Extending an exsistining patio - price/insanity check (WTF)

robgmun

robgmun

robgmun

Soldato
Joined
30 Apr 2006
Posts
18,029
Location
London
It's a pretty small job but i realise that I have no experience and just want to do a good job I have an existing patio and i realise it's a bit on the small side. My next-door neighbour recently replace hers and gave me a few slabs that match mine perfectly.

Here's what we have now:

I just need to extend it by a row which consists of 6 slabs which i already have

And these are the slabs we got (60cm x 60cm)


I just want it to look like it was always meant to be there. what would be a reasonable quote for this seeing i already have the slabs and all he has to provide is the sand and excavate the ground.

I was recently quoted £300 just for Labour and i was taken aback. So i just want a reality check.
 
Looks like the existing slabs were just chucked on grass anyway or maybe a little dug out.

Hour with a spade and you should be able to do a decent job.

I couldn't bring myself to pay someone to do that regardless but maybe 50 quid?
 
It isn't worth a trade coming round for less than £300 and losing other jobs TBH. Much cheaper and you are into cowboy territory.
 
If you wanted to do more slabs you can just buy some as those are readily available. Sure they’ll look new until they weather in but that will not take long and it will help if you pressure was the existing ones.
 
That will probably take a tradesman 2-3 hours to do it properly if you want them cemented into place, levelled and pointed, despite that it is only 6 slabs. They may have to compact the ground and make it level first too, dispose of the turf they dig out etc. Then there are the materials and time they are away from other jobs. They basically see it as half a day and therefore quote accordingly. They want all jobs to be worth their while because...well they can. Tradesmen are in high demand so can pick and choose.
You could do it yourself for "free". Just time and some cheap materials/tools which you may already have.
 
They won't be cemented in place ATM tbh, they'll be on a dry mix of compacted sand more than likely...but that's just looking at them.

Have a go yourself, soon as you dig up some of the grass you'll know what the others are put on to.

Some will charge 150 a day though, that should take a day tbh, but you'll have soil to get rid of, so unless you can do that yourself that's going to cost as well. Then you have the cost of the dry mix (sand etc.) Or wet.
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately, I'm not great health-wise at the moment and not very fit. So I'm only doing this to prevent doing myself a mischief. I put up the job on one of those trade sites and someone to do a proper excavation, levelling, sand base and ensuring everything matches for £280, so i pencilled him in for next month.
 
robgmun said:
Unfortunately, I'm not great health-wise at the moment and not very fit. So I'm only doing this to prevent doing myself a mischief. I put up the job on one of those trade sites and someone to do a proper excavation, levelling, sand base and ensuring everything matches for £280, so i pencilled him in for next month.
Click to expand...

Not bad tbh, long as the ground under gets compacted a bit and the sand is as well it should be fine for the most part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom