Patio Paving in Kents Hill

Patio designs for a modern estate home usually look best kept simple. Clean edged porcelain or sawn natural stone in a grey or buff tone suits the brick and render of most Kents Hill houses. A contrasting border or a band of setts where the patio meets the lawn gives a crisp finish that is easy to mow against.

Think about what the patio needs to hold. A dining table for six, a barbecue and a couple of loungers need far more room than the original slab ever offered. Marking out the area with string on the lawn before deciding is a simple trick that helps.

• Joining to the house: the paving should sit below the damp proof course and fall away from the walls.
• Existing features: drain covers, air bricks and outside taps all need working around, not paving over.
• Lighting: an outside socket or low level lights are easiest to route before the slabs go down.
• Edges: a firm edge restraint stops the lawn side of a patio slowly spreading over the years.

Patio cost here depends on the size of the new area, whether the old paving has to be removed and disposed of, the paving you choose and any steps or walls. Lifting an original patio adds a little, but usually gives a much better result.

Back doors on these houses are often patio doors or French windows that open straight onto the paving, so the step from inside to out deserves real thought. A threshold set too close to the patio risks rain splashing against the frame, while one set too high leaves an awkward drop. We measure it on the visit and set the paving level to suit the door you have.

Some owners like to add a pergola or a small covered seating spot later. If that is in your plans, tell us early, so we can leave a firm base where the posts will land rather than drilling through finished slabs afterwards.

If you are gathering garden patio ideas, we can bring a few samples on the visit so you can see colours against your own brickwork in daylight.