New Patio in Fenny Stratford

Many homes in Fenny Stratford have short, narrow outdoor spaces behind them, sometimes a yard that has been concrete for decades. A new patio in a space like that has to work harder than a large terrace: it needs to drain well, sit at a sensible height against the house and look tidy from the kitchen window all year.

The first job is usually breaking out what is there. Old concrete is lifted in manageable pieces and bagged, then we check what lies beneath. Low lying ground in this part of town, nearer the canal and the River Ouzel, can stay damp, so we pay close attention to the sub-base depth and to where water will go once the surface is sealed over.

Levels at the back door are often the tightest constraint. Older houses frequently have a damp proof course only a short way above the existing yard, and the new surface must stay comfortably below it. Where that leaves a step, we can form a neat single riser or fit a drainage channel against the wall so the paving can sit a little higher without directing water at the brickwork.

We bed each slab fully in mortar rather than on dabs. In a small yard every slab is seen and walked on, so a hollow corner that rings or rocks is noticed straight away. A full bed spreads the load and stops water pooling beneath the paving.

Most compact patios here are finished within a few working days. Because access is often through the house, we plan deliveries in small loads, keep a clean route and take waste away as we go rather than leaving a pile on the pavement. If there is a rear gate onto a lane, we will use it, but we never assume one.

Boundary walls in older yards may lean or have shallow footings, so we keep excavation back from them and tell you if one looks unstable before we start.