A patio is a paved outdoor area next to the house or in the garden, laid in porcelain, natural stone or concrete slabs on a compacted sub-base and mortar bed, with falls that direct rainwater away from the house.
In Slough, as anywhere in Berkshire, the price of a new patio is driven mainly by size, materials and access. Across the South East our guide sits at £2,800–£6,200 with VAT, but restricted parking, a narrow side passage or extra preparation can move the figure either way. That is why every price we give follows a visit to the house.
- Guide price
- £2,800–£6,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- SL1, SL2 and SL3
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Berkshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new patio in Slough?
To help you plan, we show what a new patio typically costs in Slough instead of holding figures back for a sales call. The range is £2,800–£6,200 with VAT, using rates in the South East that are about 12% above the national guide. A free survey then fixes your actual price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Slough |
|---|---|---|
| Small patio or path | Around 10m² of concrete slabs or a garden path. | £1,100–£2,800 |
| Typical 20m² patio | Sandstone or porcelain on a full sub-base with jointing and edging. | £2,800–£6,200 |
| Large or multi-level patio | Bigger areas, steps, retaining walls or premium stone. | £6,200–£13,500 |
Expect these to shape the final quote:
- Patio area and the amount of excavation
- Slab material, size and laying pattern
- Drainage needed to keep water away from the house
- Access for materials and removing spoil
What does the job include in Slough?
- Survey of levels, damp-proof course, drainage and access
- Excavation and removal of turf, soil or old paving
- Compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base
- Primer on porcelain slabs for a strong bond
- Edging and neat cuts around drains and walls
- Site cleared, waste removed and paving cleaned
What are homes like around Slough?
Reading's Victorian terraces often show the town's patterned red and silver-grey brickwork, while Windsor, Maidenhead and Newbury mix Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses. Bracknell grew as a post-war new town with planned estates, Slough has a great deal of interwar and post-war housing, and newer developments sit on the edge of most towns.
Much of the Thames Valley is low-lying, so flood risk and clay ground near the river can influence foundations and drainage for extensions.
That mix of housing shapes how we approach a new patio in Slough: the age and construction of your home affect the materials, the method and, in the end, the price.
Do you need permission in Slough?
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Slough comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
A ground-level patio in a back garden does not usually need planning permission in England. Raised decks or platforms more than 30 cm high do.
Building Regulations do not normally apply to patios, but levels must stay below the damp-proof course and drain away from the house.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
A visit to your home
First, someone visits your home in Slough to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.
Your fixed price
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a new patio.
Plan and prepare
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
Finish and handover
Our trades complete a new patio while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Common questions
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
How long does it take to lay a patio?
Laying a typical 20m² patio takes around three to five days, from excavation and sub-base to laying, jointing and cleaning. Larger or multi-level patios with steps and walls take longer. The mortar bed needs time to set, so light foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two and furniture can go on after about a week. We confirm timings with your quote.
What happens if my garden slopes?
A sloping garden can still have a level patio by cutting into the slope, building up with retaining walls, or creating terraces with steps between them. Retaining walls must be built to hold back the soil and allow drainage behind them. This adds cost but creates usable, level space. We look at the slope during the survey and suggest the most practical design.
How do you make sure water drains away from the house?
A patio needs a gentle fall, usually a little over 1 in 80, so rainwater runs away from the house towards the garden, a drain or a soakaway. The surface should also sit well below the damp-proof course. If the patio meets a door threshold, a channel drain may be needed. We set levels with string lines and check falls as we lay each section.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Near Slough
We survey and quote throughout Slough's SL1, SL2 and SL3 postcodes and in surrounding places such as Windsor, Maidenhead and Gerrards Cross. The process and pricing approach are identical in each of them.