How to Lay a Patio on a Budget – DIY Guide
Lay a patio on a budget by choosing affordable slabs, mixing your own mortar, and doing the labour yourself. Clear the area, compact a hardcore sub-base, lay a 1:5 mortar bed, set slabs with 10 mm joints, and point with dry mortar mix. Realistic cost: £200–£400 for a small patio.
- Spade
- Plate compactor or hand tamper
- Rubber mallet
- Spirit level
- Bolster chisel
- Club hammer
- Pointing trowel
- String line and pegs
- Concrete paving slabs
- Hardcore (crushed stone or recycled aggregate)
- Sharp sand
- Cement
- Building sand (for pointing)
- Weed-suppressing membrane
- Edging restraint or treated timber
Step-by-Step Guide
Mark Out and Excavate the Area
Use string lines and pegs to mark the patio perimeter, ensuring square corners with the 3-4-5 triangle method. Excavate to a depth of around 150 mm — roughly 100 mm for your sub-base and 50 mm for the mortar bed and slab. Remove all topsoil and roots; laying on soft ground is the leading cause of sunken slabs. Slope the area very slightly away from the house (1:80 fall) so rainwater drains clear of the building. If you are concerned about drainage elsewhere in your garden, our guide to fixing a waterlogged lawn covers the principles of garden drainage well.
Lay the Hardcore Sub-Base
Spread a 100 mm layer of hardcore (crushed concrete, scalpings, or MOT Type 1) evenly across the excavated area. Compact it thoroughly with a plate compactor, working in overlapping passes until the surface is solid and does not shift underfoot. A hand tamper works for very small areas but is far harder work. A well-compacted sub-base is the single most important factor in a long-lasting patio — skipping this step leads to settlement and cracked slabs within a season. Lay a weed-suppressing membrane over the compacted hardcore before proceeding.
Choose Budget-Friendly Slabs
Concrete slabs are the most cost-effective option and widely available from builders’ merchants and reclamation yards. Reclaimed slabs from salvage yards can cost a fraction of new prices — inspect each one for cracks before buying. Standard 600 × 600 mm concrete flags are one of the cheapest options per square metre. Avoid porcelain on a tight budget — it is harder to cut and requires a stronger adhesive mortar. For a full breakdown of materials and their costs, our best patio materials guide compares all common options side by side.
Mix and Lay the Mortar Bed
Mix a semi-dry mortar at a ratio of 1 part cement to 5 parts sharp sand — the mix should hold its shape when squeezed but not be wet or sloppy. Spread it 50 mm deep across a working area of roughly one to two slabs at a time. For a standard patio, five dabs of mortar (one at each corner, one in the centre) can work for smaller slabs, but a full bed is more reliable and prevents hollow spots that cause cracking under load. Mixing your own mortar rather than buying pre-mixed bags is one of the most effective ways to keep costs down.
Set and Level the Slabs
Lower each slab carefully onto the mortar bed and tap it level with a rubber mallet, checking with a spirit level in both directions and across the fall line. Use 10 mm spacers or offcuts of timber to maintain consistent joints. Cut slabs to fit edges using a bolster chisel and club hammer for straight cuts, or hire an angle grinder with a diamond blade for more complex shapes — hiring tools rather than buying them is one of the quickest ways to reduce project costs. If you want to tackle a full step-by-step approach to laying, our guide on how to lay paving slabs covers the technique in full detail.
Point the Joints and Finish
Allow the mortar bed to firm up for at least 24 hours before pointing. Brush a dry mix of 1 part cement to 3 parts building sand into the joints, packing it in firmly with a pointing trowel. Lightly mist with water from a watering can to activate the cement — do not soak. Keep foot traffic off the finished patio for at least 48 hours and avoid heavy loads for 72 hours. Once the pointing has cured, brush the surface clean and check the fall once more by pouring a small amount of water to confirm it runs away from the house. If any slabs settle unevenly over time, our guide on fixing sunken patio slabs explains how to lift and re-bed individual slabs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest type of paving slab for a budget patio?
Standard concrete flags (600 × 600 mm) are consistently the cheapest new option, typically available from builders’ merchants for £5–£12 per slab. Reclaimed concrete or natural stone from salvage yards can cost even less — just inspect each piece carefully for structural cracks before buying.
Do I need planning permission to lay a patio in my garden?
In most cases, no. Laying a patio at the rear of a house using permeable materials, or an area under 5 square metres with impermeable slabs, does not require planning permission in England. However, if the patio is at the front of the house or drains onto a public road, permitted development rules differ — check with your local planning authority via the Planning Portal.
Can I lay patio slabs on sand only, without cement?
Loose-laid slabs on a compacted sand bed can work for lightly used garden areas but are far less stable than mortared slabs — they shift, rock, and allow weed growth through the joints. For a durable, long-lasting result on any budget, a semi-dry mortar bed is the reliable choice.
How much does it cost to lay a patio yourself versus hiring a landscaper?
A typical 20 m² patio laid by a landscaper in the UK costs £1,500–£3,000 including materials and labour, according to trade guidance. Doing it yourself brings the material cost to roughly £200–£400 for the same area using budget concrete slabs, making the saving significant even after tool hire.
How long does a budget concrete patio last?
A correctly laid concrete slab patio on a proper sub-base will last 20–30 years or more with basic maintenance. The key factors are a compacted hardcore base, a solid mortar bed, and keeping the pointing in good repair — our guide to repointing patio slabs explains how to refresh the joints before water gets underneath.
When buying concrete slabs, order from a single batch reference if you can — concrete flags shade slightly between production batches, and mixing batches across a patio creates a patchy, inconsistent finish that no amount of weathering fully evens out. Also, stack delivered slabs flat on timber bearers rather than on edge; stored on edge, they can bow slightly and become almost impossible to bed without rocking.
Sources
- RHS — Hard surfaces: patios and paving — rhs.org.uk
- Planning Portal — Hard surfaces in your garden — planningportal.co.uk
- HSE — Manual handling in construction — hse.gov.uk
This guide is for general information only. Always work safely and follow manufacturer instructions. DIYnut accepts no liability for injury or damage arising from DIY work.
