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.
Cost is usually the first question about a new patio, so here is the guide for the South East: £2,800–£6,200 including VAT. We cover the whole of Buckinghamshire, with Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Bletchley among the main centres. Because each UK nation sets its own rules, we check the requirements in England for your property, then put a firm price on paper following a free survey.
- Guide price
- £2,800–£6,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 12% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 9
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new patio cost in Buckinghamshire?
What should you budget for a new patio in Buckinghamshire? Use the figures below as a starting point. Prices in the South East sit about 12% above the national guide, so the range here is £2,800–£6,200 including VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing once we've surveyed the property, at no charge.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Buckinghamshire |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Slab material, size and laying pattern
- Ground levels, slopes, steps and retaining walls
- Drainage needed to keep water away from the house
- Access for materials and removing spoil
Scope of the work
- Survey of levels, damp-proof course, drainage and access
- Compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base
- Slabs laid on a full mortar bed with falls away from the house
- Primer on porcelain slabs for a strong bond
- Jointing with mortar or a brush-in compound
- Edging and neat cuts around drains and walls
Housing across Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire runs from Chiltern villages of brick and flint, through Metroland interwar semis around Amersham and Chesham, to Victorian terraces in High Wycombe and Aylesbury. Milton Keynes adds estates built from the 1970s onwards in brick, render and timber frame, and new housing continues to spread around its edges.
Chiltern cottages may need lime repairs and careful window choices in conservation areas. Interwar semis suit hip-to-gable lofts and rear extensions, while Milton Keynes homes often need roofline renewal, replacement doors and garage conversions.
The Chiltern hills are more exposed than the vale below, and clay-with-flints soils make drainage design and footing depth worth checking early.
Planning and building rules in Buckinghamshire
Because Buckinghamshire falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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.
The four stages
A visit to your home
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about a new patio.
Written quote
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Booking the work
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
The work itself
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
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.
Do I need planning permission in Buckinghamshire?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Buckinghamshire is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Does a patio need planning permission?
Most patios do not need planning permission, but it depends on the size, height and location, your home's position, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. Raised patios or decking more than a small height above the ground may need permission because of overlooking. We check the position for your garden before quoting.
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.
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.
Towns in Buckinghamshire
Our coverage for a new patio in Buckinghamshire includes the towns listed here. Each page explains guide costs, typical timings and the neighbouring places we also serve.