What is a useful starting budget?
Marshalls’ June 2026 guide describes a broad £100–£300+ per m² planning range. Treat this as a manufacturer’s indicative benchmark, checked on 8 October 2026, rather than a surveyed national average or a promise for your garden. The source does not give one matching specification or a clear VAT basis for that range.
A paving-only shop price and a completed patio quote answer different questions. Before comparing them, agree the installed area, product, excavation, waste removal, drainage and finish. A site assessment is needed to turn an allowance into a quotation.
Evidence: Marshalls: patio cost guide (June 2026) (checked 8 Oct 2026)
Build a quotation with separate lines
Ask each contractor to fill out the same schedule. Keep installed square metres separate from the extra paving purchased for cuts. If preparation is a lump sum, keep it as a lump sum instead of pretending it is a measured labour rate.
| Budget line | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Paving | Product, size, finish, quantity, waste allowance and delivery |
| Preparation | Existing surface removal, excavation, base and disposal |
| Installation | Laying materials, labour, joints, cuts and edges |
| Drainage and details | Falls, channels, covers, steps and thresholds |
| Tax and changes | VAT basis, exclusions and written variation process |
Worked 24 m² example: chosen inputs, not a market quote
Suppose you choose £45/m² for paving, 10% extra material, £70/m² for installation and £650 of fixed preparation costs. Materials are 24 × 1.10 × £45 = £1,188. Labour is 24 × £70 = £1,680. Adding £650 gives £3,518 before a reserve and any additional tax.
A chosen 10% reserve adds £351.80, making £3,869.80 on the same tax basis. These inputs demonstrate the arithmetic only. If all supplied prices already include VAT, choose 0% additional VAT in the calculator. Never add VAT a second time. Check whether the installer’s labour allowance already includes preparation before adding the fixed line.
Why two apparently similar patios cost different amounts
A quote can change when materials have to be carried through a house, levels need alteration, or the design includes many edges and steps. Photograph the access route and mark the positions of doors and existing drains on the same dimensioned sketch for each contractor.
We do not have verified regional multipliers. Use quotations for your actual postcode and specification; do not apply an automatic London, Cornwall or national uplift.
Compare the exclusions before choosing
Request a written explanation of who pays if previously unseen ground conditions change the work. Record who can approve a change and when its price must be agreed. A contingency is a planning reserve, not permission for unspecified extra work.
- Ask whether rubble disposal and final clean-up are included.
- Confirm the paving quantity and finish in writing.
- Compare payment stages alongside the total.
- Keep the accepted specification and later variations together.
Common questions
Can I multiply the slab price by the patio area?
That estimates only the paving purchase before pack rounding, cuts and delivery. It does not price the completed patio.
Does the calculator use the Marshalls range automatically?
No. Calculator prices remain editable illustrative inputs. Enter a quotation or your chosen allowances and check the inclusions.
Is a reserve the same as a fixed quotation?
No. A reserve is money you choose to set aside. The contract and written variation terms determine what the contractor may charge.
Sources & methodology
- Marshalls: patio cost guide (June 2026)
Manufacturer guidance for early budgeting. The broad per-area range does not establish a fixed specification or a local quotation.
Checked 8 Oct 2026 · Source updated 11 Jun 2026