Patios & Paving

Natural stone and porcelain paving, precision-laid for a patio that looks as good in ten years as it does on day one.

A patio is the room your garden doesn't have walls for. We lay natural Indian sandstone, porcelain and traditional flag paving on a full sub-base and drainage system, so the finish stays flat, stable and frost-resistant for decades rather than years.

What's included in your patio quote

Full excavation, MOT sub-base and edge restraints
Natural sandstone, porcelain or traditional flag paving
Falls and drainage built in to move rainwater away from the house
Cut borders, curved edges and multi-pattern laying on request
Pointing in a colour-matched, weed-resistant mortar

How your patio project runs

Design & measure
We visit, measure the space and talk through stone, pattern and budget before anything is quoted.
Excavate & prepare
Ground is dug out, compacted and a proper MOT sub-base laid so the patio never sinks or shifts.
Lay & point
Stone is laid to falls for drainage, then pointed in a durable, colour-matched mortar.
Finish & handover
Edges, joints and surrounding beds are tidied and the patio is left clean and ready to use.

What to expect during patio work

A free site visit and measure comes before anything is quoted, so the price reflects the actual ground rather than a guess over the phone. Old paving, soil and rubble are cleared and taken away as part of the job, not left in a skip on the drive for weeks. Weather can shift a start date by a day or two, but not the standard the sub-base is built to.

Why choose Eastside Construction for Patios & Paving

Proper Sub-Base, Every Time

A full excavation and compacted MOT sub-base goes under every patio, whatever the size of the job, not just the ones that show.

Falls Built In From the Start

Drainage is planned before a single slab goes down, so rainwater moves away from the house rather than pooling against it.

The Same Team, Start to Finish

The person who measures up and quotes the job is the person laying the stone, not a subcontracted crew you've never met.

Patios & Paving questions, answered

Can you lay a new patio over an existing one, or does the old one need digging out?

In most cases the old patio needs to come out. Laying new stone directly over an existing surface usually means the finished level ends up too high against doors and thresholds, and any movement or drainage problems in the old base get inherited by the new patio.

How long does a new patio take to lay?

Most domestic patios take three to seven days from start to finish, depending on the size, the ground conditions and whether an existing surface needs removing first. A written timeframe is agreed as part of the quote before work starts.

Will the patio need re-pointing over time?

A properly laid patio, pointed in a durable, colour-matched mortar, shouldn't need re-pointing for many years. Isolated cracking sometimes shows where a slab has been disturbed, but a full re-point is not something a well-built patio needs on a regular cycle.

What's the difference between natural sandstone and porcelain paving?

Sandstone is a genuine quarried stone with natural colour variation and texture, while porcelain is a manufactured product fired for consistency and very low porosity, meaning it stains and marks less easily. Both are laid on the same full sub-base, the choice usually comes down to look and budget rather than one being better than the other.

Can you match an existing patio if I'm just extending it?

Where possible, yes. An exact match to an older, weathered patio isn't always available off the shelf, but a close, complementary stone can usually be sourced, and the join is planned deliberately so it reads as intentional rather than patched.

How do I choose the right patio contractor?

Ask what depth of sub-base is included and whether it's compacted MOT type 1, since this is what decides whether a patio lasts decades or starts sinking within a couple of years. A contractor who explains falls and drainage before quoting, rather than after something goes wrong, is generally worth trusting with the job.

A recent sandstone patio and step build in Essex, finished with a bordered edge and rear pergola.

Book a free patio site visit

Tell us a little about the project and we'll come back with honest timings and a clear price, no obligation.

Request a quote Call 07895 675130

Timeframe3 to 7 days

MaterialsSandstone, porcelain, flag

Areas coveredColchester, Clacton, Ipswich

Ready when you are

Let's plan your next project properly.

Free, no-obligation quotes across Colchester, Clacton-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze and Ipswich.

Request a free quote Call 07895 675130

Patios & Paving

What's included in your patio quote

How your patio project runs

Design & measure

Excavate & prepare

Lay & point

Finish & handover