before changing a front boundary.
Access on steep streets
Many Torquay streets are narrow with tight parking. We plan deliveries, skip positions and spoil removal at the site visit, and on some jobs a small tracked dumper or bags are more practical than a full skip.
What we build in Torquay
- BricklayingRetaining walls in brick or block turn a sloping Torquay garden into usable level terraces.
- PatiosA patio on a hillside plot is usually built with a raised edge or steps, and laid to fall away from the house.
- DrainageWater running off higher gardens and drives is caught with channel drains before it reaches the house.
- DrivewaysWhere there is room off the road, a drive on a slope needs a firm base and a drain across the bottom.
Examples of K D’s work from around South Devon.
Building work in Torquay: questions
Can you build a patio on a steep garden in Torquay?
Yes. On a sloping plot we usually build a retaining wall or raised edge first, then lay the patio level with a fall away from the house, adding steps where needed.
Who do I ask about a dropped kerb in Torquay?
Torbay Council. It is the highway authority for Torquay, so a dropped kerb application goes to Torbay rather than Devon County Council.
Do I need a skip permit on a Torquay street?
If a skip has to go on the road or pavement, yes, a permit from Torbay Council is needed. Where a skip will not fit, we can remove spoil by other means.
Also near Torquay
A quote in Torquay
Send a couple of photos and a rough idea of what you want. We’ll come out, look at the ground and the levels, and give you a written quote.