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.
Homeowners in Torquay usually consider a new patio for one of a few reasons: something has worn out, the house no longer suits the way they live, or they are getting it ready to sell. We visit, agree a specification and put a fixed price in writing. Most jobs like this take 3–7 days on site, and we work across Devon, including Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth.
- Guide price
- £2,600–£5,600 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- TQ1, TQ2, TQ3 and TQ4
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Torbay
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Patios and paving prices in Torquay
What will a new patio cost in Torquay? Our guide range is £2,600–£5,600 including VAT. That figure is adjusted for the South West, about 2% above the national guide, and is intended for planning a budget. A firm written price for your chosen specification follows a free survey at your home.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Torquay |
|---|---|---|
| Small patio or path | Around 10m² of concrete slabs or a garden path. | £1,000–£2,600 |
| Typical 20m² patio | Sandstone or porcelain on a full sub-base with jointing and edging. | £2,600–£5,600 |
| Large or multi-level patio | Bigger areas, steps, retaining walls or premium stone. | £5,600–£12,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Patio area and the amount of excavation
- Slab material, size and laying pattern
- Ground levels, slopes, steps and retaining walls
- Drainage needed to keep water away from the house
What does the job include in Torquay?
- 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
- Jointing with mortar or a brush-in compound
- Edging and neat cuts around drains and walls
Homes in Devon
Devon is known for cob and thatch cottages, especially in mid and east Devon, alongside granite on Dartmoor and red sandstone around Exeter. Exeter and Plymouth have Georgian and Victorian terraces, Plymouth's centre was largely rebuilt after the war, and seaside towns such as Torquay and Exmouth have rendered villas and newer estates.
Mild but wet, with strong coastal winds; exposed elevations need render and pointing specified for driving rain, and cob walls must be kept dry at the base.
That variety is why a guide price for a new patio in Torquay is only a starting point; the survey shows what your particular property needs.
Planning and building rules in Torquay
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Torquay, the answer is England, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
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
A visit to your home
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Price and scope agreed
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.
Plan and prepare
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a new patio are in place before the first day on site.
The work itself
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
Why homeowners choose us
Patios and paving in Torquay: 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.
Do you cover Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth?
Yes. As well as Torquay, we cover Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth and the rest of Devon. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
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.
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.
Which postcodes in Torquay do you cover?
We cover TQ1, TQ2, TQ3 and TQ4, along with the rest of Devon. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Nearby towns
We survey and quote throughout Torquay's TQ1, TQ2, TQ3 and TQ4 postcodes and in surrounding places such as Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth. The process and pricing approach are identical in each of them.