A good wall finishes the job. It marks your boundary, frames the house and gives a patio a clean edge. We build front walls, garden walls, brickwork and pillars for homes in Harpenden and across Hertfordshire, including Wheathampstead, Redbourn and St Albans.
Read on for the types of wall we build, how we match them to your home, the planning rules and what goes into the cost. The survey is free, the quote comes in writing, and we never ask for a deposit.
Call 01582 932001, or call or WhatsApp 07747 430338, email hello@5stardrivewaysandpatios.co.uk, or get your free quote.
Walls we build
Front walls
A front wall shows where your property starts. It can make a new driveway look complete. We build low front walls, walls with pillars at the entrance, and walls that step down a slope.
Garden walls
At the back, a low wall can edge a patio, frame a lawn or hold a raised bed. It gives the garden shape, and it can give you extra seating around a patio.
Brickwork
Neat brickwork means the right bricks, straight lines and tidy pointing. Our walls are built to match your home, so the new work sits well with the house.
Pillars
Pillars mark a driveway entrance, frame a gate or break up a long wall. A cap on top gives them a smart finish.
Retaining walls
Where the ground changes level, a retaining wall holds back the soil. It can turn a slope into flat space you can use. Our retaining walls page has more.
Matching your home
To look right, a new wall needs to match the house in three ways:
1. The bricks. Their colour, size and texture.
2. The bond. The pattern the bricks are laid in.
3. The pointing. The colour and finish of the mortar between them.
On the survey, we'll look at your house with you and explain how we'll match it.
Walls with a new drive or patio
A wall can be built as part of a new driveway or patio. Then the levels, edges and colours can all be planned together.
1. With a driveway. A front wall, with pillars at the entrance.
2. With a patio. A low wall, planter or step along the edge.
3. On a slope. A retaining wall to make level ground, with steps where you need them.
What a wall stands on
Every wall needs a firm foundation underneath, suited to the wall and the ground. The rest is careful work:
1. Building up straight and level, one course at a time.
2. Pointing the joints neatly.
3. Finishing the top with caps or coping.
Planning permission for walls
The Planning Portal says you don't usually need planning permission for a wall up to 1 metre high next to a road used by vehicles, or its pavement, or up to 2 metres high anywhere else. You will need it if your home is listed, or the wall is next to a listed building. In a conservation area, you may need permission to take down a wall. You can read the Planning Portal guidance on garden walls. Listed homes and conservation areas may have extra rules, so check with your local council.
If the wall is on a shared boundary, it's a good idea to talk to your neighbour first.
What affects the cost?
We don't publish prices, because every wall is different. A wall quote depends on:
1. How long and how high the wall is.
2. The bricks, and how closely they need to match the house.
3. How many pillars, and what goes on top.
4. The foundation the ground needs.
5. Whether an old wall has to come down and be taken away.
6. How easy it is to get materials in.
You'll have a written quote after the free survey, with no obligation to book.
How a wall is built
1. Visit. We measure up, look at your house and help you pick bricks and finishes.
2. Quote. You get the price in writing. We never ask for a deposit.
3. Clearing. Any old wall comes down and the line is cleared.
4. Foundation. The base for the wall goes in.
5. Building. The wall and pillars go up, straight and level.
6. Finishing. We point the joints and fit the caps or coping.
7. Handover. We clear away and explain how to look after it.
Most jobs are completed within a working week, Monday to Friday.
Looking after your wall
1. Don't let ivy or other plants grow into the joints.
2. Don't let soil or leaves pile up against the wall.
3. Brush off any white marks with a dry brush. New brickwork can show white marks at first, and they usually fade.
Walls we've built
See more walls in our photo gallery.
Garden wall questions
Can you match my brickwork?
Our walls and pillars are built to match your home. On the survey, we'll look at the bricks, the bond and the pointing with you.
Do I need planning permission for a front wall?
Not usually, if it's no more than 1 metre high next to a road. Listed homes and conservation areas may have extra rules, so check with your local council.
Can a wall be built with my new driveway?
Yes. Doing them together lets the levels, edges and colours be planned as one.
Why do some garden walls crack or lean?
It's often down to what's under the wall, or water and roots getting into it.
Why does new brickwork go white?
Salts in new bricks and mortar can come to the surface as the wall dries out. It usually fades over time.
How long does a garden wall take?
Most jobs are completed within a working week, Monday to Friday.
What does the 10-year guarantee cover?
Our 10-year guarantee covers the driveways, patios and walls we build. There's no deposit. See our guarantee and insurance page.
Areas we cover
We build garden walls in Harpenden and 23 nearby towns. See our areas page.
Get your free quote
Tell us a little about the job and we'll arrange a free site survey and a clear written quote. We never ask for a deposit, and there's no obligation.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 01582 932001, or call or WhatsApp 07747 430338. You're welcome to send photos of your driveway or garden on WhatsApp first.