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myCost of Laying a Patio
At a Glance
- The average new patio costs around £1,200 in the UK.
- This job takes around 2 days for specialists to finish.
- Typical patio installation costs and what impacts prices you're quoted in 2026.
- A breakdown of the prices by material (including patio costs per square metre), how much a patio builder costs in 2026, and more!
- How to find a local patio installer using MyJobQuote.
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£1,200
Table of Contents
- How Much to Lay a Patio?
- Types of Patio Installations
- How Much Does a Patio Builder Cost?
- Timescales for Laying a Patio
- What Impacts Patio Installation Costs?
- Hidden Patio Installation Costs
- What's Involved in Laying a Patio?
- Patio Repair Costs
- Cost of Patio Removal
- What Alternatives to a Patio Are There?
- Building Regulations and Planning Permission
- Patio Maintenance and Cleaning
- How to Find and Hire a Patio Installer
- FAQs
How Much to Lay a Patio?
How much does laying a patio cost?
The cost to lay a patio in a standard 20 square metre area...
...is typically around £900 to £2,500. This price includes the cost to excavate and lay foundations, as well as the supply and installation of your paving slabs.
What factors impact the patio costs you're quoted?
The cost of laying a patio in the UK varies depending on materials:
- Budget options such as concrete and brick patio slabs cost around £900 to £1,600
- Premium slate patios cost between £900 and £3,800
- Premium stone patio can cost up to £4,600
Which is better for a family garden: decking or a patio?
"In my opinion, a patio would be better. Decking looks good but in wet weather and the winter it is extremely slippery and near impossible to walk on. It also needs a little more looking after than a patio"
Calculate the Cost of Laying a Patio
Want a better idea of how much it costs to lay a patio?
Try out our patio cost calculator.
You'll need the length and width (in metres) of the area you'd like to install a patio on.
While this calculator is a great starting point, getting quotes from local patio layers is the best way to understand the total patio cost for your specific project.
Quotes you get through MyJobQuote are fast, free, with no obligation to proceed.
New Patio Prices
Below are some estimated costs of hiring a landscape gardener to build a patio.
These prices represent the total cost of your patio project, including supply and professional installation.
Small Patio Costs (10m²)
| Patio Type | Avg. Cost |
|---|---|
| Stone | £800 – £1,350 |
| Brick | £550 – £900 |
| Slate | £900 – £1,200 |
| Concrete | £550 – £1,100 |
Medium Patio Costs (20m²)
| Patio Type | Avg. Cost |
|---|---|
| Stone | £1,400 – £2,500 |
| Brick | £1,000 – £1,600 |
| Slate | £1,600 – £2,200 |
| Concrete | £900 – £2,000 |
Large Patio Costs (40m²)
| Patio Type | Avg. Cost |
|---|---|
| Stone | £2,400 – £4,600 |
| Brick | £1,500 – £2,200 |
| Slate | £2,800 – £4,000 |
| Concrete | £1,400 – £3,600 |
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Types of Patio Installations
The type of patio you choose will depend on your budget and what's possible in your outdoor space.
Here's a breakdown of the different patio types, along with their average costs:
The typical costs for each material are as follows:
- Brick patio — £15 to £50 per m²
- Concrete patio — £15 to £70 per m²
- Slate patio — £50 to £80 per m²
- Stone patio — £40 to £95 per m²
As you can see, the cost of patio stones and slate is generally higher, but brick and concrete have a lot of price variation due to the different types and qualities available.
How Much Does a Patio Builder Cost?
Day rates for gardeners are between £150 and £200.
You'll typically need two for professional installation, bringing your labour costs closer to £300 to £400 a day.
Labour tends to swallow up around 25% to 35% of the total project cost. Broken down, that’s around £20 to £40 per m² just for manpower before you add materials, preparation, and waste removal.
It's good to know that: Most installers will give you a total cost for the whole patio, rather than charging by the day. It’s handy to know the average cost per square metre to check you’re not being overcharged.
Typical all-in costs (materials + labour) usually sit around £60 to £120 per m². Use that when comparing fixed prices.
What is the approximate cost to lay porcelain paving slabs over an area of 16 x 16 feet, excluding the cost of the slabs? Additionally, how much would it cost to lay a concrete slab measuring 10 x 13 feet?
"Roughly £750 for the patio and £800 for the concrete base."
Timescales for Laying a Patio
How long a patio takes depends on the size, ground conditions, and weather.
Here are typical scenarios:
| Patio Size | Typical Timescale | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Small (≈10m²) | ~2 days | Level ground, easy access |
| Medium (≈20m²) | ~3 days | Standard prep and laying |
| Large (≈40m²+) | ~4 – 5 days | May need extra prep/edging |
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What Impacts Patio Installation Costs?
There isn’t one single price driver. It’s a mix of size, materials, prep, and how fiddly the job is.
Here's a snapshot of what to be aware of:
Ground Prep and Sub-Base
Most patio designs need excavation plus a compacted sub-base (e.g., Type 1 MOT). Softer ground or areas that take more weight need more depth and time.
If you’re flagging, allow £15 to £60 per m² for the flags, plus £75 to £100 per m² as the cost to lay.
Falls and Drainage (SuDS)
Patios are laid to a gentle fall away from the house. Surface water should go to a permeable ground or a soakaway, not the foul system.
If there’s nowhere for runoff, you may need channels/gullies or a soakaway — the cost of installing a soakaway is around £850.
Access and Site Constraints
Narrow side passages, steps, and roots will slow things down.
Removing an existing patio will add to your overall waste costs (often ~£100+ depending on volume). If there’s a lot to clear during site preparation, a single skip hire cost can be more efficient than multiple trips.
Labour Rates by Region
London and the South East trend higher due to overheads and parking.
As a ballpark on larger jobs: Bigger firms in London ~£2,400 to £2,600, while the in the north ~£2,000 to £2,200.
Seasons and Weather
Wet and frozen ground slows excavation and affects mortar. Most installers avoid laying in heavy rain or frost, which can stretch timelines.
Remember: Ask for an itemised, written quote that shows excavation depth, sub-base build-up, drainage/falls, laying pattern, jointing, waste removal, and any extras. It makes comparing like-for-like much easier when hiring professionals.
Patio Size
Bigger areas mean more excavation, more sub-base, more slabs, and more time.
As a rough sense-check, small patios (~10m²) often land around £800 to £1,100, while large (~40m²) can reach ~£4,600, depending on spec and access.
Slab Type and Quality
The cost to lay your patio depends on the quality of your materials.
Budget concrete starts from about £20 per m², but cheaper mixes can fail sooner (air pockets and freeze/thaw). You'll pay more for quality materials, which is why natural stone and better-made concrete can cost up to £95 per m².
| Patio Type | Avg. Cost per m² (supply only) |
|---|---|
| Stone | £40 – £95 |
| Brick | £35 – £80 |
| Slate | £50 – £90 |
| Concrete | £20 – £55 |
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Pattern, Edging and Extras
Simple stretcher bond is quickest. Intricate patterns, tight curves, steps, brick edging, recessed manholes, lighting, or planters all add labour time and materials.
Should I use concrete or paving slabs for a patio area in my garden?
"I’d go with flagging as you have so much more choice, and with concrete, there is a lot of maintenance to keep it looking as good as the day it was installed! It’s also very slippery during the winter months."
Hidden Patio Installation Costs
Unfortunately, there can also be some hidden costs. These factors - drainage, planning permission issues, ground condition - may only be uncovered during the job, adding extra (often unexpected) costs.
Hidden Tree Roots
Scenario - You're excavating and find thick tree roots covering the patio area
Expected Added Cost - £475
Removing a tree root costs between £200 and £750, with the total price being dependent upon the extent of the root spread. This will require specialist equipment and will slow down your patio building progress, negatively impacting your project timeline.
If you suspect tree roots might be present in your ground, it's best to flag this before the project starts to help mitigate the impacts.
Waterlogged Ground
Scenario - Digging reveals spongy soil, or a hole that fills with water once dug out
Expected Added Cost - ~£850
Laying a patio on top of waterlogged ground will result in a shifting base with a dipped surface and complete patio failure in a few years' time. To remedy the issue, have your installer consider a few options: installing a soakaway, increasing the sub-base depth, or looking at altering the levels.
Finding Utility Pipes or Cables
Scenario - Your labourers find utility pipes or cables in their dig site
Expected Added Cost - £1,200 to £4,400+
Finding an unexpected supply cable or pipe is cause for the immediate halt of work. Unknown supply lines should be treated as live and require specialist investigation.
The cost for this kind of situation varies greatly depending on the type of supply, whether it's live or disconnected, and how easy it is to remove or reroute. For example, if you're dealing with a water supply pipe, you'll need to contact your local water supplier to discuss your options - whether that's diverting it or building over.
Having access to a map showing your local utilities before digging starts can help prevent this scenario from becoming an issue.
What's Involved in Laying a Patio?
How much work is involved in laying a patio?
Here's what to expect when you get your new patio installed:
Before the Job Starts
- Survey, Measurements, and Drainage — The installer checks access, measures up, and confirms where any services (cables/pipes) run. Drainage will be considered, and if a runoff needs managing, your professional installer may add a channel drain or a soakaway.
- Spec and Materials Chosen— Sub-base (Type 1 MOT), full mortar bed, and your chosen slabs. Porcelain/smooth stone usually needs a slurry primer on the back for good adhesion.
During the Job
- Strip Out, Prep, Build Sub-base — Lift any old surface and excavate to the right depth for sub-base, bed and slab thickness. Lay Type 1 MOT in layers and compact thoroughly (garden patios often allow ~100mm compacted, adjusted for ground/loads).
- Lay the Bed — A full mortar bed is laid (typically ~30mm to 50mm). Porcelain/smooth stone gets a slurry primer before it goes down.
- Lay the Slabs — Start from string lines, tap each slab level with a rubber mallet and keep the fall consistent. Once the bed has firmed up, joints are filled (mortar or resin/compound to suit the slab), and the surface is cleaned.
After the Job
- Curing and First Use — Keep off heavy furniture/loads until bedding and joints have cured (often 24 to 72 hours, weather dependent).
- Snagging — Check edges, levels and water run-off; tidy any small imperfections.
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Patio Repair Costs
The average cost of repairing a patio tends to be significantly lower than the cost of replacing one.
However, this will depend greatly on the scale of repair work required. Patio repairs are usually completed within one day, so you should expect to pay around £150 to £200 for professional repairs.
The most common patio problems include:
- Sinking Slabs — Caused by sub-base compaction or erosion, typically costing £150 to £200 per day for professional repair.
- Surface Cracking — Often due to age or ground movement, with materials costing £26 to £125.
- Loose or Wobbly Slabs — If your garden paving or blocks start to become loose, this may be because the jointing mortar has failed. Patio repointing costs are typically £20 per sqauare metre.
What would it cost to relay an existing patio? Slabs are 18" by 18".
"It all depends on how the current patio was laid. It may need a better sub base installation and many other factors that will determine the cost.
But a guide you can use is a rough cost of between £130 - £180 per m2. Just find out the area size and work it out with those numbers and that will give you your minimum and maximum.
Also an extra cost of £250 - £400 per manhole cover if they are needed. That is all inclusive of labour and materials."
But a guide you can use is a rough cost of between £130 - £180 per m2. Just find out the area size and work it out with those numbers and that will give you your minimum and maximum.
Also an extra cost of £250 - £400 per manhole cover if they are needed. That is all inclusive of labour and materials."
Cost of Patio Removal
Taking up an old patio is normally priced as labour – you’ll also want to cover waste removal. A couple of workers will run to roughly £300 to £400 a day.
Take a look at a few patio removal scenarios to give you a clearer picture:
| Patio Size | Typical Removal Cost |
|---|---|
| Small (≈10m²) | £250 – £500 |
| Medium (≈20m²) | £400 – £700 |
| Large (≈40m²) | £700 – £1,000 |
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Looking for patio removal costs per m²?
- A small 10m² patio costs between £25 to £50 per m² to remove
- A medium 20m² patio costs between £20 to £35 per m² to remove
- A large 40m² patio costs between £18 to £25 per m² to remove
Why does the removal cost per m² reduce as the size of the patio increases?
Patio removal carries both fixed and semi-fixed costs. Your labourer will have the same equipment, travel, and garden waste collection no matter the size of the patio - so a larger patio may see reduced costs per m² as it can be removed more efficiently.
What Alternatives to a Patio Are There?
Already have a patio sorted? Here are some complementary ideas for your outdoor space:
Gravel Paths
Gravel paths are quick to put down and easy to tweak later.
Want an uncluttered finish that lasts? Lay down a firm sub-base along with a weed membrane. Then, use edging to keep stones from wandering onto lawns or beds.
Best for: Quick, budget-friendly paths and relaxed seating areas.
Material cost: £20 to £50 per m²
Pros
- ✔ Quick to install and hard-wearing when you lay it over a firm sub-base and membrane
- ✔ Lots of colours and sizes
Cons
- ✖ You’ll need to tidy it up regularly to keep it looking good
- ✖ Trickier to clear in snow and ice — scraping will move the stones
Bark Mulch Paths
Bark gives you a natural, soft finish underfoot. However, it'll compress and break down, so be sure to top it up now and then.
It works best on top of a breathable membrane with edging to keep it in place. If you’re clearing a lot of old borders or green waste, a skip is worth having.
Planning a bigger garden project? Typical landscaping costs vary by materials, access, and drainage.
Best for: Natural-looking garden paths and borders.
Material cost: £90 to £180 per bulk bag (coverage varies by depth)
Pros
- ✔ Helps suppress weeds
- ✔ Soft underfoot and easy to top up
Cons
- ✖ Not great for heavy foot traffic — it shifts about
- ✖ Leaf blowers and strong jets can scatter it
Garden Decking
Installing garden decking is brilliant for levelling awkward spots and creating a clean seating area fast. Timber needs periodic care, while composite costs more up front but is lower-maintenance.
Best for: Level seating space on uneven ground.
Material cost: £15 to £90 per m² (timber or composite)
Pros
- ✔ Warm, natural look with flexible designs for small or large spaces
- ✔ Hardwood can last decades if cared for
Cons
- ✖ Cheaper boards may only last 10 to 15 years
- ✖ Needs ongoing maintenance to avoid rot and wear
Resin-Bound Surfaces — Costs and Considerations
Resin-bound gives you a smooth, modern look that drains surface water through the mix when laid on a suitable base. It wants solid prep and neat edging, so get itemised quotes.
Best for: Smooth, modern finish with good drainage.
Material cost: £60 to £90 per m²
Pros
- ✔ Permeable, so it helps with surface water
- ✔ Clean look and comfortable underfoot
Cons
- ✖ Can encourage weed growth if not maintained
- ✖ Resin-bonded (not bound) options aren’t permeable, and can pool water
Building Regulations and Planning Permission
Do you need planning permission to lay a patio? In most cases, no.
Planning Permission
Patios are considered permitted development if:
- It's built at ground level and doesn't alter your overall land levels (e.g., isn't a raised platform)
- The new patio doesn't cover more than 50% of the total land around your property
However, planning permission will be required if:
- The patio will be raised more than 300mm above ground level, or if you're significantly changing the ground levels (e.g., in a steep garden)
- You live in a listed property, flat, or maisonette
Building Regulations
You won't often need to comply with Building Regulations for a ground-level patio.
However, they will apply if:
- Your patio affects your property's drainage system, or working near damp-proof courses
- Your patio design includes steps or retaining walls
- You're planning on laying a patio over inspection chambers/drains
Patio Maintenance and Cleaning
Regular cleaning and maintenance will help your patio last longer and keep it looking its best. Here are the key things to know:
- General Patio Cleaning - Cheap and effective, regular maintenance of your patio will keep it in good condition. Brush your patio to remove debris, pull up and treat weeds where you find them, and remove general dirt with a simple soap and water solution.
- Removing Stubborn Stains - Deck cleaners or degreasers work well to tackle lived-in stains. Power washing should be used cautiously, depending on your patio material, and a professional jet washer will charge between £150 and £400, depending on your patio size.
- Patio Protection - Keeping your patio covered with a surface protector helps during the winter months to prevent build-up. Brick patios in particular benefit from having a sealant added for £3 to £6 per m².
- Patio Repointing - Crumbling pointing isn't cause for a brand new patio, you can easily fix it by getting your patio repointed for £20 per m².
How to Find and Hire a Patio Installer
Who you choose to lay your patio can make or break it. A good installer will make sure your patio looks good and stands the test of time.
Before starting your patio project, make sure you:
- Do they have groundwork experience/knowledge? Digging and excavation are a major part of patio laying, and getting it wrong can be costly. Make sure your labourer shows knowledge of correct depths, sub-base, and understands load-bearing principles.
- Do they understand the drainage requirements? Getting falls wrong can cause a waterlogged or flooded garden. Your labourer needs to know the correct fall levels and show evidence of fitting soakaways or other drains where needed.
- Do they have experience in laying your patio material? Premium materials like slate and natural stone behave differently to standard-sized brick patios. Find a labourer with experience in your chosen slab type for best results.
- Do they have plenty of positive customer reviews? Spend a few minutes scrolling reviews, or check their MyJobQuote profile to see all their feedback from other homeowners.
- Do they have insurance? Professional installers should have public liability insurance.
- Do they offer a guarantee? Decent installers will usually back their work, especially if it sinks or the joints give way.
- Do they offer written quotes? Get at least 3 quotes from patio installers near you. Make sure they're itemised so there are no hidden fees.
With MyJobQuote, you don't need to commit to anything — all quotes from patio installers are fast, free, with no obligation to go ahead.
FAQs
How Long Should a Patio Last?
A professionally laid patio can last several decades if it's properly maintained. Regular cleaning and fixing minor problems early will help extend its lifespan.
What Weather Is Best for Laying a Patio?
Patio work is best done in dry, mild weather. Heavy rain, frost, or freezing conditions can delay the job because mortar won’t set properly, and wet ground makes excavation and compaction harder.
What Is the Best Patio Cleaner?
The best types of patio cleaners are ones that combine intense cleaning with biodegradable and non-acidic ingredients. A biodegradable and non-chemical cleaner is much safer for the environment.
What Sand to Use When Laying Patio Slabs?
For block paving with very narrow joints (typically ~2mm to 5 mm), use kiln-dried silica (“silver”) sand brushed into the joints. For slab paving with wider joints, use an appropriate jointing mortar or a resin jointing compound. Always follow the slab manufacturer’s guidance (porcelain usually needs a proprietary primer and jointing product).
Can You Lay a New Patio over an Existing Patio or Concrete?
You can sometimes lay a new patio over an existing patio, but it's not always a good idea. The old surface needs to be level and in good condition, and laying on top will also raise the height of your patio, which could cause drainage problems or issues with doorways.
How Much Type 1 Do I Need for a Patio?
Begin by measuring the size of your patio. As a guide, 1 tonne of MOT Type 1 typically covers roughly 10m² to 12m² at about 50mm compacted depth. Actual coverage varies with moisture and compaction. Use this as a starting point alongside your measured area and specified layer depth.
Does a New Patio Add Value to a Property?
Yes - well-laid patios can add value to a home, on average around 5% to 10%.
How Do I Save Money With Patio Installation?
Excavating carries the highest costs when it comes to laying a new patio. Trying to work with your garden's existing levels, where possible, will help to keep costs down. You can also try to do as much of the prep work yourself to avoid labourer day fees.
