COST GUIDES
Patio laying: Cost breakdown 2026
Updated 04/26
Looking to give your outdoor space a bit of an update? Transforming a garden isn’t always about plants and greenery. Find out how much it costs to lay a new patio in our complete guide to patio prices.
Average cost to lay a patio
Price variations by patio type and size
Factors that influence the total cost of laying a patio
Hidden or additional costs to consider
Labour costs for patio installation
How to estimate your project with a cost calculator
Checklist for planning your new patio
FAQs about patio costs
If you're planning a new patio project, it's important to consider all the potential costs to avoid maxing out your budget halfway through.
Keep reading for all the essential information to help you budget for the job with confidence.
Average costs
Laying a patio can range from £65 - £475 per m²
Labour costs
Around £280 per day (for one tradesperson)
Timings
Laying a concrete patio usually takes about two to three days
How much does patio laying cost in 2026?
The average cost of patio laying can vary greatly from £65–£475 per m², and you'll also need to factor in labour and other hidden costs.
Patios can be built from a range of different materials and follow virtually any design or layout to fit in with the size and style of your garden. But the specification of your patio will affect the cost.
Below are some average new patio costs in the UK.
| Example patio type materials and installation | Average cost per m² + VAT |
|---|---|
| Budget paving slabs | £70–£100 |
| Flagstone patio | £120–£475 |
| Concrete patio | £65–£120 |
| Raised patio (concrete approach) | £85–£275 |
| Brick patio | £80–£140 |
| Last updated: September 2024 Our costs are ballpark averages - get a local tradesperson to quote now | |
Average cost of a new patio in the UK
Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from £1,700 upwards for your new patio. Of course, it all depends on the type of patio, the size of the space, and the amount of preparation work required.
As a guide, a typical 20m² patio will take three to four days to lay, so you could be looking at between £1,080 - £2,160 in labour costs.
Patio laying cost: Job estimator tool
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Patio installation prices by type
As the table above shows, costs vary greatly depending on the type of material chosen.
Typically, manufactured paving slabs (usually made of concrete) are the cheapest, while natural stone like indian stone or porcelain pavers can be found at higher price points:
Concrete patio cost
Generally speaking, concrete patios cost significantly less than other types of patios. On average, you can expect to pay between £65–£120 per m² for a standard concrete patio.
Flagstone patio cost
The cost of a flagstone patio will vary depending on the types of slabs used, the space and so on. Prices for flagstones typically range from around £120–£475 per m².
Raised patio cost
A raised patio will usually cost more than other types of patio, due to the retaining wall.
Again, costs will vary significantly depending on a range of factors, however, raised patios usually cost around £85–£275 per m².
Factors affecting the cost of laying a patio
When calculating the cost of your new patio, it's not just materials that you need to budget for. The total patio cost will depend on a range of other factors, including:
Complexity of the patio design – for instance, will you need a bricklayer to build walling around the patio
Waste disposal – For instance, skip hire might be needed
Tricky access – If you don't have direct, side access to a garden, it will take longer for tradespeople to take delivery of materials and remove waste
Labour costs – We'll explore this in greater detail later
Hidden costs to consider
As well as the above, there may be additional cost factors to consider which may only become apparent when tradespeople start the job.
This is especially the case if you're removing an existing patio and aren't sure what the quality of the existing foundations are like. Hidden costs to consider could include:
Drainage channels or soakaways
Additional foundations or levelling
Condition of the earth – For instance, a weed membrane might need to be added
Find a checked landscaper covering your local area to get an accurate quote that includes any additional requirements, such as drainage. That way, there will be no extra surprises in the bill later down the line.
Find patio experts near you
Labour costs to lay a patio
On average, you can expect to pay around £280 per day for labour costs of laying a patio.
This cost will usually cover all the preparation needed to get the area for your patio ready.
That includes digging out the area, preparing the ground with hardcore, laying layers of sand and mortar, and, of course, laying the patio.
How much does patio laying cost per day?
The hourly rate you'll pay for a tradesperson to lay a patio can vary considerably depending on the area you live in the UK.
On average you can expect to pay a landscape gardener between £25–£45 an hour, or £200–£360 a day.
Meanwhile, a general labourer for the day will charge on average £20 an hour, or £160 a day.
Patio laying cost per m²
If you're only interested in getting a contractor to lay paving slabs and nothing else, then you can expect the cost to be around £35–£100 per m².
Cost of hiring a landscaper vs DIY
If you're considering taking on your garden patio job yourself, it's handy to get a steer on the average cost of hiring a landscaper first.
A typical 20m² patio will take a tradesperson three to four days to lay, but it will take a DIY novice much longer.
Before requesting quotes, measure your garden area and shortlist patio materials — this helps contractors give more accurate pricing.
How much to lay a 25m² patio?
Now that we've considered the cost of both materials and labour, let's look at the cost of a patio job in full.
Based on a square patio of 25m² (5m x 5m) and an average cost per m² of £130.00, you can expect to pay around £3,250 for laying a patio.
On top of this, you might need to factor in £40 per m² for ground preparation.
Remember that you'll probably need to hire a skip to get rid of any garden waste – at a cost of around £250.
While this is a good starting point, it's wise to get quotes from several checked tradespeople covering your local area to get an accurate idea of your total patio cost.
New patio cost checklist
Patio laying cost checklist
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Driveways / Patios / PathsDriveway / Patio DesignDriveway Cleaning / SealingSoakawaysBonded Aggregate Surfacing
Cost to lay a patio: FAQs
The amount of time it will take to lay your patio depends on the type, size, and layout of the type you’ve chosen, as well as how much preparation work is required.
Your tradesperson should be able to give you a timeline for completion before the work starts. However, be aware that this could change if they encounter unexpected issues.
If you’re replacing your flagstone patio with fresh new paving, you’ll need to take into account the time needed to remove the old flagstones. Generally, you can expect the process to take two to three days. It's about the same for a raised patio.
When speaking to landscapers, covering your local area, there are a few things you can do to help when asking for quotes:
Work out the size of your patio: Measure the length and width of the patio area and multiply the two figures to give you the size in square metres. A patio installer will want to know this upfront.
Decide on the type of paving you want: This will affect the cost of materials and possibly the labour too. Ideally, find the type of paving online or in a shop and share with the tradesperson.
Mention specific features: It's also useful to know the surrounding finish you want for your patio. That could be raised brick flower beds, steps, drainage channels or posts.
When planning your patio project, getting multiple quotes is important. By comparing the costs of landscapers, you can be sure you're paying a fair and competitive price for the work.
Fill in our free request a quote form and we'll get multiple patio installers to contact you directly.
You may find that a handyperson is experienced in laying patio slabs. But, check their skills and experience before hiring them. However, if the look and design of your garden patio is important to you as much as the functionality, it's a good idea to hire a checked garden landscaper.
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