Planning a block paved patio in Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a smaller town, and many homes have more garden to work with, which leaves room for borders, steps and planting around the paving.
Wet winters in Northern Ireland make falls, edge restraints and full joints especially important.
How much does a block paved patio cost in Downpatrick?
For Downpatrick, our guide is £75–£135 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² patio is likely to be £1,750–£3,050. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Block paved patio (concrete block) | £75–£135 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9.50–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £19–£50 per metre |
| Step with block or brick riser and paved tread | £170–£330 per step |
| Typical channel drain run | £330–£950 |
Guide figures for Northern Ireland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a block paved patio involve?
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.
- Layout marked out with you, including steps and doors
- Dig-out and compacted sub-base (around 100 mm for foot traffic)
- Blocks in your pattern, edges and cuts
- Optional sealer
- Jointing sand and compaction
What we check on a Downpatrick survey
- Levels against the damp-proof course and door thresholds
- Where rain will go: falls away from the house, onto lawn or borders, or into a channel
- Ground conditions and how deep the dig must be
- Edges against lawns, beds, fences and walls
- Manhole and inspection covers in the area
Do you need permission for a block paved patio in Downpatrick?
A patio or path behind the house does not usually need planning permission. Raised patios, listed buildings and flats can be different, so we check on the survey.
Paving in front of the house follows the front-garden rules: in Northern Ireland, front paving over 5 m² must be porous or drain within your boundary to be permitted development.
What happens next
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
How we work
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Patios in Downpatrick: questions
Is the survey in Downpatrick free?
Yes, for new paving here: the survey and written quote are free with no obligation. Repairs and cleaning are usually priced from photos, or from a short visit where needed.
Do you cover Newcastle, Carryduff and Comber?
Yes. We cover Downpatrick and the places around it, including Newcastle, Carryduff and Comber, and the rest of County Down.
Can the paving be level with the back door?
Paving normally sits at least 150 mm below the damp-proof course. A level step-out needs a drainage channel against the house and careful detailing, which we agree on the survey.
Do I need planning permission for a block paved patio in Downpatrick?
Not usually for a patio or path behind the house. Raised patios, listed buildings and flats can be different, and paving in front of the house follows the front-garden rules. In Northern Ireland, front paving over 5 m² must be porous or drain within your boundary to be permitted development.
Patios near Downpatrick
Nearby towns we cover for patios, and patios across County Down:
- Patios in Newcastle
- Patios in Carryduff
- Patios in Comber
- Patios in Newtownards
- Patios in Dundonald
- Patios in Holywood
