Get a Quote
A patio that sheds water away from the house, stays level and is quoted in full before work starts.
What We Arrange
Every job starts with a site survey, ground conditions, drainage and falls checked before a price is given.
Full patio installation covering excavation, Type 1 sub-base, bedding and jointing.
Non-porous porcelain slabs laid on a full mortar bed with primer slurry and jointing compound.
Natural sandstone slabs, including Raj Green, laid on a mortar bed with sealed jointing compound.
Limestone and natural stone slabs laid on a compacted sub-base with correct drainage falls.
Block paving laid on a compacted sub-base and bedding layer with jointing sand and edging restraints.
Existing patio assessed for drainage, joint condition and slab stability before any work is quoted.
Steps and raised terraces built with consistent rise and tread sizing, mortar bed and drainage fall.
Paving slab, brick and natural stone paths laid on a compacted sub-base with edging and drainage.
Fall direction checked with a laser level; slabs lifted, sub-base rebuilt and relaid to correct gradient.
Edging blocks and retaining walls set on a compacted granular base with drainage and landscape adhesive.
LED step lights, wall fittings and concealed low-voltage cabling fitted to an existing patio surface.
Pressure washing, joint raking, repointing with jointing compound and loose slab re-bedding.
Full patio installation from excavation and sub-base through to jointing, edging and drainage falls.
Dig-out to the correct depth for sub-base and bedding.
Compacted granular base layer sized to the load and ground conditions.
Levels set so water drains away from the damp-proof course.
Full mortar bed with primer slurry for porcelain and natural stone.
Jointing compound suited to the slab material, stone, porcelain or block.
ACO channel drains specified where surface water needs a fixed outlet.
Edging set on a compacted base to hold the paved area in line.
Joint raking, re-bedding and repointing to extend an existing surface.
Done Right
Most patio failures trace back to one of four preparation shortcuts. Here is what each one looks like and how it is avoided.
Paving laid on loose sand without a set fall drains back to the house and can breach the damp-proof course over time.
The fall direction is set with a laser level before bedding begins, so water sheds away from the building.
Porcelain will not bond to a sand bed, without a full mortar bed and primer slurry, slabs lift within a season or two.
Each porcelain slab is back-primed and laid on a full mortar bed, giving a bond the material actually requires.
Cambridgeshire clay shifts seasonally; a sub-base too shallow to carry the load causes slabs to sink and joints to open.
Sub-base depth is specified to the ground conditions found on site, not a one-size figure applied to every job.
A price that excludes excavation and drainage looks low but grows once work starts and the ground is opened up.
Excavation, sub-base, bedding and paving are quoted as separate line items so the full cost is visible before work begins.
Why Cambridge Patios
We take enquiries from Cambridge property owners and schedule a survey that specifies the right materials and quotes every stage of the work.
The site visit happens first, so the quote reflects actual ground conditions, not assumptions.
Excavation, sub-base, bedding and paving appear as individual lines, so nothing is buried in a lump sum.
Porcelain, sandstone, limestone or block paving is recommended based on ground conditions and drainage, not just budget.
Falls, damp-proof course clearance and drainage are confirmed before any slab is placed or mortar is mixed.
Victorian terraces off Mill Road, 1930s semis in Cherry Hinton and new plots in Trumpington Meadows all get the same ground-up approach.
Who We Help
We schedule surveys for a range of property types across Cambridge and its villages.
Cambridge homeowners who want a patio that stays level, drains correctly and does not need patching within a few years. We schedule a garden survey, with advice on porcelain, sandstone, limestone or block paving, and quote excavation, sub-base and paving as separate lines.
Developers finishing Cambridge plots who need patio and hard-landscaping work quoted and completed to a fixed specification. We schedule a ground survey. Unsuitable material is cleared and every stage is quoted before work begins.
Landlords with Cambridge rental properties where an existing patio is cracked, uneven or draining back to the house. We schedule an assessment of whether repointing, lift-and-relay or a full replacement is the right fix, and quote accordingly.
Commercial property owners in Cambridge who need a paved outdoor area specified to carry regular foot traffic and drain correctly. We schedule a site survey, specify the sub-base depth and material, and quote the work in full.
Pricing Estimates
| Job | Typical cost | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
| Small budget patio | £1,400-£2,400 | 10m² |
| Standard patio | £2,100-£4,800 | 20m² |
| Large patio | £3,500-£8,000 | 40m² |
About Us
Cambridge Patios helps property owners get paving specified and laid correctly. Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and new-build gardens share the same failure: slabs on a thin sand bed with no falls, which rock, stain and drain back to the house. We schedule a ground survey, with advice on materials and a proper quote for every stage.
About us“We exist to take the guesswork out of patio projects for Cambridge property owners. We schedule a ground survey that checks the falls and damp-proof course, and quotes every stage of the work separately.”
Quotes are broken into separate lines so every stage of the cost is visible before work starts.
Material and method are matched to the site conditions, not applied as a one-size default.
Falls, damp-proof course clearance and drainage are checked at survey, before any paving is laid.
The installer surveys the ground and owns the quote, so the price reflects what is actually there.
Areas We Cover
We cover a wide area, with surveys scheduled by postcode.
Tell us your postcode and we will confirm whether a survey and quote are available in your area.
Start Your EnquiryCommon Questions
Most new patios come in at £1,400-£2,400, varying with size, material choice, and how much groundwork the site needs. Porcelain and natural stone sit at the higher end; concrete block paving tends to cost less. A site survey gives you a firm figure based on your actual garden.
A typical quote covers excavation, a compacted sub-base, bedding mortar or sand, the slabs or blocks themselves, and jointing. Edge restraints and basic falls for drainage are usually included. Any significant groundwork, such as breaking out an old patio or installing a soakaway, is normally quoted as a separate line.
Yes, a patio often works better than lawn in a small garden because it gives usable, low-maintenance space year-round. Lighter-coloured slabs such as limestone or porcelain can make a compact area feel larger. Keeping the layout simple and the jointing tight maximises every square metre.
Yes, though the material choice matters. Smaller block paving or modular slabs cut to size handle curves and irregular boundaries more cleanly than large-format porcelain, which produces more waste. A surveyor can advise on the best format for your specific shape before any material is ordered.
If fewer than a quarter of the slabs are cracked or sunken and the sub-base is sound, targeted repair and repointing is usually cost-effective. Widespread sinking, crumbling mortar across the whole area, or a failed sub-base means replacement will be cheaper long-term than repeated patch repairs. A survey will tell you which applies. Cleaning, repointing & repair
A correctly built patio, adequate sub-base depth, proper compaction, and accurate drainage falls, should not crack or sink under normal use. The risk rises sharply if the sub-base is too shallow or the ground was not compacted before laying. Ask your installer what sub-base specification they are using before work starts.
Contact us and we will share the contact details of the contractor that did the work. Document the issue with photos and note when it appeared. Most contractors return to inspect and, where the fault is workmanship-related, rectify it. Confirm the complaints process with your contractor at the point of agreeing the quote.
Cracking and sinking almost always trace back to a failed or inadequate sub-base. If the hardcore layer was too thin, poorly compacted, or laid over soft ground, slabs shift under load and frost. Tree roots undermining the base and water eroding the bedding mortar are also common causes. Repointing alone will not fix a sub-base problem.
Describe the garden, what is down there now and how it drains. We will schedule a site survey and quote excavation, sub-base, bedding and paving as separate lines.