How Much Does a Patio Cost?

Average Cost to Build a Patio

Installing a pathway or patio costs $3,638 on average, or typically between $1,922 and $5,476. Most homeowners spend $8 to $20 per square foot for a patio install, depending on the type of material you choose.

Upgrading or adding custom patios and pathways to your home increases curb appeal and might increase its value. They also add tons of outdoor living space and offer the opportunity to embellish your outdoor entertainment options. You can add an outdoor kitchen, pool, hot tub, fire pit, or just a grill. But with the upgrades come added costs.

Patio Installation Cost Factors

Patio construction costs stretch beyond just the pavers and labor. You’ll have to consider several cost factors, ranging from landscaping the wider area to adding drainage beneath the patio.

Landscaping

Landscaping costs $1,400 to $5,300. If you're simply replacing an old patio with a new one, you may not need to pay for landscaping. However, if you want to rejuvenate your outdoor space, hiring a landscaper while you're having a patio installed is a smart option, as you can get all the work done at the same time.

Grading

Grading or resloping your lawn costs $1,000 to $3,000. Grading is the process of leveling or sloping land. It’s also a process of correcting the slope of the land to accommodate drainage. 

Normally, land is sloped slightly away from your property to ensure rain runs away from your home rather than pooling against it. However, with a patio, you most likely want a flat surface. Therefore, you'll need some grading work done to level the area and accommodate drainage so that water still moves away from your property.

Plumbing

Plumbing costs $200 to $1,000. You might need this to add drainage beneath the patio. Your contractor can advise you whether a sloping drain or French drain is the best choice. If you want to add a wet bar or outdoor kitchen to your patio area, you'll also need the services of a plumber for pipes and the installation of an outdoor sink and faucets. 

Electrical

Electrical costs run $300 to $1,500. For a basic patio, you won't need the services of an electrician. You can also add solar lights to line the patio or walkway, which don't require professional installation either. However, if you want on-demand lighting, a sound system, or refrigeration, you’ll need power cables in place. Similarly, if you want a fully functioning outdoor kitchen, you'll need an electrician for the installation. 

Permits

Permits cost $425 to $2,300. Note that not all patios and walkways require a permit. Whether you need one or not depends on what you're installing and the regulations in your municipality. Be sure to check with your local building code enforcement office or contractor.

Labor

Labor costs $5 to $15 per square foot for the installation of the patio itself. The price you'll pay depends on how easy the site is to access, how much site preparation is required, whether the contractor has to rip up and haul away an existing patio, and whether the site requires grading.

Materials

Materials cost $1 to $35 per square foot for the surface materials. Remember too that you'll need to account for the materials used during grading or adding drainage. You'll also pay significantly more for materials if you add an outdoor kitchen, patio furniture, or other outdoor entertainment items.

Patio Prices by Material

Material prices range from $1 to $35 or more. At the bottom of the list is gravel at $1 to $4 per square foot. On the high end, you’ll find natural stone, specifically granite cobblestones and some higher-end flagstones.

Poured and Stamped Concrete

Simple concrete patios cost $3 to $6 per square foot or around $3,000 total, depending on the thickness of the slab and any upgrades you get.

Staining or stamping a concrete patio costs up to $28 per square foot, bringing the total cost up to about $4,400.

Gravel

Pea gravel costs $1.50 to $4 per square foot. Double that for professional installation. Gravel is the most DIY-friendly patio and pathway material. If you can use a shovel, you can install a gravel surface. Often seen embedded into concrete, gravel is also installed loose. It can fit any shape, no matter how straight or curvy, with minimal effort.

You can get gravel at most home improvement stores in bags. But for large areas, order it from a landscaping supply specialist, stone yard, or quarry.

Natural Stone & Flagstone

Natural stone patio materials cost $11 to $30 per square foot. Flagstone refers to any natural stone cut into flat, irregular shapes. While the cost of this material can vary widely depending on the type of stone, the luxurious custom look ensures that no two flagstone patios are alike.

Brick and Concrete Pavers

Brick pavers cost $8 to $19 per square foot. They’re made of real clay and last far longer than concrete. Concrete pavers cost $4.50 to $21 per square foot. They mimic just about any type of stone or brick and often cost less to buy and install. They require a bit more upkeep and tend not to last as long.

Pavers mean anything you pave your lawn with, which could mean flagstones, brick, or concrete blocks, come in different styles from brick to cobblestone.

Patio Installation Cost per Square Foot

Installing a patio costs anywhere from $5 to $50 per square foot. Most people pay in the range of $8 to $20 per square foot. Most of your costs come from the materials you choose and the upgrades you opt for.

• Labor runs anywhere from $5 to $15 per square foot.

• Materials run anywhere from $1 to $35 per square foot, before upgrades.

• Average hardscape material prices (excluding gravel and loose stone) range from $10 to $20 per square foot.

A basic gravel patio costs about $5 per square foot to install, while a large custom natural cobblestone patio might hit $50 per square foot.

Cost to Put in a New Patio by Size

Raised Patio Cost

Raised patios cost about $2 to $6 per square foot more than other types if they use concrete. Most raised patios sit on a concrete or other hard structure. Most commonly, they’re taking advantage of an already existing poured concrete slab.

Patio Extension Costs

Extending a patio costs the same as installing a new patio or about $8 to $20 per square foot. It takes some design care to match your current look or improve on it. However, if you’re looking to remodel your current outdoor space while extending its use, you’ll probably incur a few extra expenses, including:

• Tiling installation costs $900–$2,800+. Make sure to use solid surfaces and outdoor approved tile.

• Patio repairs cost $700–$2,100. You’ll want to fix any damage before adding on.

• Landscape designers cost $2,000–$7,000. They’ll help integrate your existing outdoor area with a new one while suggesting other upgrades you might want to consider.

Patio Upgrade Costs

While planning your patio, you might consider some other upgrades and cost factors. Everything from built-in furniture to an outdoor kitchen and pool. These cost factors might make you rethink your budget.

Backyard Patio With a Firepit

Fire pits cost $300 to $1,400 on average. Small standalone pits generally cost from $50 to $250 while built-in pits can cost from $300 to $3,000 or more.

Some people opt for a chiminea. This is a stand-alone fireplace with a conical shape topped by a chimney. Made of metal or clay, they cost between $150 and $1,500.

Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor kitchens cost $5,500 to $22,000 on average. But you could end up paying $50,000 or more for extremely large and high-end designs and installs. The only limiting factors are your imagination, budget, and space.

Patio Sitting Wall

Patio sitting walls cost anywhere from $15 to $60 per square foot. Retaining walls cost $3,200 to $8,700 or an average of $40 per square foot. You might need one of these for structural reasons or just to split the area visually. Either way, the material choices and size dictate your budget.

Patio Cover or Roof

Patio cover costs $5,000 to $25,000 or higher. These can even hit $50,000 or more if you opt for a high-end design, a large enclosure, insulation, or high-end materials. The room can essentially become part of your home.

Pergolas

Pergolas cost $2,200 to $6,000 or more, depending on both size and the quality of wood you use. A pergola is like a gazebo except that while a gazebo is semi-enclosed, a pergola is open. The framework just breaks up the sunlight to give a bright but shaded area.

The typical pergola is 10x10 feet. They can comprise of steel, vinyl, aluminum, or wood. Wood is the most expensive of the materials, but warranties for store-bought kits can range from 1 to 20 years.

• Steel: $300–$1,500

• Aluminum or vinyl: $800–$2,000

• Wood: $2,500–$4,000 depending on the type of wood

• Custom: $25–$50 per square foot.

• Plans to build your own: $19–$26 each

Furniture

Patio furniture runs anywhere from $100 to $5,000 or more. You can have everything from a single chair up to a sitting area for 10 people or more. Only the patio size and your budget limit options.

• A simple bistro set consists of two chairs and a small table: $70–$500. They are ideal for a small patio or to fill in an empty corner.

• A conversation set: $250–$1,000. Slightly larger than a bistro set, the number of chairs ranges from two to how many you can fit.

• Dining sets: $500–$5,000. This price can vary depending on the size of the table and the number of chairs. Some may have an umbrella or shade of some sort.

Pool Installation

Pool installation costs $17,000 to $45,000. Pools and patios go together. You’ll spend on the lower end if you’re looking to tile concrete. Adding a pool means digging out your existing patio or adding to it.

Cost of Laying a Walkway

Laying a walkway costs $8 to $20 per square foot on average. There’s no difference between a patio or pathway install. They use the same methods, materials, and labor.

Including both materials and labor, here are some common walkway (and patio) costs:

• Concrete: $3–$6 per square foot. Concrete pathways for private, residential settings are usually three feet wide. A pathway designed with handicap accessibility should be at least 4 feet wide.

• Flagstone: $11–$30 per square foot. You can shave the price in half by using flagstones in an open pattern like stepping stones and allowing grass to grow around them.

• Gravel: $1.50–$4 per square foot. You’ll spend most of your money on gravel installation as the materials cost about $1 per square foot. Gravel makes an excellent DIY application. Try adding some decomposed granite, dry cement, or sand to help keep the gravel in place.

• Concrete or brick pavers: $0.50–$10 per square foot. Pavers add eye appeal when laid out in attractive patterns and come in a wide range of styles, colors, sizes, and finishes.

Heated Walkway Costs

Adding a heated walkway system under pavers or concrete adds $8 to $25 per square foot to your overall project. You can expect most heated walkways to cost $16 to $50 per square foot. Heated driveways use the same systems and run about the same price.

DIY Cost to Make a Patio vs. Hire a Pro

Although a patio install might seem to make a great DIY project, it’ll eat up 30 to 50 hours of your time when done properly. Plus, you’ll want to avoid installation mistakes that lead to drainage issues, uneven ground, and, ultimately, the need to redo the whole project. Save yourself some time and hire a patio installation professional near you for quotes and consultations.

You should find a reputable professional who knows local codes, as there are often regulations for building residential patios. Get from three to five quotes, ask for references, and inspect their previous work if you can.

FAQs

How much does it cost to replace a front walkway?

Replacing a front walkway with poured or stamped concrete costs anywhere from $3 to $28 per square foot, depending on the upgrades you choose. Using pavers tends to cost $8 to $20 per square foot.

How much does a patio remodel cost?

A patio remodel can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 or more. It really depends on what you’re doing to it. Simply leveling and installing tile might only cost a few thousand while expansion with a hot tub and outdoor kitchen can easily hit $20,000 or more.

What's the least expensive patio material?

The least expensive patio material is pea gravel with poured concrete and concrete pavers, only costing slightly more.

How long does it take to build a patio?

The average patio takes anywhere from 30 to 50 hours to complete.