Patios, Paving & Pathways in East Dulwich & South East London

Sandstone, porcelain, Yorkstone and reclaimed brick. Laid on a proper sub-base, with the right falls, in the right weather.

Patios are the single most-asked-for landscaping job in South London. The Victorian flag patio that's lifted for the third time. The 2008 Indian sandstone that's gone slimy and uneven. The concrete slabs from the 70s that finally have to go. We replace dozens a year — and the difference between one that lasts twenty years and one that's failing in five is almost entirely what's underneath it.

When we quote a patio, the visible stone is maybe a third of the cost. The rest is the groundworks. That's where the money should go.

What we do

  • New patios in sandstone, limestone, granite, Yorkstone, porcelain, brick and reclaimed materials
  • Replacement of existing patios
  • Garden pathways — straight runs, curved paths, stepping stones
  • Side-passage pathways, often part of a kitchen-extension finish
  • Front-of-house paving and bin-store paving
  • Brick edging, sett edging, steel edge restraints
  • Steps and level changes built into the paving design
  • Drainage built in — channel drains, soakaways, etc.,
  • Repointing of existing patios

Our patio process

1. Survey and measure. We measure the full area, check existing levels, identify any drains, manholes, or services in the patio zone, and work out where water needs to fall to.

2. Strip out. Existing slabs lifted, broken concrete broken out, old bedding cleared. We dig down to the right depth — usually 200 to 250mm below the finished patio level for a domestic patio, more if the ground is soft or the use is heavy.

3. Drainage and falls. Falls planned at 1:80 minimum, falling away from the house, draining to a soakaway, channel drain, or existing surface drain. Without proper falls a patio puddles, freezes, and breaks up.

4. Sub-base. This is the bit nobody sees and everybody skips. We use 100-150mm of MOT Type 1 hardcore, laid in two layers, plate-compacted between each layer.

5. Bedding. Wet-mix mortar bedding for natural stone (4:1 sharp sand to cement, plus SBR for adhesion). Full bed, not five spots — a five-spot bed is the most common reason a patio rocks within two years.

6. Lay. Each slab cut where needed, laid to the line, levelled to the falls, with consistent joint widths set with spacers. Cuts done off the slab, off-site where possible to keep your garden tidy.

7. Point. Paving sand where applicable. Mortar pointing for traditional stone, polymeric jointing compound for porcelain. Tooled neatly so water runs off, not into the joints.

8. Seal (where appropriate). Some sandstones benefit from a sealer to reduce staining and slow algae. Porcelain doesn't need it.

9. Clean down. Final wash, cuttings disposed of, surrounding garden left tidy.

Materials we use

We've laid our share of patios across South London. A rough guide to what suits what:

  • Sawn London Yorkstone — the gold standard for a Victorian or Georgian house. Honest, hand-finished look, ages to a soft grey, gets better with time. Premium price (£90-£140/sqm material).
  • Sawn Indian sandstone (Mint, Kandla Grey, Raj) — looks like Yorkstone at a fraction of the price. Good quality versions are excellent value (£35-£60/sqm material).
  • Porcelain — modern, super-flat finish, doesn't stain, doesn't fade, doesn't need sealing. Slightly less warm-looking than natural stone, but huge in modern South London gardens (£45-£90/sqm material).
  • Granite setts — beautiful for edging, paths and small spaces.
  • Reclaimed London stock brick — for paving in narrow side passages and Victorian front gardens.
  • Limestone (Jura, Dijon) — beautiful but softer than sandstone; we'll only recommend it for low-traffic areas.

What it costs

Indicative pricing, including labour, sub-base, bedding, pointing and waste disposal. Stone is on top.

  • Lift and relay existing patio (small, 15-25 sqm): £3,500 to £6,500
  • New small patio (15-25 sqm), Indian sandstone: £4,500 to £8,500
  • New medium patio (25-50 sqm), Indian sandstone or porcelain: £8,000 to £15,000
  • New medium patio (25-50 sqm), sawn Yorkstone: £14,000 to £24,000
  • Large patio (50+ sqm) plus pathway: £15,000 to £35,000
  • Side passage / front garden paving: £3,500 to £8,000
  • Steps with paving (per step): £350 to £750

What moves the price: total area, choice of stone, complexity of cuts (curves cost more than straight runs), depth of dig (going deeper because of soft ground or extra drainage), and access.

Areas we cover

East Dulwich · Dulwich Village · West Dulwich · Herne Hill · Peckham · Camberwell · Forest Hill · Honor Oak & Nunhead

Get A Free Quote
A backyard patio area with large light-colored tiles, outdoor furniture including a wicker chair and small matching table, a lawn on the left, a garden bed with plants, and a gray wooden shed on the right.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Patios, Paving & Pathways

  • March to October is the working window in London. We can lay in November or February if it’s a mild week, but mortar doesn’t cure properly below 5°C. We won’t lay through a frosty week, even if the gap in the diary is tempting.

  • A typical 30 sqm replacement patio takes us 8-14 working days door-to-door, depending on dig depth and cuts. Bigger jobs and patios with steps run longer.

  • Sandstone is the value choice and looks great. Yorkstone is the premium choice on a Victorian or Georgian house. Porcelain is the practical choice for a modern garden where you don’t want to seal or scrub. We’ll talk through it on the site visit.

  • Almost always because the sub-base was thin, the bedding was a five-spot instead of a full bed, or the falls were wrong. Each freeze-thaw cycle lifts a poorly-bedded slab. We fix that by overbuilding the bit you can’t see.

  • Sometimes. If it’s good Yorkstone or sound sandstone, we can lift it, clean it and relay on a fresh sub-base. We’ll tell you honestly if it’s worth saving.

  • Falls of at least 1:80 away from the house, into either a soakaway, channel drain, or existing rainwater drain. We design this as part of the survey and tell you if any extra drainage is needed.

How a quote works

  1. Tell us about your garden.
    Use the form opposite to describe what you’d like done — a new patio, garden room, full redesign, or anything in between. WhatsApp 07584 928 681 if it’s easier.

  2. Send a plan or photos.
    Already have a plan from a landscape architect or garden designer? Upload it. Otherwise, just attach a few photos of your existing garden so we can see what we’re working with.

  3. We assess the job and call you.
    We’ll review everything you’ve sent, work out what’s involved, and ring you to talk it through.

  4. Book a site visit when it suits you.
    We come and walk the garden with you to confirm the details, then send a clear, fixed written quote — itemised by element so you know exactly what you’re paying for.