PRICE GUIDE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · 2026–2027
Patio Laying cost in the UK
£70–£180 per m². Typically £120.
Laying a new patio runs from £70 to £180 per m² in the UK, with £120 a fair middle figure for a mid-range slab fully laid. Most of the spread comes from the paving you pick, how much digging and sub-base the ground needs, and whether the garden is in London or the South East.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does patio laying cost in the UK?
| Low end | £70 | concrete slabs on firm, level ground outside the South East |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £120 | what most people pay |
| High end | £180 | porcelain or granite on a site needing heavy groundwork, in London |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the gardeners and landscapers near you.
What moves the price
- Paving material — concrete slabs are the cheapest patio to lay, while porcelain and granite cost the most per square metre
- Groundwork and sub-base — a patio on soft or sloping ground needs more digging, hardcore and compaction before a slab goes down
- Size of the patio — a larger area spreads the set-up and skip costs, so each square metre comes out cheaper
- Laying pattern and cuts — curves, circles, borders and steps add hours of cutting to an otherwise simple layout
- Access to the garden — a terrace with no side gate means every slab and barrow of spoil goes through the house
- London and the South East — patio layers there charge noticeably more for labour than in the North or Scotland
Domestic and garden services prices in the UK are up 24% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Domestic services and household services, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical patio laying would have cost about £100 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7E6 →
WHAT YOU GET
What a patio laying booking includes
Takes: Two to five days for a typical back-garden patio, longer where the ground needs heavy digging. Not included: Drainage channels, garden walls, steps, lighting and patio cleaning are priced on their own — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common patio laying jobs
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Patio Laying near you, with prices shown
The gardeners and landscapers that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
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How to pay less
- Choose concrete or block paving over natural stone if the patio budget is tight
- Keep the patio to a simple rectangle with straight edges so the layer spends less time cutting
- Clear the garden area and lift any old paving yourself before the patio layer arrives
Before you book
- Paving a rear garden rarely needs planning permission, but a larger front garden patio needs a permeable surface or consent
- Ask the patio layer how deep the sub-base will be, since a thin base is why slabs sink later
- Agree where the patio water will drain to so it never runs towards the house walls or air bricks
- Get a written patio quote that says whether skip hire and spoil removal are included
Patio Laying cost: questions people ask
£70–£180 per m², with about £120 a sensible middle figure. Plain concrete slabs on good ground cost least; porcelain or granite on a site that needs a lot of groundwork costs most.
Two to five days for most back gardens. Digging out and building the sub-base often take longer than laying the slabs themselves.
Not usually for a back garden. In England, paving more than five square metres of a front garden with an impermeable surface needs permission, so most installers use permeable paving or drain the water to a lawn or border instead.
Many people think so. It costs more per square metre and needs a special primer to bond, but it shrugs off stains, never needs sealing and keeps its colour for years.
Drainage channels, walls, steps, outdoor lighting and later patio cleaning or sealing are normally priced separately from laying the slabs.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, drawn from published UK patio cost guides — a national range per square metre, not a quote. Your price depends on the paving, the ground and the access.
MORE GUIDES