Block Paving Patios for Gardens | Block Paving Contractors

What does a block paved patio involve?

A block paved patio is a garden seating or dining area paved with concrete or clay blocks on a compacted base. Because a patio carries people and furniture rather than cars, the sub-base is thinner than for a drive, but the falls, edging and drainage matter just as much.

Block suits patios that join a block drive or path, small or awkward spaces where large slabs would need too many cuts, and gardens where you want a pattern such as basketweave or a circle feature. We lay patios to fall away from the house and below the damp-proof course, with edging that stops the blocks creeping into the lawn.

What is included?

Layout marked out with you, including steps and doors
Dig-out and compacted sub-base (around 100 mm for foot traffic)
Falls away from the house and doors
Blocks in your pattern, edges and cuts
Jointing sand and compaction
Optional sealer

Which options are there?

Basketweave or parquet

Square, formal patterns that suit patios and only carry foot traffic.

Herringbone

Busy and classic; continues a herringbone drive round into the garden.

Mixed block and slab

Block borders around larger slabs for a framed finish.

How much does a block paved patio cost?

UK guide price£80–£140 per m² inc VATIncluding VAT at 20%

For a 20 m² patio in the Midlands, that typically comes to £1,850–£3,200. London and the South East cost more, the North East, Yorkshire and Wales a little less. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.

Region	Guide price inc VAT
London	£95–£170 per m²
South East	£85–£150 per m²
East of England	£85–£145 per m²
South West	£80–£140 per m²
West Midlands	£80–£140 per m²
East Midlands	£80–£140 per m²
North West	£80–£140 per m²
Yorkshire and the Humber	£70–£125 per m²
North East	£70–£125 per m²
Wales	£75–£130 per m²
Scotland	£80–£140 per m²
Northern Ireland	£75–£135 per m²

Guide figures checked 9 November 2026. Your written quote after the survey is the price you pay. See the full price list or try the guide price tool.

Is a block paved patio right for you?

Good for

Small or awkwardly shaped gardens
Matching a block drive or path
Patterned or framed designs

Think twice if

Large, minimalist patios where big porcelain slabs suit better

How does it work?

Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.

Do you need permission?

Front-garden paving and dropped kerbs follow different rules in each part of the UK:

Front drive rules in England

In England, paving in front of the house that covers more than 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway inside your boundary. Permeable block paving, or standard blocks laid to fall onto a planted strip, avoid the need for permission in most cases.

Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings, and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can have tighter rules, and conservation areas, National Parks and National Landscapes restrict some permitted development.

A dropped kerb needs your local highway authority's approval (usually the county, unitary, metropolitan or London borough council), and a new access onto an A, B or C classified road also needs planning permission.

Front drive rules in Wales

In Wales, any new or replacement hard surface at the front of a house should be permeable or drain to a permeable area within the property to avoid needing planning permission. Unlike England, there is no 5 m² allowance for new paving; only repairs of up to 5 m² of existing surface are exempt.

Since January 2019, construction work covering 100 m² or more with drainage implications, including drives and patios, needs approval from the local SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed.

A dropped kerb needs your council's approval as highway authority, and a new access onto a classified road needs planning permission.

Front drive rules in Scotland

In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.

Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.

A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.

Front drive rules in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, a hard surface between the front of the house and the road that covers or replaces more than 5 m² must be porous or permeable, or drain to a permeable area within the property, to be permitted development.

Hard surfaces within the grounds of a listed building need listed building consent. Planning is handled by your district council, so check with its planning office if you are unsure.

Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland are approved by DfI Roads (the Department for Infrastructure), not the council; check planning separately with the council.

Questions about patios

Is block paving good for a patio?

Yes. It is hard-wearing, easy to repair and suits small or curved spaces. Large plain patios are sometimes cheaper in slabs, so the quote can compare both.

Which way should a patio slope?

Away from the house, typically around 1 in 60 to 1 in 80, so rain runs off to a lawn, border or drain rather than towards the walls.

How far below the damp-proof course should a patio be?

The usual rule is at least 150 mm below the damp-proof course, unless a drainage channel is fitted along the wall.

Do block patios need sealing?

Not necessarily. Sealing keeps joint sand in, reduces staining and makes cleaning easier; many people seal patios that are used for dining.

Where do you offer block paved patios?

We quote block paved patios across the UK. Choose your area for local prices and towns.

Block paved patios

What does a block paved patio involve?

What is included?