Patio planning guide

Plan the patio
before the paving.

The most useful early decisions are about how the garden needs to work: where people move, where furniture sits, how doors meet the surface and where water needs to go.

A patio is not just a rectangle of paving. Its position affects movement through the garden, door thresholds, lawn edges, drainage and how practical the space feels once tables, chairs, BBQs or planters are actually on it.

Start with how the space will be used

Before choosing a colour or paving style, decide what the patio needs to do. A small seating area has different priorities from a larger entertaining space or a paved route that also connects doors, sheds and side access.

Everyday seatingAllow for chairs to move without blocking doors or main routes.
Dining or BBQ useThink about table depth, circulation and a sensible route back to the house.
Garden accessNotice where people naturally walk between doors, lawn, bins, sheds and gates.
Connected landscapingDecide how paving should meet turf, borders, steps, fencing or drainage.

Door levels and falls matter early

Photos around the house are useful because the finished surface needs to work with existing thresholds and surrounding ground. The correct approach depends on the actual site, so avoid fixing a final level from a sketch alone.

Water should not simply be pushed toward a door, wall or neighbouring problem area. Existing falls, gullies, channels, soft ground and the wider garden all need to be understood before a drainage approach is agreed.

Do not hide the awkward bits.

Steps, low thresholds, narrow side access, drains and changes in level are exactly the details worth including in the first set of photos.

Measure roughly, not perfectly

You do not need a survey to start an enquiry. A rough length and width helps establish whether the idea is a small seating area, a medium terrace or a larger connected landscaping project.

If the patio has an unusual shape, split it into simple rectangles and note the approximate dimensions. GEM can discuss the detail once the site and intended finish are clearer.

Choose finish after the practical layout

Reference images are useful, but material choice should be considered alongside intended use, existing property finishes, maintenance expectations and the preparation required underneath. A photo of a paving style you like is more useful when paired with photos of the actual garden.

Photos that make a patio enquiry clearer

  • A wide photo looking from the house into the garden.
  • A reverse photo looking back toward the doors and thresholds.
  • Side-access or gate photos showing how materials can reach the work area.
  • Close-ups of drains, steps, awkward level changes or existing damaged paving.
  • A rough length × width and the main way you want to use the finished space.

Questions people often ask

Can a patio connect to new turf or borders?

Yes. Connected work can be considered together so paving, lawn, planting edges and routes through the garden make sense as one layout.

Can an existing patio be extended?

It can be considered, but the existing construction, levels, condition and how old and new surfaces meet should be checked before assuming an extension is the right approach.

Do I need to know exactly which paving I want?

No. A few reference images and a description of the look you prefer are enough to begin a practical conversation.