Porcelain is the modern premium choice — virtually maintenance-free, slip-rated, frost-proof, and colour-stable. Indian sandstone is the classic, hard-wearing, ages beautifully. Block paving offers the most flexibility on pattern and colour and individual blocks can be replaced. Modern homes often suit porcelain; traditional homes suit sandstone; larger gardens with mixed uses suit block paving.

For most homeowners, yes. Porcelain costs 15-30% more upfront than sandstone, but you save it back in 5-10 years on cleaning, sealing and replacement of stained slabs. It also doesn’t fade, doesn’t flake in frost, and is genuinely slip-rated. The trade-off: it’s slightly less “natural” looking than real stone.

Lay sample slabs against your house wall on a dry day and a wet day before committing. Stone and porcelain look dramatically different wet vs dry. Warm brick houses suit honey, fossil mint and autumn-toned slabs; cool grey houses suit charcoal, silver-grey and slate tones; rendered houses can carry pretty much any palette.

The depth and compaction of the sub-base is the biggest factor in how long your patio lasts. We dig 150-200mm minimum for patios, lay Type 1 MOT in compacted layers, and finish with a full mortar bed (not the cheap loose-spot bed). Patios laid straight on soil sink and rock within 2-3 years.

Porcelain has a vitreous (non-porous) underside, which means standard mortar doesn’t bond to it properly. Slurry-prime is a thin cement-based slurry painted on the back of each porcelain slab before bedding. It creates a chemical bond. Skipping this step is the #1 cause of porcelain patios failing — the slabs lift and rock within 12 months.

Every patio needs fall (typically 1:80 away from the house). Surface water either drains off into adjacent lawn/borders, into a permeable bed, or into a linear drain connecting to existing surface drainage. We design fall into every patio — you should never have standing water.

For most domestic patios, no. They’re permitted development if under 50% of garden area and built with permeable construction or drained to a soakaway. Listed buildings, conservation areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty may need consent — we’ll flag this at the site visit if it applies. The government’s full guidance is published here.

Standard ground-level patios don’t need Building Regulations approval. Raised patios over 600mm above ground level may need balustrade/guarding under Part K. We’ll check this at the design stage.

Porcelain: brush off debris, wash with mild detergent twice a year, treat oil spills quickly. Sandstone: same, plus consider sealing every 3-5 years to prevent staining. Block paving: top up jointing sand annually, jet wash gently every 12-18 months. Treat any moss/algae with a proper patio cleaner before it spreads.

For sandstone and natural stone, yes — sealing 6 months after laying (once efflorescence finishes) deepens the colour and makes stains easier to clean. Re-seal every 3-5 years. For porcelain, no — it doesn’t need sealing. For block paving, optional — sealing stabilises the jointing sand.

If you’ve been using polymeric jointing compound (which sets slightly tacky) weeds shouldn’t establish. For older patios with loose jointing sand, brush out the weeds, treat with an appropriate weedkiller, and re-joint with polymeric sand to prevent recurrence.

Small sandstone patios start from around £2,800. Mid-size porcelain patios with proper drainage typically run £5,000-£10,000. Larger premium patios with walls, lighting and steps range upwards. Always a full written quote at no charge.

Usually sub-base depth and bedding type. A cowboy operator saving cost will skip proper excavation and use cheap spot-bedding rather than a full mortar bed. The patio looks fine for 18 months and then starts rocking and sinking. Always insist on written sub-base and bedding specifications.