A client might receive two prices for the same area of porcelain or sandstone and wonder how they can be so different. Sometimes the materials genuinely differ. Often it is the excavation, base, drainage, laying and finish that make the comparison less straightforward. A lower quote is not automatically poor work, but you need to know what both prices actually include.
Most of the important work disappears underground
Once the patio is finished, you cannot see how deep the area was excavated, what the installer found beneath it or how the sub-base was built. On replacement jobs we regularly uncover minimal aggregate, missing geotextile where we would use one and bases that appear inadequately compacted. Those choices can show up later as settlement, movement and troublesome joints.
We assess the ground conditions, specify a suitable build-up, use quarried Type 1 aggregate and compact it in layers with equipment suited to the job. We normally include a suitable permeable geotextile to help keep ground and aggregate separate. The required depths and details depend on the property; a quote that just says “prepare base” does not tell you enough to compare it with another.
Adhesion and jointing are part of the specification
We apply a compatible slurry primer to the backs of paving units as part of our laying method, helping them bond to the mortar bed. We choose jointing to suit the paving, conditions and expected use. A quote using a single-part brush-in compound may be priced differently from one specifying a cement-based jointing mortar or grout. Neither product choice alone guarantees a lasting patio, and the cheapest option is not necessarily wrong for every job. Ask for the actual products and why they were chosen.
Falls, cuts and edges take care and time
The details you can see matter too. Water needs a planned route away from the paving and nearby buildings. Uneven falls can leave puddles; poorly aligned slabs can create lipped edges; hurried cuts around steps, posts and drains can spoil an otherwise good surface. These are not cosmetic afterthoughts. We plan levels and drainage at the start, then pay attention to the laying pattern, cuts, edges and finished joints.
Ask each installer the same questions
- How much existing material will be removed, and is disposal included?
- What excavation and sub-base are allowed for, and how will soft ground be handled?
- Will the aggregate be compacted in layers? Is a geotextile included?
- Which paving, primer, bedding and jointing products are specified?
- Where will rainwater go? Are any channels or drainage connections included?
- How will steps, cuts, edges and changes in level be finished?
- What happens if unexpected ground conditions are uncovered, and how will changes be agreed?
If the answers are clear, you can compare the work instead of guessing from a square-metre price. We do not try to win a job simply by matching the cheapest number. We would rather explain the build and quote for the result we believe your garden needs.
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