Sandstone · Trowbridge
Innox Park · 42m² patio
Kandla grey sandstone, channel drain to soakaway, low brick walls to two sides.
Hard landscaping done properly.
The cheap end of patio/driveway work is everywhere. Slabs laid on a thin bed of sand, dropped onto an unconsolidated subgrade, with no drainage falls. They look fine for two years and then start sinking, cracking and growing weeds.
We do the unsexy bits properly: 150mm Type 1 sub-base, compacted in 50mm layers, falls planned to drainage from day one. The slab on top is the easy bit.
Indian sandstone
Most popular patio material in Wiltshire. Natural stone with colour variation (Kandla grey, Raj green, mint, autumn brown). Develops a softened patina over time. Cheaper than porcelain but needs sealing every 3–5 years to keep colour.
Porcelain
Engineered tile. Uniform colour, virtually stain-proof, frost-proof, no sealing needed. More expensive than sandstone, harder to cut on site, but stays looking new for decades. Best for contemporary designs.
Block paving
Standard for driveways. Tough enough to drive on, repairable (you can lift one block to replace it), wide colour range. Modern permeable blocks let surface water soak through — solves the planning issue for new front drives.
Brick & stone walls
For garden walls we work in brick, dressed stone, dry stone (Cotswold limestone or local Bath stone reclaimed) and rendered concrete block. Always with proper foundations (450–600mm trench depth), proper coursing and a coping that throws water clear.
Composite decking
Lower-maintenance alternative to softwood decking. Won't rot, splinter or fade. Higher upfront cost but lower lifetime cost.
Drainage — the invisible bit.
Bad drainage is why patios and driveways fail. We always design with falls (1:80 minimum) toward channel drains or soakaways, and we never seal a patio against the house wall without a proper damp-proof gap or perimeter drain.
- Channel drain at the house wall and across the patio low edge, connected to a soakaway or surface-water drain.
- Permeable sub-base for front driveways to comply with planning.
- Perimeter drainage behind retaining walls — perforated pipe in pea gravel, 100mm minimum, with a rodding access.
- French drains alongside boundary walls in heavy clay soil — common in parts of Trowbridge and Melksham.
Retaining walls.
Sloping gardens around Bath, Bradford-on-Avon and the southern Wiltshire valleys often need retaining walls. The two non-negotiables:
- Foundations — minimum 600mm depth, often deeper, properly stepped if the wall runs along a slope.
- Drainage behind the wall — without it, hydrostatic pressure builds up and the wall pushes outward over time. We install perforated drain in pea gravel along the back face, with weep holes through the wall to daylight.
Walls over 1.2m typically benefit from structural engineer input — we'll flag this at quote stage.
Recent landscaping.
Driveway · Melksham
Bowerhill · 60m² drive
Permeable block paving, dropped kerb, full Type 1 base. Two-car drive.
Retaining wall · Bath
Bathwick · 8m × 1.4m wall
Bath stone-faced retaining wall on a steep terraced garden, full perimeter drainage.
FAQs.
Indian sandstone or porcelain — which is best? +
Both excellent. Sandstone is cheaper, natural colour variation, develops patina. Porcelain is more expensive, uniform, virtually stain-proof. Contemporary clean look — porcelain. Softer cottage feel — sandstone.
Do I need planning permission? +
Patios at the back — normally PD. Front driveways need planning if non-permeable materials and area exceeds 5m²; permeable paving avoids this. Walls over 1m on public-facing boundary need planning, walls over 2m anywhere.
Why does drainage matter so much? +
Bad drainage is why most patios and driveways fail within 5 years. We design falls toward channel drains or soakaways, and never seal a patio against the house wall without proper protection. Drainage often costs more than the slabs.
Can you build retaining walls? +
Yes — common across Bath especially. Concrete block faced in stone, or solid stone. Walls over 1.2m typically need engineering input. Drainage behind the wall is critical.
How long does a patio take? +
30–50m² patio typically 7–14 days. Block-paved driveways of similar size 10–18 days. Retaining walls add days based on length and height.