Outdoor spaces that bring everything together. Beautiful paving, thoughtful planting and room to relax. A free visit lets a local installer understand your priorities, check practical details and recommend a specification that suits both the garden and your budget. You will receive a fixed written quote for the agreed scope, with no obligation to go ahead.
Sandstone, porcelain or concrete?
Indian sandstone brings variation and natural character, particularly beside traditional Scottish houses. Porcelain gives a consistent contemporary finish and can be straightforward to clean, provided the chosen product is suitable outdoors. Concrete slabs offer a practical lower-cost option. Natural stone varies in colour and texture, so look at a range of samples rather than one small piece. Slip resistance, maintenance, edging and how the surface will look when wet deserve as much attention as colour. The best choice balances the look you want with how you will use the garden.
The base beneath the paving
Long-lasting patio building depends on proper preparation. Paving should sit on a full mortar bed over a suitably compacted Type 1 MOT sub-base, not isolated spots of mortar. The installer assesses soil conditions and sets appropriate depths for the proposed use. Poor compaction can lead to movement; voids beneath slabs can allow water to gather and increase the risk of damage. Ask the installer to explain the base specification and how thresholds, drains and existing services will remain accessible. These details are difficult to judge from a finished photograph but matter greatly to performance.
Drainage for Scottish rainfall
Water needs a planned route away from the house rather than a hope that it will disappear through the joints. Appropriate falls, suitable edging and, where necessary, drainage channels help prevent puddling. The design should consider where the collected water goes and avoid sending it onto a neighbour’s ground. Door thresholds and damp-proof detailing must remain protected. A flat-looking finish can still contain carefully calculated falls. During the free visit, explain where the garden already stays wet after rain so the installer can consider the whole site rather than just the new patio footprint.
Garden design and construction
Landscaping can include raised beds, changes of level, new turf, planting areas and practical garden routes. Start with everyday needs: dining, play, storage, access and how much upkeep you are comfortable with. Existing trees, roots, shade and exposure influence the layout. Raised beds can make planting easier to reach, while carefully positioned paved paths keep wet-season foot traffic off the lawn. A garden construction project can be completed in stages, provided the overall design accounts for future work. Plan drainage and services first so later improvements do not require lifting a newly finished surface.
Cleaning, finishing and comparing quotes
Patio and paver cleaning can refresh an existing outdoor space, but loose slabs or damaged joints may need repair before washing. Choose cleaning products suited to the material, especially natural stone. Your written quote should state the paving product, excavation and base preparation, jointing, drainage, waste removal and any turfing or raised-bed work. Price comparisons are most useful when those specifications match. A lower price based on spot-bedding or minimal groundwork is not equivalent to a correctly prepared patio. Ask how the garden will be left at handover and what care the new surface needs.
What’s included
Your exact specification is agreed with the installer. The written quotation should make the following elements clear, along with any extras, removal and waste arrangements.
- Site preparation and compacted Type 1 MOT sub-base
- Full mortar bed, not spot-bedding
- Falls and drainage suited to rainfall
- Edges, jointing and agreed landscaping
Guide prices
Guide prices for Glasgow & East Dunbartonshire, 2026. These are typical ranges only; your fixed written price comes after a free site visit. Prices depend on size, access, ground conditions, height and materials.
| Work / material | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Concrete slabs | £70–£110 per m² |
| Indian sandstone | £90–£140 per m² |
| Porcelain | £120–£180 per m² |
| Typical 20m² patio | £1,800–£3,600 |
| Old patio removal | £8–£20 per m² |
Discuss the whole project
If the work involves more than one part of the garden, tell the installer at the first visit. Fencing, paving, garden design and decking often need to be planned together so access and drainage still work. Ask about product care, insurance and workmanship terms before accepting the quote. Partners carry out and are responsible for their own installation work.