Cost · permit · scope
Patio planning guide
Plan a patio with a slab and base calculator, surface comparisons, impervious cover checkpoints, and a contractor-ready scope.
Permit complexity
Low
Compare quotes per
square foot
| Percentile | U.S. | California | Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $22.60 | $24.73 | $19.53 |
| Median | $27.41 | $30.15 | $22.84 |
| 75th percentile | $32.15 | $40.42 | $26.73 |
Patio buying path
The surface is cheap. The base and the runoff are not.
Two patios of the same size diverge on excavation depth, compaction, edge restraint and where the water goes once the ground stops absorbing it.
01 · Ground
Stay at grade or leave it
A walking surface poured on grade is reviewed as flatwork. Raising it, roofing it or fixing it to the house moves the job into a different approval entirely.
02 · Absorb
Budget the runoff
Every solid square foot stops absorbing rainfall and counts against a zoning cap. Decide early whether the surface sheds water to a swale or infiltrates through a permeable system.
03 · Build up
Price what is under it
Excavation depth, subgrade compaction, open-graded base and edge restraint decide whether the surface stays flat. Ask for those layers as line items, not as one paving number.
Decision matrix
Compare one specification at a time
Poured concrete
One continuous, low-upkeep surface
Specify slab thickness, subbase depth, reinforcement, control-joint spacing and surface finish.
Interlocking pavers
A surface that can be lifted and reset
Specify paver profile, bedding layer, compacted base depth, edge restraint and joint sand.
Permeable pavers
Keeping runoff and impervious totals down
Specify the permeable system, open-graded base depth, geotextile and any underdrain outlet.
Quote controls
Keep every bid comparable
- Same finished area, surface height above grade and edge detail
- Excavation depth, subgrade compaction and base build-up itemized
- Spoil removal, difficult access and utility conflicts shown separately
- Added impervious area stated, with any permeable system named
- Drainage outlet, permit responsibility and inspections assigned
Next best action
Calculate, then lock the scope.
Size a poured slab and its base in the concrete calculator, then ask each bidder to price that area, thickness and base as separate lines rather than one paving number.
Start with two separate questions
Often none for at-grade hardscape. Raised structural slabs, work in easements, and covered patios are the usual triggers.
At-grade patios are often allowed closer to the line than buildings. Don’t block drainage swales.
What usually decides the scope
- At-grade vs. raised
- Impervious coverage limits
- Drainage away from the house
- HOA surface rules
- Adding a cover later
Lot coverage
Some cities cap impervious area. A large patio can bump you over the cap even with no building permit required for the slab itself.
Drainage
Grade should fall away from the foundation — commonly on the order of 1/4 in. per foot for the first several feet. Trapping water against the house is how a simple patio becomes a waterproofing problem.