How much does a patio cost in Bath?

£70 to £130/m² installed, so a typical 20m² patio runs £1,400 to £2,600. Steps, retaining work and difficult access add to the total.

Porcelain or sandstone?

Porcelain for a uniform, zero-maintenance modern finish; sandstone for warmth and character at a lower price. On period Bath properties, natural stone usually wins on looks; for busy families, porcelain wins on upkeep.

My garden slopes, can I still have a patio?

Yes, most Bath gardens do. Sloping plots need proper levels, retaining edges and sometimes steps, all designed into the quote. It adds cost but is entirely routine.

How long does a patio take to build?

A straightforward 20m² patio takes three to five days including excavation, sub-base and laying. Complex levels or access through the house extend that.

Patios and garden paving in Bath

A new patio in Bath costs £70 to £130/m² installed depending on material: porcelain and Indian sandstone at the value end, premium natural stone higher. In a city built on oolitic limestone, natural stone paving is practically the local vernacular.

Get Quote Call 07426 793938 From £70/m² supplied & laid

Natural sandstone patio behind a period stone house

Patio materials, honestly compared

Indian sandstone (£70 to £100/m²) is the value natural stone: warm buffs and greys, a naturally riven surface, and it ages gracefully. Porcelain (£90 to £130/m²) is the modern choice: uniform, stain-proof, algae-resistant and available in stone-effect finishes. Premium natural stone, limestone, slate, granite, starts around £100/m² and is the most sympathetic choice for period Bath gardens.

Bath gardens: slopes and stone

Many Bath gardens are anything but flat, terraced plots on the city's hillsides often need retaining edges, steps and careful drainage designed alongside the paving itself. A good quote covers all of it: levels, falls away from the house, and how the patio meets lawns, beds and boundaries. Getting levels wrong on a slope is the most expensive patio mistake there is.

What a proper patio build-up looks like

Whatever the surface, the foundation is the same: excavated formation, 100 to 150mm of compacted MOT Type 1, then a full mortar bed (never dot-and-dab for patios, it voids and rocks within a couple of winters). Falls of roughly 1:60 away from the house keep surface water moving. On period properties, pointing colour and edge detail matter more than most people expect.

Costs in Bath

A typical 20m² patio runs £1,400 to £2,600 depending on material and groundwork. Steps, retaining edges, drainage channels and awkward access (common on Bath's terraced hillside plots, where everything comes through the house) add to the figure and should be itemised in the quote.

Timing and aftercare

A straightforward patio takes three to five days. Keep foot traffic off fresh mortar for 48 hours. Porcelain needs almost no aftercare; natural stone benefits from sealing in the first year if you want to keep the just-laid colour, or left unsealed it silvers and mellows naturally.