How Much Does it Cost to Lay a Patio?

From BBQ backdrops to alfresco dining areas, a patio offers so much more than its sturdy functionality. With just a few pavers, you can transform your garden from lifeless lumps of grass to a stunning, smooth and practical space.

But no matter how essential they are, sadly, these landscaping endeavours don’t come for free. In fact, the average price for a new patio is incredibly wide-ranging, costing anywhere from £1,000 to £4,000 (pricing based on gardens 25m2-45 m2).

With such a broad price scale, it’s only fair that you learn where your budget is best placed. That’s where we come in. Take a read of our patio cost guide, below, for all you need to know.

Firstly, there are your pavers

It’s a no-brainer that the most critical part of any patio project is the pavers you choose. Not only do they define the look of your patio, but they are likely to be the most expensive investment of the project, aside from labour. So, to get the right paving slab for the right price, you’ll want to make sure you do your homework.

Of course, the total cost of your pavers will differ depending on the size of your patio and the type you choose. For instance, natural stone might be the most popular choice of paver, but if you are paving a large space on a budget the high price could prove impractical (natural stone slabs vary between £20-£45 per m2). In this case, an attractive budget slab (around £13 per m2) might be better suited to your patio plans.

As well as cost concerns, you’ll also need to think about which pavers fit your garden’s style. For example, porcelain pavers go with contemporary gardens like butter on bread. However, they can be quite pricey, so you’ll want to shop around for a reasonably-priced quality porcelain slab to do your modern space justice.

At Simply Paving, our porcelain pavers range between £36-£64 per m2. Yes, they are a little more expensive than most, but you’ll truly get your money’s worth for this top-end product – especially as their non-porous surface requires so little maintenance to keep clean.

Read below for more information about our paving slab prices:

With your patio plan drafted up and ready to go, it’s time to think about the essential extras that can run up your bill. We’re talking about the likes of edging, walling and any drainage materials (if your patio doesn’t naturally run off into surrounding grass or flower beds, that is).

Edging stones vary between £5-£60 per m. The cost difference is usually dictated by the final look you’re trying to achieve. (For instance, modern edging stones tend to be at the higher end of the scale.)

Walling slips are slightly pricier, ranging from £45-£130 per m2. Naturally, adding walls to your patio will ramp up the total price of the patio, so bear this in mind in your planning and de-prioritise them if you’re paving on a shoestring.

If you’re hiring a professional to complete the job, don’t worry about buying any laying materials (this will be factored into their labour cost, which is typically around 80% of the project cost). However, if you are confident in your patio laying skills and fancy giving it a go yourself, then be sure to take a look at our guide on how to lay paving slabs before you get started.

Some of the materials you’ll need include:

• Sub-base aggregate - The highest grade is Type 1 MoT and is reasonably priced at around £7 per m2.
• Cement and sharp sand – You will need this when you’re mixing mortar for your laying course and pointing. Sharp sand is around £7.25 per m2; cement is £6.49 per 25kg bag (a standard bag covers around 8m2, so you will need between 6-8 bags of cement to ensure full coverage).

You may also need to factor in any laying tools which you don’t already have in your garden shed, like shovels, mallets, etc. You can find a full list of all the necessary tools in our laying preparation guide.

As the saying goes, “Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”. So, don’t underestimate the effect that those small changes can make to the cost of your patio. Your bank account will thank you later.

Here are our top tips for a cost-efficient patio:

Keep the design simple

Complicated patterns are great – but only if you have the budget. If you are just trying to pave a square area of your garden, you don’t need the additional cost of fancy winding edging or circle pavers to complete the job. Keep it simple and the costs will be a breeze to manage.

Do it yourself

We know that the majority of the total patio laying cost goes towards labour, so why wouldn’t you want to learn the tricks of the trade yourself?

Of course, patio laying is a highly skilled job, so you will want to do ample research before you get stuck in. If you’re unsure about anything, there is a trove of useful guidance in our Advice Centre. Here, you’ll find everything from how to calculate the size of your patio to how to fix loose paving slabs.

We also recommend trialling a small space before you go all-out with a large patio project – even the most confident amateur landscapers don’t get it right the first time.

Now you know the cost of laying a patio, it’s time to put your patio plan together. For help with finding the right paving materials, browse our range of patio paving slabs or contact one of our friendly members of staff.