How much does it cost to build a patio?

Having a patio means that you can increase the living area of your home, essentially giving you the option to have a bistro area, entertainment area, or living room outside. Many people are adding patios to their homes to increase their yard’s livability. Patios come in various shapes, sizes, and designs that can be made from many materials. These factors mean that there can be a vast range of associated costs for the project. Most homeowners find that when installing a living room-sized patio of 12 x 18 feet made of stamped pavers, they spend around $4,000 total on the project.

Pros and cons

Like any home addition, a patio has both positive and negative attributes to consider. Patios are one of the most popular outdoor additions today, with more new homes being built with them each year. This means that having a patio could help increase your home’s value. Patios also allow you to make better use of your yard and outdoor living space. They can hold furniture and provide a place to a grill or fire pit, making them great for entertaining. 

They have a few drawbacks, though. If not properly installed, they can collect water and turn soggy. They require ground-floor access from the home to be the most convenient. So, for people who want something right off a second-floor kitchen or living room, a deck may be the better option. If you have a yard that is not level, it will take considerably more work and higher costs to build a patio. That may mean that a deck or porch is also the better option because they are more capable of handling odd terrain without major landscaping.

Size

Patios can be built in any size or shape that you desire, but there are a few common sizes based on what you want to do with the space.

• Bistro Patio: If you want a small patio that is meant for holding a small table and chairs, the average size is around 6 x 7 feet.
• Living Room: If you want a patio where you can relax and entertain, you need enough room for furniture, which means a patio measuring about 12 x 18 feet.
• Dining Room: If your patio will be used primarily for outdoor eating, then 12 x 14 feet is the average size.
• Outdoor Sunroom: If you want a patio for relaxing but not entertaining, you can get away with a smaller footprint of around 6 x 6 feet.

Materials

Patios can be made from several materials. Most are fairly comparable in terms of how they perform. So, people’s biggest consideration is cost and style:

Shape

Patios can also be built or designed in numerous shapes, including those that work with natural features or landscaping in your yard. But some shapes are more common than others, due to the way that pavers and other patio building materials are shaped and laid. 

Squares, rectangles, and ovals are the three most common shapes that you will find for standard patios. If you want a custom design, however, you can have a patio in any organic shape you can imagine. 

Drainage

Drainage is an important part of patio design. A flat patio will collect water and can develop issues over time, such as cracking or sinking. Most patios are designed to slope away from your house, which allows water to drain naturally. Some patios, however, are located on landscaping that wants to drain back toward the house via the patio. In those cases, you may need to install a drain. These include French drains ($1,000), trench drains ($500), and drains installed between the concrete sections ($2,000). Most patios, however, do fine with simply ensuring that they slope away from the house at a rate of about 1 inch every 8 to 12 feet. 

Installation

Unless you are replacing a current patio, the process of building one from scratch includes some excavation of your yard. This involves grading to ensure proper drainage, and then the area will be stamped or compacted until smooth. At this point, a layer of fabric will be put over the ground to help prevent weeds from coming through, then a layer of gravel will be poured over it. This will be leveled, then the bedding material will go down, which is usually sand. Your pavers are set in this. The pavers are installed in the pattern of your choosing, and this is followed by filling the joints between them with either mortar or sand. If your pavers are porous, they will be sealed to help prevent cracks and discoloration. After that, your patio is ready to use.

Labor

Labor is a small part of the project cost. Landscaping professionals who build patios typically charge between $5 and $6 a square foot for the project. This includes the labor for excavating, adding fillers, laying pavers, and finishing the patio. For a 12 x 18-foot patio, this makes the labor between $1,080 and $1,300 with the remaining costs of the $4,000 being made up of pavers, gravel, sand, equipment, and disposal fees.

Enhancement and improvement costs

Patterns, Stains, and Coloring

Patios can be very decorative with elaborate patterns, mixed materials, stains, and colors. A decorative patio that includes these items has a higher cost, starting at around $10,000 for the same-size layout.

Pathways and Walkways

If you have a patio that is an extension of a garden, you may want to add paths or walkways to different destinations in the yard. A pathway will start at an additional $500 to $1,000, depending on material and length.

Pergolas

If you want to add shade to your patio, you may want to include a pergola in the design. Pergolas come in many shapes and styles and cost around $3,100 to build.

Outdoor Furniture

You may want to consider outdoor furniture for your patio to maximize its use. Furniture starts around $100 and can go higher, depending on quality.

Fire Pit

Fire pits are a common addition to patios. You can purchase a readymade unit or build one for around $700.

Lighting

Adding lighting allows you to use your patio at night. Outdoor lighting costs on average around $3,500 to $4,500 to light up your entire yard. 

Additional considerations and costs