Can I Put Bollards Outside My House?

This blog post aims to help readers in answering the question of whether or not they can put bollards outside their houses. In addition to explaining the details regarding the rules for installing bollards, we will also discuss the basic guidelines for having them placed outside your house, as well as a generic estimation of the costs involved in such a project.

Can I Put Bollards Outside My House?

Yes, you can put bollards outside your house. As long as the bollards that you install are placed on private property, you will not need to seek the approval of your local council authorities or Planning Permission before starting work. However, it is advisable to check the ground conditions and local regulations before commencing work on the site.

Despite this, you will still need to complete a notice of exemption and send it to the Planning Inspectorate before starting work on your premises. It is also advisable to inform the local council office beforehand. Once the work starts on installing bollards outside your home, you should display a copy of the notice of exemption throughout the task.

However, you will need to make sure that the following measures are accounted for when you put up bollards outside your house to stop vehicles from accessing common land:

• There can only be one row of obstacles on a single land registry unit.
• The entire structure should be within 200 metres in length.
• If you are extending a row of bollards the combined length of the original row and the extension should remain within 200 metres.
• Bollards can only be put up in case vehicles accessing the land are expected to damage the land.
• To carry out the task you must either be the land owner or have written consent from the owner of the land.

Bollards are usually required by homeowners who live in a high-traffic area and are concerned about maintaining safety measures to prevent the property from being affected by accidents or intruders. On the other hand, bollards work well in residential areas too, especially when one is trying to maintain safety against the reckless driving of others. To keep them visible in the dark as well, you can put reflective stickers on the bollards you put up in front of your house.

Some of the benefits of bollards include the following:

• When you have security bollards installed outside your house, they provide an added layer of security for vehicles that are parked on your driveway. 
• Since they serve as a physical barrier, bollards create added protection from potential damage by other vehicles, especially in the case of reckless drivers. 
• If your house is located close to a pedestrian walkway, bollards will provide a clear indication to motorists that they must avoid the pedestrian areas. 
• It provides homeowners with greater control over who can access their driveway or car parking space. 

Homeowners are encouraged to install bollards on their property and not on the pavement outside their houses. If you are not sure about the placement of the bollards you intend to put up, you should discuss the matter with your local council authority and seek their advice before starting work.

How Much Will It Cost To Put Bollards Outside My House?

The amount that you will need to spend to put bollards outside your house depends on the following factors:

• the type of bollards that you choose
• the material of the bollards that you choose
• the number of bollards that you need to place

The average labour cost for a standard-size bollard is around £60. In the case of multiple bollards, a cost-effective solution is to pay for the entire installation rather than for each bollard.

General costs involved in the installation of bollards are estimated as follows:

• The labour cost for a single bollard installation is £60 
• The basic ground bollard costs £128 
• A basic below-ground bollard costs £97 
• A basic removable bollard costs £118 
• Basic folding parking bollards cost £130 
• A basic flexible bollard costs £132 
• Fixed flat top steel bollard (incl VAT) costs £99 
• The telescopic security bollard (incl VAT) costs £250 
• Hinged integral lock parking post (incl VAT) costs £110
• Concrete bollard (incl VAT) costs £74

The amount of time it takes to have bollards installed outside your house will depend on your choice of the type of bollards. For instance, concrete bollards take the longest time to be placed as the concrete mix is processed on the spot and it usually takes at least 48 hours to cure. 

On the other hand, automatic bollards that have electrical systems take a long time to be installed due to the complex nature of their design. For accurate details on the expected costs and time to be taken on such a project, you should speak to your bollard installation experts. You may also choose to refer to WLS Ltd for an estimate.

Can My Neighbours Park Outside My House?

Since the area outside your house is an on-street area, your neighbour can park in front of it, especially if your driveway does not have a dropped kerb. However, if their vehicle is found to be obstructing your driveway, they can be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice whether or not there is a dropped kerb in the driveway.

In case a driveway does have a dropped kerb, drivers will violate parking rules and can be charged a fine of £90 for parking in front of it.

Vehicle owners should keep in mind that if they obstruct someone’s driveway by parking your car in front of it, they may do the same with you by blocking your vehicle as well. Since there is a potential for a dispute in such matters, it is best to avoid parking in front of a driveway.

It must be noted that in case a resident needs to drive their vehicle over a footway into their driveway on a highway, they will need to build a dropped kerb. If they fail to do so, they will have to park their vehicle on the street as driving over a footway is considered breaking the law.

Conclusion:

The above discussion has made it quite clear that homeowners can put bollards outside their houses as long as the installation remains within the limits of their property and is not placed on public property such as pavements.

References:

We Install – Parking Bollard, Security Gates And Much More | WLS.

Carrying out works on common land – GOV.UK

How Much Does Bollard Installation Cost in 2022? | Checkatrade