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 Sudbury 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 CO10 address as well as the rest of Suffolk.
- Guide price
- £2,600–£5,800 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–7 days on site
- Postcodes
- CO10
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Suffolk
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a new patio cost in Sudbury?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a new patio in Sudbury. Because rates in the East of England are about 5% above the national guide, the overall guide comes to £2,600–£5,800, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Sudbury |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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
- Access for materials and removing spoil
Scope of the work
- 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
- Site cleared, waste removed and paving cleaned
Homes in Suffolk
Suffolk villages are full of timber-framed cottages, many limewashed in traditional colours such as Suffolk pink, with pargeting and thatch in places. Flint and pale gault brick are common too. Ipswich has Victorian terraces and interwar estates, Bury St Edmunds has Georgian streets, and Lowestoft and Felixstowe mix Victorian seaside housing with newer estates.
Timber-framed buildings need breathable lime plaster and render, and roof repairs that suit the original materials. Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, while newer homes commonly take garage conversions and porches.
Whatever era your Sudbury 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 Sudbury
As Sudbury is in England, read the following with that system of planning and building control in mind. We check what applies to your house with the council before you receive a quote.
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.
What happens after you get in touch?
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.
Quote in writing
After the survey we send a quote for a new patio that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
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.
On site to finish
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
Patios and paving in Sudbury: 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.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
What should I do before the work starts?
Before work starts, clear garden furniture, pots and ornaments from the area and agree where materials will be delivered and stored. We need a route for wheelbarrows and, on larger jobs, a small digger, so let us know about side gates, narrow passages or access through the house. Tell us about any known drains, cables or pipes in the area.
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.
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.
Also covering areas around Sudbury
Sudbury and its CO10 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Colchester, Haverhill and Braintree can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.