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.
Anyone planning a new patio in March wants three things: a clear price, a realistic timetable and a tidy job. We publish a guide of £2,600–£5,800 including VAT for the East of England up front, explain that work normally takes 3–7 days on site, and confirm both in writing after a free survey of your property.
- Guide price
- £2,600–£5,800 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- PE15
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Cambridgeshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new patio cost in March?
Budgeting for a new patio in March? The numbers below include VAT and are adjusted for the East of England, where costs are about 5% above the national guide. The headline range is £2,600–£5,800. Nothing is final until we have measured up at a free survey and agreed the specification with you.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in March |
|---|---|---|
| Small patio or path | Around 10m² of concrete slabs or a garden path. | £1,050–£2,600 |
| Typical 20m² patio | Sandstone or porcelain on a full sub-base with jointing and edging. | £2,600–£5,800 |
| Large or multi-level patio | Bigger areas, steps, retaining walls or premium stone. | £5,800–£12,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Patio area and the amount of excavation
- Slab material, size and laying pattern
- Ground levels, slopes, steps and retaining walls
- Access for materials and removing spoil
What’s included?
- 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
- Jointing with mortar or a brush-in compound
- Edging and neat cuts around drains and walls
What are homes like around March?
Cambridge has many Victorian terraces in pale gault brick, with Edwardian villas and modern estates around the city. Peterborough expanded as a new town from the 1970s, adding large planned estates, while Ely, Huntingdon, St Neots and the Fenland market towns keep Georgian and Victorian centres. Limestone appears in villages near the Northamptonshire border.
Narrow terraces commonly suit loft conversions and kitchen extensions. Newer estate homes often need garage conversions, porches and landscaping, and older brick and stone buildings may call for lime-based repointing and carefully specified windows.
So when we survey a March property for a new patio, the first step is working out how it was built and what has been changed since.
Do you need permission in March?
The notes below cover England, which is where March sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
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.
From survey to handover
Free site survey
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for a new patio so the price reflects your home.
Written quote
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
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
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
What you can expect from us
Patios and paving in March: questions
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.
How long will a new patio take?
On a typical home, allow 3–7 days on site. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
Do I need planning permission in March?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. March 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.
How much does a new patio cost?
A typical 20m² patio in sandstone or porcelain costs £2,600–£5,800, including excavation, sub-base, laying and jointing. As a guide, allow roughly £100–£220 per square metre plus fixed costs for set-up and waste. Concrete slabs cost less, while slate, granite and large-format porcelain cost more. Steps, walls and drainage add to the total. We confirm a fixed price after the survey.
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.
Near March
Homes across PE15 in March are within our coverage, as are those in Wisbech, Ely and Peterborough. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.