How do I know if a patio quote is reasonable?

Check that it includes excavation, a compacted sub-base, a full mortar bed and disposal of the old surface, and that the area and material are stated. A low price that leaves those out is not a saving.

Why do patio quotes vary so much?

Because the invisible three quarters of the job varies. Dig depth, sub-base depth, bedding method and disposal are where two prices for the same visible area separate, so compare those lines rather than the totals.

Do I need planning permission for a patio?

Usually no for a domestic garden patio at ground level. Raised terraces and decking above about 300mm, listed buildings and some conservation areas are the exceptions, and front gardens have drainage rules worth checking.

Should I pay a deposit?

A materials deposit is normal, since stone and porcelain are ordered in for your job. Paying a large share of the total before work starts is not. Stage payments against progress protect both sides.

What does a patio cost in Teesside?

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How patio pricing works

Patio pricing is per square metre for the surface, with groundwork, steps, walls and disposal priced as their own lines. The material moves the rate most: concrete slabs sit at the lower end, natural stone in the middle and porcelain at the top, because porcelain costs more to buy and takes longer to cut and lay.

What a real job adds up to

Take a common brief: 25 square metres across the back of a semi, one step down from the back door, an old slab surface to come up. Sandstone comes in below porcelain for the same area, because porcelain needs a primer and slower cutting. Lifting and carting away the old patio adds disposal on top.

Where the money actually goes

The dig and the disposal: roughly 150mm to 200mm of ground comes out under a patio, and on clay that is heavy, wet spoil that has to be carried and tipped. It is a real cost, and it is the first thing a cheap quote quietly leaves out.
The sub-base: stone in, layer by layer, compacted. Invisible when finished, and the entire reason the patio does not move.
The bedding mortar: a full wet bed uses far more material than spot dabs, which is exactly why some quotes come in cheaper.
The surface itself: the only part most people compare, and often the smallest share of the difference between two quotes.
Cutting and detail: manholes, downpipes, curved edges and door thresholds all cost time, and they are what makes a finished job look considered.
Access: everything travels by barrow. A mid-terrace with alley access can add a day or more of labour compared with a garden a van can reach.

Reading two quotes that differ by a thousand pounds

Put them side by side and look for four things: the excavation depth, the sub-base depth, the bedding method, and what happens to the old material. A quote that says 150mm dig, 100mm compacted type 1, full wet bed, spoil removed, is describing a patio that will still be flat in a decade. A quote that says supply and lay 25m² of paving is describing an unknown. If the cheaper one is cheaper because it is doing less, that is a decision you can make deliberately. If it is cheaper for no stated reason, ask why before signing.

Ways to save that do not backfire

Reduce the area rather than the specification: a smaller stone terrace with a gravel or lawn surround usually looks better than a large cheap one. Keep the shape rectangular, since curves and circles are cutting time. Book outside the May to August rush when yards and installers are busiest. Combine the patio with any edging or wall work in one visit rather than two. And do the parts that need no skill yourself, such as clearing the garden and moving pots, so the priced labour goes on the parts that do.