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How Much Does Stone Patio Installation Cost?

When considering how to take advantage of your current outdoor living space, one of the greatest ways to capitalize on the space and see a return on the investment will be to install a stone patio. Patios provide a functional base for hundreds of outdoor living options: seating, dining, cooking, shade just to name a few. Whether you are planning to create a new patio space or enhance an existing patio, you would be wise to consider several factors before setting a budget for your project and hiring a local Frisco landscaper who can help estimate how much the stone patio installation will cost and to complete the work for you in a timely manner.

The size of the patio will most certainly play a factor in your budget. To determine the appropriate size for your patio, you will want to think through how you plan to use it. For example, if you simply want to create a patio for dining, plan for a patio that can comfortably accommodate a table, chairs and ample room to walk around the table (around 150 sq ft). If you would like to have a patio that can provide a space for dining as well as cooking, you will need to plan for that as well (around 300-400 sq ft). The size of your patio will not only determine material quantities, but will factor in to anticipating the amount of excavation required.

Stone patio installation requires careful planning and estimating. This includes not only the excavation of the intended patio area, but thoughtful consideration of the land grades, drainage and ease of access to the patio work site as well. The first thing a landscaping contractor will consider is how they will access the work site of the new patio area. Will it be possible to have materials delivered directly to the patio area or will material staging require additional labor to transport to the work area. This will certainly impact overall project costs. Once the access can be anticipated, a landscape contractor will look at how to prepare the ground for your new patio. Preparing the ground involves creating a solid base and planning for how water will drain once the new patio has been installed. The patio should be built on at least 4 inches of stable base material. This is done by excavating the ground and installing compacted decomposed granite or poured concrete. Once excavated, all irrigation should be capped off to ensure there will be no water leaks under the new patio and any drainage work needed should be completed at this time. Whichever base material has been installed, it should have a proper slope to allow for water run-off away from the house and patio paving. Once the preparation work has been anticipated, the final consideration to estimate how much the stone patio installation will cost is paving material selection and there are plenty of options to choose from.

Decomposed Granite

The most cost effective way to install a stone patio would be to simply excavate as described above and install several inches of compacted decomposed granite. This creates a very solid base while allowing for natural drainage. This is a great option for pathways and small seating areas. You can further enhance the overall look of your decomposed granite patio by having a natural stone, like flagstone, dry-laid installed directly on top of it. You should expect to pay $2,000 to $3,000 to create a medium to large decomposed granite and flagstone patio from scratch.

Concrete

A very common way to create a patio surface is simply to install concrete. You should expect to pay $2,500 to $5,000 to create a medium to large brushed concrete patio from scratch. If you want more than plain concrete, then plan to add some decorative finishes to it. These finishes can include staining the concrete a natural stone color and adding in decorative stamping to achieve the look of natural stone. You should expect to pay $3,500 to $7,500 to create a medium to large stained & stamped concrete patio from scratch. Concrete is an incredibly versatile material and is commonly used to create patios, seating areas, fire pit areas and outdoor kitchens.

Pavers

Pavers can be made of concrete or a natural stone such as Travertine pavers. Both are machine cut into specific sizes and need to be laid out in pattern on top of a prepared stable base as well as sand to provide a cushion. You should expect to pay $4,000 to $12,000 to create a medium to large paver patio from scratch depending on the materials chosen with Travertine being the most expensive. Pavers provide a great range of color and natural stone selections. They are solid enough to be used for any outdoor living function.

Mortared Natural Stone

When finishing your natural stone patio, you can chose to have the joints between the natural stones mortared or grouted and sealed to provide a more polished look. This is most commonly done when creating a natural flagstone patio. You should expect to pay $5,000 to $10,000 to create a medium to large mortared natural stone patio from scratch. In addition to outdoor living, mortared natural stone areas can also be used for decorate pathways and sidewalks.

Before contacting a landscape design company or paving contractor to provide an estimate for how much the stone patio installation costs, it is worth your time to think through what will be involved with creating your new stone patio, how you will be using the space and what materials might be right for you.