GEM planning guides
Know the useful bits
before the quote.
These guides are built around the practical questions that make an outdoor-project enquiry clearer: access, levels, existing condition, approximate size, intended use and the photos that help explain the space.
Planning a new patio
Think about use, doors, routes, levels and drainage before choosing a paving finish.
Read the guide →Concrete basesPlanning a concrete base
Start with what the base needs to support, its footprint, access and surrounding ground.
Read the guide →FencingRepair or replace garden fencing?
Posts, panels, gates, boundary lines and ground condition all help decide the sensible route.
Read the guide →DrainageCommon garden drainage problems
Describe where water comes from, where it collects and how the surrounding levels behave.
Read the guide →Surface careJet washing vs paving restoration
Cleaning can improve a surface, but joints, movement and repairs may need separate attention.
Read the guide →RepointingWhen patio repointing makes sense
Failed joints are worth looking at alongside loose paving, drainage and the wider surface condition.
Read the guide →Got enough context?