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.
Every house in Dover is a little different, so we never price a new patio from a brochure. We look at the structure, access and existing finishes first, then put in writing a fixed figure for the scope we settle on. As a rough steer, homeowners in the South East should budget £2,800–£6,200 including VAT, with work typically taking 3–7 days on site.
- Guide price
- £2,800–£6,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- CT14, CT16 and CT17
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Kent
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new patio cost in Dover?
What should you budget for a new patio in Dover? 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 Dover |
|---|---|---|
| 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:
- 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
Scope of the work
- 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
What are homes like around Dover?
Kent's older buildings include oast houses, weatherboarded cottages, Wealden timber-framed houses and Kentish ragstone walls. Medway towns have long rows of Victorian terraces, Margate and Ramsgate have Regency and Victorian seafronts, and Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford have seen large new estates alongside interwar and post-war housing.
One of England's sunnier, drier counties, but Thanet and the coast are windy, and Weald and London Clay soils can shrink in summer.
None of this holds for every street in Dover, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a new patio rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules in Dover
Because Dover 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.
From survey to handover
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.
Quote in writing
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
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
On site to finish
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.
What you can expect from us
Patios and paving in Dover: questions
Is porcelain or sandstone better for a patio?
Porcelain is dense, stain-resistant and stays looking clean with little care, making it a good choice if you want a modern, low-maintenance patio. Indian sandstone has natural colour variation and a softer, traditional look, and costs a little less, but it can stain and weather over time and benefits from sealing. Both make durable patios when properly laid. We bring samples to the survey.
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.
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 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.
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.
Near Dover
Addresses in CT14, CT16 and CT17 are all covered for Dover, along with Folkestone, Deal and Canterbury close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.