The cost of laying a small patio is set mainly by the area, how much ground has to be dug out, the depth of sub-base it needs, the slabs you choose and how easily materials and spoil can be moved through the garden. The slabs are the part you see, but excavation and the base underneath are the part that decides whether the patio stays flat for years or rocks within a winter. Rather than quote a figure that might not suit your garden, this guide explains each driver so a quotation makes sense.
Patio cost per m2: why area is only the start
Patios are often compared by the square metre, and area does set the quantity of slabs, sand and cement. Labour per square metre, though, falls as the patio grows, because setting out, digging and cutting around edges are similar for a small patio and a slightly larger one.
That is why a very small patio can look expensive per square metre. The fixed parts of the job are spread over fewer slabs.
The work underneath
A patio laid straight onto soil will sink. The ground is dug out to allow for a compacted sub-base and the bedding layer, with a gentle fall so rainwater runs away from the house rather than towards it.
- Setting out levels and a fall away from the house
- Digging out turf and soil to the right depth
- Laying and compacting the sub-base in layers
- Bedding slabs on a full mortar bed
- Pointing the joints and cleaning down
How much for a small patio: what else moves the price
Slab choice makes a real difference. Concrete slabs are the most economical. Sandstone and porcelain cost more, and porcelain needs a specific primer and more careful cutting. Steps, curves and cutting around drains or manhole covers all add time.
Access is the factor people forget. If every bag of sub-base and every barrow of soil has to come through the house or a narrow side passage, the job takes longer and waste removal costs more.
Patio or decking for your garden
On level, sunny or shaded ground, a patio is usually the lower maintenance choice and lasts longest. On a slope, decking can work out cheaper because it avoids building up retaining walls. The decking versus patio guide on this site compares the two in more detail.
Looking after a new patio
A well laid patio needs very little, but the first year matters. Keep heavy pots and barbecues off fresh joints until the mortar has fully hardened, and brush leaves away before they stain lighter stone. Weeds in the joints are a sign the pointing has cracked or was never filled, and repointing those gaps early stops water working under the slabs. If a slab starts to rock, lift and rebed it promptly; left alone, a single loose slab lets water into the base and the movement spreads to its neighbours.
Getting a fair quote for a patio
Send photographs of the area, rough measurements and a note of how the garden is reached. Say which slabs you like, even as a link, and whether existing paving or turf needs removing. Patios fit naturally alongside other garden work under the landscaping service, so a lawn edge, border or path can be priced at the same visit.