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.
We offer a new patio across County Down, and Newtownards is one of the places we cover, along with nearby Bangor, County Down, Castlereagh and Belfast. Before anything is agreed we visit, check the existing structure and talk through your options. You then receive a written quote setting out the full scope; for most homes in Northern Ireland it sits within £2,200–£4,700 including VAT.
- Guide price
- £2,200–£4,700 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- BT23
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- Ards
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new patio cost in Newtownards?
Use the table to gauge the cost of a new patio in Newtownards before we visit. Figures include VAT and are scaled for Northern Ireland, coming out about 14% below the national guide, which gives £2,200–£4,700 overall. After a free survey, you receive a fixed written price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Newtownards |
|---|---|---|
| Small patio or path | Around 10m² of concrete slabs or a garden path. | £850–£2,200 |
| Typical 20m² patio | Sandstone or porcelain on a full sub-base with jointing and edging. | £2,200–£4,700 |
| Large or multi-level patio | Bigger areas, steps, retaining walls or premium stone. | £4,700–£10,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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
What does the job include in Newtownards?
- Survey of levels, damp-proof course, drainage and access
- Excavation and removal of turf, soil or old paving
- 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
- Site cleared, waste removed and paving cleaned
Building in Newtownards
County Down takes in suburbs of Belfast, Bangor and Holywood with Victorian and Edwardian villas, and Newry, Downpatrick and Banbridge with older town centres and newer estates. Mourne granite appears in buildings around the mountains, and detached rural homes and bungalows are common across the county, often rendered or pebbledashed.
Coastal areas such as the Ards Peninsula face salt and wind, and the Mournes bring heavier rain and colder conditions.
Whatever era your Newtownards home dates from, we plan a new patio around how it is actually built rather than a one-size-fits-all specification.
Planning and building rules in Newtownards
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Newtownards, the answer is Northern Ireland, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
A ground-level patio does not usually need planning permission in Northern Ireland; raised platforms are more restricted.
Building control approval is not normally needed for a patio.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
We look at the job
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a new patio, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Your fixed price
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Getting ready
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
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
How we work
Patios and paving in Newtownards: questions
How do I clean and look after my patio?
Most patios just need regular sweeping and an occasional wash with water and a mild patio cleaner. Porcelain is the easiest to keep clean. Natural stone benefits from a sealant to reduce staining and from prompt cleaning of spills like oil or wine. Re-point any joints that crack or wash out. Avoid high-pressure jet washing close to joints, which can damage them.
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.
Do I need planning permission in Newtownards?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Newtownards is in Northern Ireland, so Northern Ireland'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 £2,200–£4,700, 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.
Can you combine a new patio with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a new patio alongside other work on your Newtownards home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
Also covering areas around Newtownards
Homes across BT23 in Newtownards are within our coverage, as are those in Bangor, County Down, Castlereagh and Belfast. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.