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.
Planning a new patio for a home in Burnley means making a handful of decisions about materials, layout, finish and timing. We help you work through them at a free survey, then confirm in writing what it will cost for the options you pick. Most projects of this type need 3–7 days on site, and we cover every BB10 and BB11 address as well as the rest of Lancashire.
- Guide price
- £2,400–£5,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- BB10 and BB11
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Lancashire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new patio in Burnley?
The table below shows guide prices for a new patio in Burnley. They are based on rates in the North West, which run about 5% below the national guide, giving an overall range of £2,400–£5,200. All figures include VAT and are firmed up after a free site survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Burnley |
|---|---|---|
| Small patio or path | Around 10m² of concrete slabs or a garden path. | £950–£2,400 |
| Typical 20m² patio | Sandstone or porcelain on a full sub-base with jointing and edging. | £2,400–£5,200 |
| Large or multi-level patio | Bigger areas, steps, retaining walls or premium stone. | £5,200–£11,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Patio area and the amount of excavation
- Ground levels, slopes, steps and retaining walls
- Drainage needed to keep water away from the house
- Access for materials and removing spoil
What do you get?
- Survey of levels, damp-proof course, drainage and access
- Excavation and removal of turf, soil or old paving
- 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
- Site cleared, waste removed and paving cleaned
What are homes like around Burnley?
East Lancashire mill towns such as Burnley, Blackburn and Accrington have long rows of stone and brick terraces, while Preston is mostly red brick. Lancaster uses sandstone for its Georgian centre, Blackpool and the Fylde coast have guest-house terraces and many bungalows, and interwar and newer estates surround most towns.
Westerly winds and high rainfall are the norm, with gales on the Fylde coast and wetter, colder conditions on the Pennine side.
With that background in mind, here is how we typically handle a new patio for homes in Burnley, from the first visit to the finished result.
Do you need permission in Burnley?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Burnley is in England. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
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
Survey and measure
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.
Your fixed price
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.
Build and hand over
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
Common questions
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
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 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.
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.
Do I need planning permission in Burnley?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Burnley 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.
Also covering areas around Burnley
If your address falls within BB10 and BB11, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Nelson, Colne and Accrington, which we include alongside Burnley when arranging surveys and quotes.