New Patio in Wixams

Many Wixams homes came with a small area of basic slabs outside the back door. They were often laid quickly onto sand, and within a few years some start to rock or sink. Replacing them with a new patio built on a proper base usually gives a larger, flatter and longer lasting area to use.

New-build gardens often have a thin covering of topsoil over ground that has been compacted, mixed with stone or left with buried building waste. When we dig out for a new patio, we remove what will not make a stable base and check the depth needed. A compacted crushed stone sub-base is then built up in layers, and the slabs go down on a full mortar bed. Dabs of mortar at the corners are not enough for a patio that will be walked on daily.

The back door threshold on many newer homes sits quite low to the outside ground, which makes the patio level especially important. We set the finished paving below the damp course and below the door, then create a gentle fall away from the house. Where the garden falls back towards the property, a slot or channel drain along the patio edge may be the right answer, linked to a suitable outlet.

• Builder slabs and loose sand removed
• Buried waste cleared and the ground checked
• Compacted sub-base and full mortar bed
• Finished level kept below the door and damp course
• A channel drain added where the garden falls towards the house

Some Wixams gardens are compact and enclosed by fences on three sides, so access for materials needs planning. Others share a side passage with neighbours. We will work out the route at the visit and allow for it in the quote.

Do I need planning permission for a patio here? A ground-level patio in a back garden usually does not need it, but check your title deeds or any development covenants, and ask the council if your home is in an unusual situation. Most patio installations of this size take a few days to a week.