Patio installers near you
New patios, relaid patios and herringbone paving, built from the sub-base up so they stay level and shed water away from the house.
Patio installation from a local team
Looking for patio installers near you? We are based in Bidwell, Dunstable and lay patios across Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Totternhoe, Harpenden, Wheathampstead and Redbourn. Patio laying is part of our hardscaping work, alongside block-paved driveways, retaining walls, steps and garden walls, so a patio can be built as one job with the walls and levels around it.
Our two-tiered garden overhaul case study is a good example: a plain new-build plot turned into a terraced garden with Dijon limestone herringbone paving, sleeper tiers and steps down to a home office.
Choosing the stone
Porcelain is dense, consistent in colour and easy to keep clean, but it needs the right primer and bedding to bond, and the cutting has to be accurate because the slabs are hard and unforgiving. Indian sandstone has natural colour variation and a riven or sawn face; it is popular for traditional gardens and weathers in over time. Limestone gives a smooth, pale, even finish and suits contemporary layouts, including herringbone and other patterned designs.
A herringbone patio uses smaller rectangular units laid at an angle, which takes more cutting and more time than a large-format layout but looks striking and copes well with gentle curves. We talk through the look you want, how the area is used and how much maintenance you are happy with before you choose.
What sits underneath
Most patio problems start underneath. We dig out to firm ground, lay and compact a proper sub-base and plan the falls so water runs away from the house and off the paving. Slabs go down on a full mortar bed rather than dabs, which leave voids that crack and rock. Edging is set in concrete so the surface does not creep over the years.
Next to the house, the finished level has to stay below the damp-proof course, and on sloping gardens a retaining wall or steps may be needed to hold the patio level. On low ground near a river, such as parts of the Lea valley, drainage deserves extra thought.
Patio repair and relaying
Not every job is a new patio. Where slabs have sunk or rocked loose, we lift them, correct the sub-base and relay them. Where joints have failed, we rake out and repoint with a mix that suits the stone and the joint width. If the base has failed across the whole area, relaying is usually better value than patching the same slabs year after year.
Questions people ask
- Why is my patio sinking?
- Usually because the ground underneath was not dug out and compacted properly, the sub-base is too thin, or water is washing fines out of it. A leaking drain or soft backfilled trench under the patio can do the same. The fix is to lift the affected slabs, rebuild the base and relay them.
- Why is my patio pointing cracking?
- Pointing cracks when the slabs move, when the joints were too shallow or the mix too weak, or when frost gets into joints that hold water. If slabs rock when you stand on them, the bedding is the real problem and repointing alone will not last.
- Why is my patio green?
- Green staining is algae or moss, which grows where the paving stays damp and shaded. Poor falls that let water sit on the surface make it worse. Cleaning removes it, but improving drainage and light stops it returning so quickly.
- Why is my patio cracking?
- Cracked slabs usually point to voids in the bedding, a weak or uneven sub-base, or heavy loads the patio was not built for. Tree roots and ground movement can also crack paving. We find the cause before replacing slabs so the new ones do not crack too.
- Are pavers good for patios?
- Yes. Block pavers and small-format units are hard-wearing and easy to repair one at a time, and they suit patterns like herringbone. Large slabs give a cleaner look with fewer joints. Both last well when the base is right.
- What is the best patio repointing mix?
- It depends on the stone and the joint. A traditional sand and cement mortar works for many natural stone patios, while porcelain often suits a specialist jointing compound. The joint needs to be filled to full depth whichever you use.
Related: patio installation guide · retaining wall types · block paving cost factors · hardscaping · garden rooms · Indian sandstone patios · porcelain patios · case studies.