New Patio in Bradwell

Bradwell mixes an older village core with homes built as Milton Keynes expanded. Many of the newer gardens still have the original grey concrete slabs, often laid quickly on sand and now rocking, cracked or green. A new patio here usually starts by lifting that old paving, which tells us a lot about the ground underneath.

Lifting and preparing. Once the old slabs are up, we dig down to firm ground and remove the sand, rubble and soft soil. Clay is common in this part of Milton Keynes, so the sub-base matters. We lay and compact hardcore in stages, then set each new slab on a full mortar bed, so the patio cannot sink in the same way the old one did.

Getting the fall right. Old patios are often flat or even tilted towards the house. We reset the levels so the new surface sheds water away from the walls and keeps clear of the damp course, and we make sure the step out of the back door or patio doors is a comfortable height.

Where a garden rises or drops, a raised patio with a low retaining wall can make a level seating area near the house, with steps down to the lawn. A sunken patio is another option on a slope, creating a sheltered space below the main garden.

Access and timing. Many Bradwell homes have side gates or rear paths that make it easy to bring in paving and remove old slabs. Lifting an old patio adds a little time, so most replacements take around a week, depending on size and weather.

Replacing an old patio is also a chance to rethink its shape. Original slab areas were often a simple rectangle squeezed against the back wall. Making the new one deeper, wrapping it round a corner of the house to catch evening sun, or adding a separate small landing by the shed are all easy to plan before the first spade goes in.

We also look at where downpipes and old gullies discharge, because a replacement patio sometimes reveals a blocked or broken drain that caused the original paving to sink. Fixing that at the same time saves lifting brand new stone later.