Stays level
A compacted sub-base and full-bed laying mean no rocking slabs, no sinking corners and no lifting a patio again in five years.
Bolton & Greater Manchester
Patios and paving in Boltonlaid on a base that keepsthem level and draining
Porcelain, natural Indian stone, block paving and concrete slabs, every type of paving except resin. Groundwork, falls and drainage done by the same team that lays the surface, with a fixed price and a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
10 years in business · 10-year workmanship guarantee · £2m public liability cover
10 years
Laying paving as Greenerlawn
10-year
Workmanship guarantee
£2 million
Public liability cover
All types
Except resin
Fixed price
Free site visit, price that holds
Overview
What a properly built patio involves
A patio is a structure. Under the slabs sits an excavated, compacted sub-base, a laying course, set falls to move water away from the building, and a restrained edge stopping the whole thing spreading sideways. The paving you see is the last few hours of a job that is mostly groundwork.
We lay every type of paving except resin: porcelain, natural Indian stone, block paving and concrete slabs. The right choice depends on where the patio sits, how much sun and shade it gets, how much traffic it takes, and how much cleaning you are prepared to do.
Because our own team does the digging, the drainage and the laying, the specification underneath matches the surface on top. Nothing gets subcontracted and nothing gets skipped where it will not be seen.
Who it is for, and when
- Tired, cracked or sunken patios that need replacing rather than jet-washing
- New seating, dining or barbecue areas cut into a lawn
- Driveways and paths in block paving or slabs
- Gardens where water collects against the house
- Sloping plots needing steps, levels or retaining
- Schools, nurseries and commercial outdoor areas
What it costs to ignore
Why patios sink, rock and pool
Almost every failed patio in Greater Manchester fails for one of three reasons: not enough sub-base, no fall, or slabs spot-bedded on dabs of mortar instead of a full bed. Spot-bedding leaves voids, water gets in, frost expands it, and slabs crack or rock underfoot within a couple of winters.
Poor falls are the expensive one. Water that runs towards the house instead of away sits against the brickwork below damp-proof level. That is not a paving problem any more; it is damp plaster, ruined skirting and a repair bill several times the cost of the patio.
Add weeds through failed joints, white efflorescence bloom on cheap slabs, and a surface that has become slippery with algae because it never dries, and a patio laid on the cheap has to be lifted and redone. There is no repairing a base that was never built.
Common mistakes we get called out to fix
- Spot-bedding slabs on five dabs of mortar instead of a full mortar bed
- Laying new paving straight over an old failing patio
- Falls running towards the house, or no fall at all
- Paving above damp-proof course level against the brickwork
- Skipping edge restraint on block paving, so it spreads and dips
- Choosing polished slabs for a shaded, north-facing garden
Our process
How we run a paving & patios job
The same sequence every time, so you know what is happening and when.
Step 1
Free site visit and levels check
We measure up, check existing levels, damp-proof course height and where water currently goes, and talk through layout, materials and sizes.
Step 2
Fixed-price quote
One written price covering excavation, waste, sub-base, laying course, paving, jointing, edging and any drainage. No changes once we start.
Step 3
Excavation and sub-base
Dig out to depth, remove spoil, then lay and compact stone in layers to a firm, consolidated base with the falls set correctly.
Step 4
Laying and cutting
Slabs or blocks laid on a full bed, cut cleanly around walls, drains, steps and borders, with lines checked as we go rather than at the end.
Step 5
Jointing, edging and drainage
Joints filled and finished, edges restrained, channels or gullies connected where the design needs them.
Step 6
Clean down, handover, guarantee
Surface cleaned off, waste and tools away, and we walk it with you. Balance due on completion, with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
What you get
The difference it makes
Water goes where it should
Falls set away from the house and drainage handled in-house, so rain runs off instead of pooling or soaking into brickwork.
Safer underfoot
Flat, even surfaces with no trip lips, and material chosen for grip in the position it sits: including shaded, north-facing gardens.
Low upkeep
Porcelain in particular needs little more than a wash down, with none of the sealing and scrubbing cheap slabs demand.
Cheaper across its life
One correctly built patio against repeated re-pointing, re-levelling and eventual replacement of a badly laid one.
One team accountable
Groundwork, drainage and paving by the same three-man team, with one number to call if anything needs looking at.
In detail
Materials, build-ups and where each type earns its place
Material choice is not just appearance; it changes grip, cleaning, cutting and cost. This is how we advise on site.
Porcelain paving
Porcelain is dense, low-porosity and dimensionally consistent, which means tight joints, a very flat finish and almost no staining from barbecues, wine or leaf fall. It is the lowest-maintenance option and holds its colour instead of fading or blooming.
It is less forgiving to install. Porcelain needs a primed slurry on the back of each slab, accurate cutting with the right blades, and a properly consolidated base, because the material will not tolerate movement. It suits contemporary seating areas and anyone who wants to wash a patio down rather than treat it.
Natural Indian stone
Indian sandstone gives a riven, varied surface with natural colour movement, which sits well against brick, stone walls and traditional planting. Slabs vary in thickness, so the laying course is adjusted piece by piece to keep the surface true.
Being natural stone it is more porous than porcelain. It weathers and darkens, holds moisture in shade, and benefits from occasional cleaning. Many people prefer that lived-in look; it is a matter of what you want the patio to become in five years.
Block paving
Blocks are the right answer where a surface takes vehicle weight or needs to follow curves and changes of level: driveways, parking bays, paths and access routes. Small units flex with minor ground movement instead of cracking, and individual blocks can be lifted and reset.
Block paving lives or dies by its edge restraint and its sub-base depth. Vehicle-bearing areas need a deeper build-up than a footpath, and without a properly haunched edge course the whole field creeps outward and dips at the perimeter.
Concrete slabs
Concrete paving covers a lot of ground economically, in a wide range of finishes including riven and smooth textures. It is a sensible option for utility areas, side paths, bin stores and larger areas on a tighter budget.
Quality varies more than with any other material. Cheaper slabs can bloom, chip at the arris and fade unevenly, so specification matters, and it still needs the same base and falls as anything else.
Falls, drainage and damp-proof course
Every patio is laid with a fall running away from the building, and finished the correct distance below damp-proof course level where it meets the house. Where existing levels make that difficult, the answer is a threshold drain, channel or gully connected as part of the works, not paving over the top and hoping.
On the clay ground common around Bolton, water needs a route away rather than somewhere to sit. Groundwork and drainage are part of our own scope, so this gets designed in at quote stage rather than discovered halfway through.
Steps, retaining and sloping gardens
Sloping gardens need levels resolved before any paving is laid: cut-and-fill, retaining walls, sleeper edges or a run of steps with consistent risers. Getting the risers even is what makes steps feel safe rather than makeshift.
This overlaps with our fencing, decking and timber work, so a terraced garden can be quoted as one job with one team, instead of separate trades working around each other.
Domestic and commercial paving
Domestic patios are specified around use, appearance and maintenance. Commercial and education areas are specified around footfall, slip resistance and durability, with deeper build-ups where vehicles or heavy use are involved.
Alongside domestic work we have completed a large school project and multiple nursery projects across Greater Manchester.
Guaranteed, insured,
fixed price
The same terms on every job, domestic or commercial. Read more about how we work.
- 10-year workmanship guarantee
- On all work we carry out. Exact exclusions: Not Provided.
- 10-year grass guarantee
- The manufacturer guarantee on the grass, passed straight on to you.
- £2 million public liability
- Full cover in place on every job we carry out.
- Clear payment terms
- 25% deposit to book your slot, balance on completion. Quotes and site visits are free.
Common questions
Paving & Patios questions,
answered straight
Anything not covered here, ask Shaun Brickell directly on 07757 559036.
How much does a new patio cost in Bolton?
It depends on size, material, access, how much excavation and waste removal is needed and any drainage or level changes, so we price on site. The visit and written quote are free and the price is fixed once agreed.
How long does a patio take to lay?
A straightforward seating area is usually a few days including groundwork. Larger patios, driveways or jobs needing retaining and drainage take longer, and we give you the expected duration in the quote.
Which paving types do you install?
Porcelain, natural Indian stone, block paving and concrete slabs, every type of paving except resin.
Porcelain or Indian stone, which should I choose?
Porcelain if you want a flat, low-maintenance, colour-stable surface that washes clean. Indian stone if you prefer natural variation and a traditional look and do not mind it weathering. We talk both through against your house and planting on the site visit.
Can you lay new paving over my existing patio?
We do not, as a shortcut. If the old base is unknown or failing, laying over it inherits the problem and voids the point of a guarantee. We lift, dig out and build the base properly.
What guarantee comes with the work?
A 10-year guarantee on our workmanship, and we carry £2 million public liability cover on every job, domestic or commercial.
Will you sort out water pooling against my house?
Yes. Falls are set away from the building and we handle groundwork and drainage in-house, including channels and gullies where the levels need them.
Do you take away the old patio and the waste?
Yes, excavation and waste removal are included in the fixed price, so there is no skip to arrange or spoil left on your drive.
How do payments work?
A 25% deposit books your slot and covers materials, with the balance due on completion once you have seen the finished patio.
Which areas do you cover for paving?
Bolton, Horwich, Westhoughton, Farnworth, Kearsley, Little Lever, Blackrod, Bury, Radcliffe, Atherton, Chorley and the wider Greater Manchester area.
Often done at the same time
Artificial Grass Supply & Installation
A lawn that stays green, flat and usable through Manchester winters, no mowing, no mud, no bare patches. Supplied and fitted by the same three-man team that digs out the base, so nothing is passed to a subcontractor.
Groundwork & Base Prep
Excavation, compacted sub-base, edging and falls carried out fully in-house by the same team that lays the lawn or paving on top. This is the stage that decides whether a garden still looks right in ten years.
Fencing Installation
Security, privacy and decorative timber fencing, with posts dug to a proper depth and the line pulled straight. Fixed prices and a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Also see our homepage and the areas we cover across Bolton and Greater Manchester.
Free quote
Get a fixed price for your
paving & patios in Bolton
Tell us roughly what you are after and we will arrange a time to come and look. No charge for the visit, no charge for the quote, and no pressure afterwards.
- Phone
- 07757 559036
- Opening hours
- Open 7 days, 7:30am – 6:30pm
10 years in business · £2m public liability cover · 10-year workmanship guarantee