Going about replacing my terrace
Discussion
Probably stupid question(s) but what's the best way to go about getting quotes etc for getting my terrace replaced. As you can see from the photo, it's very dated (and filthy in this picture, it has been cleaned since, but it's still old and fairly manky)
Do you just get someone round who will bring samples of paving, quote the entire job and that's it sorted? Or should I be looking to source the paving that I want from somewhere? And would I save a lot of ££ by pulling it all up and ditching in skip(s) myself?
Do you just get someone round who will bring samples of paving, quote the entire job and that's it sorted? Or should I be looking to source the paving that I want from somewhere? And would I save a lot of ££ by pulling it all up and ditching in skip(s) myself?
Just a thought - you could hire a jet wash with a paving head or get a pressure washing firm in. That would get it much cleaner and you might not want to replace it - saving lots of money.
Yes it will be cheaper if you take the paving up.
I would get some samples or at least go to somewhere you can see samples to get ideas.
Yes it will be cheaper if you take the paving up.
I would get some samples or at least go to somewhere you can see samples to get ideas.
Chainsaw Rebuild said:
Just a thought - you could hire a jet wash with a paving head or get a pressure washing firm in. That would get it much cleaner and you might not want to replace it - saving lots of money.
Yes it will be cheaper if you take the paving up.
I would get some samples or at least go to somewhere you can see samples to get ideas.
That was a photo from when we bought it back in 2020, we've done lots of pressure washing, black spot removal etc, so it does look better than that photo, but overall it's still a fairly manky terrace from 1950, so at some point it does need a fair chunk of money chucked at it to replace. Yes it will be cheaper if you take the paving up.
I would get some samples or at least go to somewhere you can see samples to get ideas.
We were quoted £7.5k for a patio significantly smaller than yours (probably about 10m2), plus a small area of decking and some raised borders. When I added up the cost to do it all myself it worked out around £2k, so a no brainer.
It was made easier as the old slabs were pretty level and already on a decent base, so it wasn't as if I had to do a great deal of groundworks/levelling off first. Looks like it would be similar for yours.
The only caveat I would add, I started late September, trying to fit it into my free time and waiting for the right weather means there's still a few bits left to do, and Mrs ZS has no problem reminding me about it...
It was made easier as the old slabs were pretty level and already on a decent base, so it wasn't as if I had to do a great deal of groundworks/levelling off first. Looks like it would be similar for yours.
The only caveat I would add, I started late September, trying to fit it into my free time and waiting for the right weather means there's still a few bits left to do, and Mrs ZS has no problem reminding me about it...
Zetec-S said:
We were quoted £7.5k for a patio significantly smaller than yours (probably about 10m2), plus a small area of decking and some raised borders. When I added up the cost to do it all myself it worked out around £2k, so a no brainer.
It was made easier as the old slabs were pretty level and already on a decent base, so it wasn't as if I had to do a great deal of groundworks/levelling off first. Looks like it would be similar for yours.
The only caveat I would add, I started late September, trying to fit it into my free time and waiting for the right weather means there's still a few bits left to do, and Mrs ZS has no problem reminding me about it...
Great thanks for that, it starts to give me some sort of idea of things! It was made easier as the old slabs were pretty level and already on a decent base, so it wasn't as if I had to do a great deal of groundworks/levelling off first. Looks like it would be similar for yours.
The only caveat I would add, I started late September, trying to fit it into my free time and waiting for the right weather means there's still a few bits left to do, and Mrs ZS has no problem reminding me about it...
TBH I did think mine would be £10k-£15k so I'm not sure I'm really about to drop that much into it, but it did suddenly dawn on me that if I'm even going to look into it, it would be good to get it done ahead of Summer, otherwise I'm waiting another year to even think about it.
On the one hand I can't see why I wouldn't be able to rip it up myself, but like you say it will take a long time, so when I'd actually get the time to do it all I don't know. I'm certainly not skilled enough to do the new stuff myself, but removing old crap I do have experience with
CharlesdeGaulle said:
Could you lay decking or something over the top of what's there? Might be a cheaper and quicker way of disguising the appearance a little.
Yeah I have thought decking, but TBH it's probably a case of being able to live with it as it is for as long as I need to then justify spending the big bucks on relaying the whole thing in sandstone or something. I think decking would be a middle ground that I'd always want to change again at some point.
As a matter of interest what’s the difference between a patio and a terrace?
Anyway that’s not going to be cheap to replace. The first thing you need to decide is whether you want concrete slabs (what you have), porcelain or sandstone then the colour etc.
In theory with concrete slabs you could basically lift what you have, chuck down a mix of sand and cement then put your new slabs down but removing the slabs will disrupt the base so you should be looking at replacing it in part at least.
Have a look at www.pavingdirect.com for ideas on slabs and costs
Anyway that’s not going to be cheap to replace. The first thing you need to decide is whether you want concrete slabs (what you have), porcelain or sandstone then the colour etc.
In theory with concrete slabs you could basically lift what you have, chuck down a mix of sand and cement then put your new slabs down but removing the slabs will disrupt the base so you should be looking at replacing it in part at least.
Have a look at www.pavingdirect.com for ideas on slabs and costs
Chrisgr31 said:
As a matter of interest what’s the difference between a patio and a terrace?
Anyway that’s not going to be cheap to replace. The first thing you need to decide is whether you want concrete slabs (what you have), porcelain or sandstone then the colour etc.
In theory with concrete slabs you could basically lift what you have, chuck down a mix of sand and cement then put your new slabs down but removing the slabs will disrupt the base so you should be looking at replacing it in part at least.
Have a look at www.pavingdirect.com for ideas on slabs and costs
HAHA, funny you ask, I've only called it a terrace because when I was with my Dad this weekend and said it might be time to think about changing our patio he looked at me and said "no, that's a terrace....come on." Anyway that’s not going to be cheap to replace. The first thing you need to decide is whether you want concrete slabs (what you have), porcelain or sandstone then the colour etc.
In theory with concrete slabs you could basically lift what you have, chuck down a mix of sand and cement then put your new slabs down but removing the slabs will disrupt the base so you should be looking at replacing it in part at least.
Have a look at www.pavingdirect.com for ideas on slabs and costs
I can only think it's to do with size, because I had a patio in fulham, and that was small!
Anyway, back to the point - my initial reaction is I'd ideally like sandstone of some sort......but that's only based on seeing it around a couple of swimming pools and it looked amazing.
Thanks for the link, will have a look
CharlesdeGaulle said:
Could you lay decking or something over the top of what's there? Might be a cheaper and quicker way of disguising the appearance a little.
I tried that. After 10 years it was in a dreadful state so I threw it away and went back to what was there. The UK is too wet for decking.Chrisgr31 said:
As a matter of interest what’s the difference between a patio and a terrace?
Class 
Very heavy and difficult work so I'd get a tradesman in to discuss options and prices. Also have a look round your local builder's merchants for displays.
Indian sandstone looks good IMHO.
Simpo Two said:
Class
Very heavy and difficult work so I'd get a tradesman in to discuss options and prices. Also have a look round your local builder's merchants for displays.
Indian sandstone looks good IMHO.
Presumably if I'm up to it I should probably think about the pulling up/putting in a skip of the old stuff myself. I imagine I could do it, as tedious and tiring as it may be. Very heavy and difficult work so I'd get a tradesman in to discuss options and prices. Also have a look round your local builder's merchants for displays.
Indian sandstone looks good IMHO.
I appreciate this is the answer to a question you haven't asked, but what about gravel?
Pros:
Cheaper
Can put directly over existing patio (DPC clearance permitting)
Looks lovely (to my eyes, at least)
Cons:
Maintenance (but, to be honest, this is an issue with any surface)
Travel. You'll need to create a solid boundary to keep it all in
Furniture will sink into it. You can get around this with some small flags/slabs, or even by creating a small flagstone patio on which to put your furniture, and then surround it with gravel.
Also, consider whether you need a patio that size. If you don't use all of it, you could save some money—whatever surface you choose—by returning some of it to lawn.
Pros:
Cheaper
Can put directly over existing patio (DPC clearance permitting)
Looks lovely (to my eyes, at least)
Cons:
Maintenance (but, to be honest, this is an issue with any surface)
Travel. You'll need to create a solid boundary to keep it all in
Furniture will sink into it. You can get around this with some small flags/slabs, or even by creating a small flagstone patio on which to put your furniture, and then surround it with gravel.
Also, consider whether you need a patio that size. If you don't use all of it, you could save some money—whatever surface you choose—by returning some of it to lawn.
LR90 said:
I appreciate this is the answer to a question you haven't asked, but what about gravel?
Pros:
Cheaper
Can put directly over existing patio (DPC clearance permitting)
Looks lovely (to my eyes, at least)
Cons:
Maintenance (but, to be honest, this is an issue with any surface)
Travel. You'll need to create a solid boundary to keep it all in
Furniture will sink into it. You can get around this with some small flags/slabs, or even by creating a small flagstone patio on which to put your furniture, and then surround it with gravel.
Also, consider whether you need a patio that size. If you don't use all of it, you could save some money—whatever surface you choose—by returning some of it to lawn.
Yeah I don't think it's an option, our terrace is raised up so realistically no way to create a boundary Pros:
Cheaper
Can put directly over existing patio (DPC clearance permitting)
Looks lovely (to my eyes, at least)
Cons:
Maintenance (but, to be honest, this is an issue with any surface)
Travel. You'll need to create a solid boundary to keep it all in
Furniture will sink into it. You can get around this with some small flags/slabs, or even by creating a small flagstone patio on which to put your furniture, and then surround it with gravel.
Also, consider whether you need a patio that size. If you don't use all of it, you could save some money—whatever surface you choose—by returning some of it to lawn.
Finally getting around to having someone come and start looking at getting this 'project' started.
We're thinking something along these lines in terms of tiles
The thing we are pondering now is flattening this rock garden-type thing and possibly some sort of outdoor kitchen area. Now that I've become a Big Green Egg w
ker, I would love a proper outdoor kitchen......but it has been suggested that 'you don't really end up using it as much as you'd think' and 'outdoor units/cabinets always end up looking tired and grubby etc'
Anyone got any thought? I've been using my Egg at least once a week often twice even though it's dark and cold, so I would have thought I'd use a proper kitchen just as much.
We're thinking something along these lines in terms of tiles
The thing we are pondering now is flattening this rock garden-type thing and possibly some sort of outdoor kitchen area. Now that I've become a Big Green Egg w
ker, I would love a proper outdoor kitchen......but it has been suggested that 'you don't really end up using it as much as you'd think' and 'outdoor units/cabinets always end up looking tired and grubby etc'Anyone got any thought? I've been using my Egg at least once a week often twice even though it's dark and cold, so I would have thought I'd use a proper kitchen just as much.
I had a terrace built from pavings many years ago and it lasted about two years before puddles and wonky slabs appeared. The cause was because the people who did it just used 5 'blobs' of cement under each slab. I had it re-done and the slabs sat on a bed of concrete. It's still there, 20 years later and rock solid.
Others may disagree, but if I were to build another terrace, I wouldn't go for the 5 blob system!
Others may disagree, but if I were to build another terrace, I wouldn't go for the 5 blob system!
UTH said:
And would I save a lot of ££ by pulling it all up and ditching in skip(s) myself?
Those slabs look quite decent. If you put them on Freecycle/Gumtree then they'll go for free.There doesn't appear to be any movement so you'll probably just need a new border kerb and set the new flags (unless you find that the old ones are bedded on mortar which would have to be replaced. Try lifting a flag and see what's there.
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