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Patio Cost & Prices 2024

Patios are a crucial component of any garden.

Not only are they a design feature in their own right, but they also provide somewhere to convene for meals al-fresco, BBQs, parties and other events. 

More people are craving garden space than ever before.  Data suggests that a well-maintained garden space can lift property value by some 5% to 10%.

This article will review the cost of installing a patio in the UK, factors that affect the cost and other common questions surrounding installing patios.

Average Cost of Patios in the UK

The average garden size in the UK varies between 150m2 to 200m2, according to the ONS and patio sizes range from around just 12m2 (3m x 3m) to 50m2 (10m x 5m). Patio size as well as the primary building patio have the biggest bearing on the price. 

By collecting quotes from 7 primary sources and 12 secondary sources, we discovered the following average prices of patios in the UK. 

Prices include materials and labour for basic patio projects, e.g. replacing an old one or installing a new one without complex groundworks or levelling. 

Type of MaterialSmall Patio (12m²)Medium Patio (24m²)Large Patio (48m²)
Concrete£1,100 - £1,600£2,200 - £3,800£4,200 - £8,000+
Natural Stone£1,200 - £1,800£2,100 - £3,800£4,100 - £8,000+
Paving Slabs£800 - £1,500£1,500 - £2,800£3,200 - £5,500+
Bricks/Pavers£1,100 - £1,800£2,100 - £3,800£4,100 - £8,000+
Porcelain£1,200 - £2,000£2,200 - £3,800£4,200 - £8,000+
Loose and Mixed Materials£400 - £1,300£800 - £2,200£1,500 - £5,000+
Resin£1,200 - £1,850£2,200 - £3,500£4,200 - £7,600+

Factors That Affect the Cost of Patios

The average costs of straightforward patio installations range between £1,000 for a small patio to £8,000 for a large patio.

Raised patios increase the costs and there’s a lot of variability in the costs here depending on the design. Expect to pay an extra £400+ for a raised patio.

Larger, more complex projects will need the expertise of a landscaper that can draw up mockup designs. Some high-end materials might need to be sourced in advance, including some cut stones and brick. 

Removing old patios might come at additional costs if the patio is tricky to remove, e.g. it involves large and heavy flagstones that need to be excavated and removed.

On the flip side, there will likely be a usable sub-base to build the new patio on. 

  • Levelling works: If a new patio is being fitted to a garden with a steep incline, any levelling works will cost within the region of £20 to £40 per m2 that needs levelling. 
  • Weed membrane: A weed membrane is vital for some resin formulas as well as loose material patios, and is usually highly advisable for brick, pavers and loosely laid slabs. This might cost around £50 to £150 per project. 
  • Edging stones: An often unforeseen cost of brick and paver projects. Edging stones can add considerable cost per project; between £100 and £500 depending on the complexity of the edging. 
  • Drainage channels: Another potentially unforeseen cost. Some patio types need specific drainage systems, e.g. concrete and porcelain. These can cost some £100 to £300 per project. 

Choosing Patio Flooring

The biggest choice you’ll have to make before installing a new patio is choosing the flooring material. Patio materials obviously have to be hardwearing and able to withstand freezing temperatures as well as the baking sun. 

The main patio floor materials are: 

  • Concrete 
  • Natural stone and flagstones
  • Paving slabs and crazy paving
  • Brick and pavers 
  • Porcelain 
  • Loose and mixed materials (e.g. gravel and crushed stone)
  • Resin 

Concrete

Cost – £50 to £65 per m²

Concrete is extremely tough and low maintenance. It’s laid in one go, so there are no slabs with cracks in between where weeds might grow. Easy to clean, wash and maintain throughout the year, concrete is tough to beat in terms of durability. 

Whilst concrete typically rouses images of dull, grey colours and textures, modern concrete can be coloured, textured and even stamped with funky and modern designs. 

Concrete Patio Pros

  • Tough and hard wearing, typically lasting 50 years or so
  • Low maintenance
  • Can be printed/imprinted/stamped with interesting designs
  • Doesn’t allow weeds to penetrate through 

Concrete Patio Cons

  • Needs to be fitted professionally or is susceptible to cracking 
  • Drainage needs to be taken into account
  • Can freeze over, essentially turning into an ice rink
  • Cracking is likely after some time 

Natural Stone and Flagstones

Cost – £40 to £80 per m²

Flagstone is a natural stone, but it’s certainly not the only one available. Flagstones could sit in a category of their own and are quite simply generic, typically large slabs that can be cut and arranged in virtually any way. Other natural cut stones range from granite to limestone, sandstone, slate and a real high-end option; marble. 

Stone Patio Pros

  • Lots of different stones to select from 
  • Natural-looking with great aesthetic appeal 
  • Durable and hard wearing
  • Can be cut into atypical shapes

Stone Patio Cons

  • Usually the most expensive option 
  • Heavy and difficult to work with 
  • Extra work required for atypical patio shapes
  • Difficult to replace if cracked 

Paving Slabs

Cost – £35 to £50 per m²

Though they look similar, paving slabs are not the same as stone slabs. Paving slabs are typically made from a mixed stone aggregate with concrete and are molded into shape. They’re the cheapest option, especially in the case of crazy paving which can still look good if installed properly. 

Paving Slab Patio Pros

  • Cheapest option 
  • Lots of colours and varieties available 
  • Strong and hard wearing
  • Good for atypically shaped patios

Paving Slab Patio Cons

  • Can be quite plain 
  • Subject to cracking over time
  • Extra work required for atypical patio shapes
  • Weed penetration possible

Brick and Pavers

Cost – £40 to £80 per m²

Brick is a classic building material that comes in various shades. Pavers are similar to paving slabs but are much smaller. Pavers come in many different shapes, sizes, colours and styles. Both need to be laid by a professional bricklayer. 

Brick and Paver Patio Pros

  • Tons of designs and colours available 
  • Classic aesthetics 
  • Good drainage 
  • Easily customisable 

Brick and Paver Patio Cons

  • Bricks can be expensive 
  • Prone to weed penetration 
  • Can chip and wear over time 
  • Requires bricklaying expertise 

Porcelain

Cost – £50 to £100 per m²

Porcelain tiles look superb and provide a contemporary, high-end look to any patio. They also come in many different colours, shapes and styles, from smaller 6” x 6” porcelain tiles to larger 3ft x 3ft tiles. It’s even possible to create mosaics.

Porcelain Patio Pros

  • Looks superb 
  • Tons of choice on offer 
  • Easy to clean 
  • Customisable 

Porcelain Patio Cons

  • An expensive option 
  • Difficult job to replace if they crack 
  • Not always very permeable; prone to icing over
  • Vulnerable to staining 

Loose and Mixed Materials

Cost – £15 to £50 per m²

There’s nothing to say a patio has to be solid. Loose materials such as light crushed stone, pea gravel, sand and small pebbles can create interesting patios. Mixed material patios might involve scattering some well-placed boulders around 

Mixed Material Patio Pros

  • Cheap
  • Excellent drainage 
  • Low maintenance 
  • Can come up with some interesting designs 

Mixed Material Patio Cons

  • Can get messy and spill out onto other areas of the garden 
  • Prone to waterlogging
  • Need to be topped up 
  • A less permanent option

Resin

Cost – £50 to £100 per m²

Resin is a popular material in driveway construction, but it’s also being used in patios. By mixing resin with aggregate, it’s possible to create extremely hard patios that are semi-permeable. Colouration, style, etc, are all very flexible. Like concrete, resin is laid in one go and isn’t vulnerable to weed penetration. 

Resin Patio Pros

  • Tough and hard-wearing
  • Semi-permeable; good drainage
  • Lots of colours and styles on offer
  • Usually good grip in winter 

Resin Patio Cons

  • Quality depends on the resin system 
  • Can be pricey 
  • Susceptible to cracking after maybe 20 or so years
  • Not always reliable when subject to very high or low temperatures 

Raised Patios

Another option to consider is a raised patio. Simply put, raised patios elevate the patio area from the lawn or house. They’re easier to fit if the garden is at an incline from the home (unless the angle is too steep and the garden needs to be levelled). 

Patios can also be lowered from the garden rather than raised from it.

In either case, a retaining wall and staircase will be required, and the patio will either need to be raised up or lowered down, which comes at extra expense. 

Do Patios Require Planning Permission?

Generally, no. In some situations where extensive levelling is required, the works may be classed as an engineering operation that will require advice from the Local Planning Authority. 

The rules for adding hard surfaces to the front garden or area facing a public highway are different, however. 

Another piece of relevant legislation is the Party Walls Act 1996 which applies to excavation near some garden walls, which might be relevant to installing new patios (an unlikely scenario). 

How Long Does Laying a Patio Take?

The duration of the job depends on the preparation work required. If an old patio needs to be stripped and excavated, then this might take a couple of days or even longer for a very large patio. Any levelling work will also take 2 to 3 days. 

Once the site is prepared, patios might take some 2 to 7 days to lay. The longest jobs are the largest and more complex, with the upper bound probably being a large brick patio. Concrete and resin are quick to fit but take 2 to 3 days to cure. 

How to Choose a Patio Contractor

Patio fitters as part of reputable landscape design companies are some of the best options. A long-term portfolio of successful local work is a must – avoid builders that just ‘happen to be passing through’. 

Ensure that your plans are understood – it might be an advantage to work with the landscapers to draw up digital mockups and illustrations of the work first. This will likely come as part of the service for larger or higher-end jobs. 

Always obtain an itemised quote prior to work taking place, and not just an estimate. 

Get Pricing on Patios Near You

We’ve done our best to give you a good idea of what you can expect to pay for a patio.

However, our guides are not a substitute for a fixed quote specifically for you.

We work with all the best patio installers ready to price your job. Get free, no-obligation quotes in your local area and compare prices using the form below.

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About the Author

Alex Johnson is a qualified quantity surveyor and writer with a passion for conducting original research and uncovering the true cost of jobs. His cost data has been referenced by EDF Energy and the Scottish Government.