The short answer
A new patio in the UK typically costs from around £50 per square metre for basic concrete slabs up to roughly £100–£180+ per square metre for natural stone or porcelain, installed. Material alone is only part of it: supply-only Indian sandstone is often around £20–£27 per m² and porcelain around £20–£60 per m², with the rest of the price being labour, sub-base, bedding mortar and jointing. Most patios need at least two installers, with landscapers commonly charging £150–£250 per person per day, and laying rates vary by region. The main drivers are the area, the slab you choose, and how much groundwork and levelling the site needs.
Patio price depends mainly on the slab you pick, the area, and how much sub-base and levelling the ground needs. The figures below are typical installed prices for guidance, not quotations.
Typical UK costs
- Basic concrete slabsfrom ~£50 / m² installed
- Natural stone / porcelain~£100–£180+ / m² installed
- Indian sandstone (supply only)~£20–£27 / m²
- Porcelain (supply only)~£20–£60 / m²
- Labour~£150–£250 per person per day
What drives the price
- Slab material: concrete slabs are the lowest-priced; natural stone such as sandstone, limestone or granite and porcelain sit higher.
- Area in square metres: you pay largely per m², so a large patio costs more — but the fixed setup spreads over a bigger area.
- Groundwork: the sub-base, bedding mortar, jointing and levelling are a large share of the cost and where quality shows.
- Access and complexity: awkward access, steps, edging or a sloping garden add labour time.
| Item | Typical figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic concrete slabs (installed) | from ~£50 / m² | lowest-priced finish |
| Natural stone / porcelain (installed) | ~£100–£180+ / m² | sandstone, granite, porcelain |
| Indian sandstone (supply only) | ~£20–£27 / m² | before labour & sub-base |
| Labour | ~£150–£250 / person / day | usually two installers |
Indicative UK figures for guidance. Sources: Checkatrade and MyJobQuote patio cost guides.
Why the slab price is only half the story
A patio that lasts is built on a proper sub-base, bedding and jointing, not just nice slabs. Much of the installed price is the groundwork — excavating, laying and compacting the base, bedding each slab on mortar and pointing the joints. A quote that looks cheap on a premium slab may be cutting the base or the bedding, which is where patios fail: rocking slabs, weeds in the joints and pooling water. When comparing quotes, look at the base specification and jointing as closely as the slab.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a patio cost in the UK?
Installed prices typically run from around £50 per square metre for basic concrete slabs up to roughly £100–£180+ per square metre for natural stone or porcelain. The figure depends on the slab, the area, and how much groundwork the site needs.
How much is natural stone or porcelain paving on its own?
Supply-only Indian sandstone is often around £20–£27 per square metre and porcelain around £20–£60 per square metre. The rest of an installed price is labour, sub-base, bedding mortar and jointing.
How much does patio labour cost?
Landscapers commonly charge around £150–£250 per person per day, and most patios need at least two installers. Laying rates also vary by region, with London and the South East at the higher end.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific site. They are guidance, not a quotation.