Access & parking control

Telescopic bollard installation

Key-locked telescopic bollards that retract into a ground cassette, for driveways, private bays and access roads.

Typically £345–£1,195 per bollard + VAT (£405–£1,445 inc VAT for homes); minimum job £645
Free survey and fixed written quote
Foundations and reinstatement included

Telescopic security bollard part-lowered into its ground cassette on a block-paved driveway in front of a house garage

Computer-generated image

What is it?

What are telescopic bollards?

A telescopic bollard is a manually operated post that slides down into a steel cassette buried in the ground, leaving only a flush lid when lowered. It is unlocked with a key, raised or lowered by hand and locked again in either position. Because the post stays in its cassette, there is nothing to store and nothing to lose.

Telescopic bollards are popular on driveways, in private parking bays and across access roads used several times a day. The post disappears into the ground when it is not needed, so cars drive straight over the lid, and when raised it is locked in place. They are often chosen over removable posts simply because nobody has to carry or store anything.

The part you never see does most of the work. The cassette is a deep steel housing, and if water cannot drain from it the post corrodes, jams with silt and can freeze solid in winter. We plan drainage before anything else, and our installation crews, working under our management, set the cassette precisely to the finished surface so the lowered lid sits flush.

Telescopic bollards — indicative elevation, not to scale.

Where telescopic bollards make sense

Domestic driveways where the bollard is used daily
Allocated parking bays in flats and private developments
Access roads closed outside working hours
Commercial yards where posts must not be left lying around
Car parks where a removable post would go missing
Shared drives that need occasional closing
Sites with no power for automatic bollards

How it works

The bollard sits inside a cassette set vertically in a concrete foundation. To lower it, the user unlocks the top, pushes the post down into the cassette and closes a lid or flap over the head so the surface is flush. To raise it, the lid is opened, the post lifted by a handle or key-operated lever, and a locking pin engages to hold it up. Many models have a counterbalance or lift assist so the user is not lifting the post's full weight.

Because the post must travel its full height into the ground, the excavation is deep: generally the exposed height of the post plus the cassette base and drainage layer. That depth is what most often catches people out, as it can bring the dig into contact with drainage pipes, cables or the water supply running under a drive.

Water management is the other essential. Every cassette has an open base or drain outlet. On free-draining ground a gravel soakaway beneath can be enough; on clay or where water stands, the cassette is connected to a surface water drain or a dedicated soakaway. Without that, the cassette fills, the post rusts and winter frost can lock it in place.

Options and finishes

Option	Detail
Standard or lift-assisted	Lift-assisted models use a spring or counterweight so the post rises with little effort, useful for daily domestic use.
Lock types	Keyed cylinder locks, often with a cover to keep out dirt; keyed alike for multi-bay sites where one key should open every post.
Diameter and height	Commonly around 90–140 mm diameter and 600–900 mm raised height, with larger posts for commercial use.
Finishes	Galvanised, powder-coated in common colours, or stainless steel to suit the frontage.
Lid and head designs	Flush hinged lids, removable caps or integrated heads that close the cassette top when lowered.
Reflective bands	Bands near the top help drivers see a raised post at night, particularly on drives shared with visitors.

Typical specification

Item	Typical
Raised height	Typically 600–900 mm
Post diameter	Commonly around 90–140 mm
Excavation depth	Often around 1 m or more, depending on post height
Foundation	Concrete surround to the cassette
Drainage	Soakaway beneath, or a drain connection on poorly draining ground
Locking	Key-locked in raised and lowered positions
Lowered profile	Lid flush with the finished surface

Typical values only — the survey and the product's data sheet set the final specification.

How we install it

Check depth and drainage

The free site survey checks how far down we can dig, where services run under the drive and how the ground drains. If water will stand, a drain connection is priced into the fixed written quote.

Cut and excavate

The surface is cut neatly and the hole dug to the cassette's full depth plus a drainage layer, with care near any service that crosses the drive.

Form the drainage

A gravel soakaway is placed beneath the cassette, or a pipe is laid to a surface water drain or new soakaway.

Set the cassette

The cassette is set vertical and its top exactly at finished surface level and fall, then concreted in. A cassette set high or low is a common cause of tyre damage and trip edges.

Reinstate and test

The surface is made good to match. The post is raised, locked, lowered and locked several times to confirm smooth operation, and keys are handed over.

Ground, foundations and buried services

Telescopic bollards need a deeper excavation than other manual bollards, so ground and services decide where they can go. Drives commonly hide the water supply pipe, gas service, electric cable and drainage runs, often at shallow depth, and they cluster near the property boundary where posts are usually wanted. Positions are scanned and hand-dug before committing. Clay soils and high water tables mean a gravel base alone will not drain the cassette; a connection to a surface water drain or a separate soakaway is then needed, and foul drains are not used. Reinstatement matches the drive, whether block paving, tarmac, resin-bound or imprinted concrete.

Rules and checks before you order

Confirm the bollard is on your land; bollards on a public footway or dropped kerb need the highway authority's agreement.
If the drive is shared, agree positions and keys with the other users first.
Connect drainage only to surface water systems or a soakaway, never to a foul drain.
Leave access for emergency services on commercial and multi-occupancy sites, and record who holds keys.

See rules and standards by nation for highway consent, accessibility and security standards.

Maintenance

Lower and raise the bollard regularly, even if you rarely need to, so the mechanism stays free. Clear leaves and grit from around the lid, and a few times a year lift the post fully and look into the cassette for standing water or silt. Lubricate the lock with a suitable spray, especially before winter. If the post becomes stiff or will not lower fully, the usual causes are debris in the cassette or a blocked drain, both of which are easier to fix early than after the post has seized.

What affects the price

Post size and whether lift assistance is wanted
Excavation depth and the presence of services under the drive
Drainage: simple soakaway or a connection to a drain
Surface type and quality of reinstatement
Stainless or powder-coated finish
Number of posts and keyed-alike locks

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Guide prices: telescopic bollards

Three typical specifications. The middle one is the specification we usually recommend for durability and visibility.

Standard

£345–£705

per bollard + VAT · homes £405–£845 inc VAT

Standard post or product for the type
Foundation and fixing to manufacturer's details
Surface reinstated to match

Upgraded

£605–£955

per bollard + VAT · homes £725–£1,145 inc VAT

Upgraded finish (RAL colour, stainless or sleeve)
Retroreflective band and matched keys
Everything in Standard

Premium

£855–£1,195

per bollard + VAT · homes £1,045–£1,445 inc VAT

Heavy-duty or architectural specification
Premium finish and fittings
Everything in Upgraded

Guide prices for the UK base region; local pages adjust for your area. Per bollard with cassette, supplied and installed. Minimum job £645 + VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing after survey.

Telescopic bollards: questions answered

How much does telescopic bollard installation cost?

Typically £345–£1,195 per bollard with cassette, supplied and installed, plus VAT. For homeowners that's £405–£1,445 including VAT. Small jobs carry a minimum charge of £645 plus VAT. Ground conditions, access, buried services and consents move the figure; the fixed price comes in writing after survey.

How deep does a telescopic bollard go into the ground?

Usually around the exposed height of the post plus the cassette base and drainage layer, which often comes to a metre or more. The exact depth depends on the model. That depth is why we check for services under the drive first.

Why does my telescopic bollard fill with water?

Because the cassette is not draining, either through a blocked base, clay ground or no drainage provision at installation. Standing water rusts the post and can freeze it in place. Fixing the drainage usually solves the problem.

Is a telescopic bollard harder to lift than a removable one?

Usually easier, because you only lift it up a short distance within its cassette and many models have lift assistance. You also never carry it or store it anywhere.

Will a telescopic bollard stop my car being stolen?

It adds a physical barrier that a thief has to defeat before driving away, which slows them down and makes the car a less attractive target. It is one layer of protection, not a complete answer to keyless car theft.

Can a telescopic bollard be fitted into a resin or imprinted drive?

Yes, though the cut has to be made cleanly and the surface patched around the lid. Resin and imprinted finishes are hard to match exactly, so we plan positions to keep visible patching small.

What if it freezes in winter?

Freezing usually means water is standing in the cassette. Do not force the post; pour warm, not boiling, water around the lid and lift once free. Then have the drainage checked.