There are a lot of factors that go into designing and building a patio. We’ll look at a few different options to discover what does a patio cost in Virginia?
Several factors can impact costs: access, demolition, grades, and more. For this reason we don’t typically price patios by the square foot. However, based on historical data, we can look at some average square foot prices for different materials and methods.
Cost of a flagstone patio on a new concrete base
A flagstone patio on a new concrete base in Virginia generally costs between $50-65 per square foot. This includes the following:
- Dig out for the patio (not including demolition of existing hardscape or plants)
- Form and pour a new concrete slab. The concrete slab should be a minimum of 4 inches thick, wire reinforced, and poured with a concrete mix with a minimum compressive strength of 2500 psi.
- Application of flagstone to the concrete slab using a mortar mix.
- Mortared joints between the flagstone pieces.
Flagstone pattern and quality will impact the cost. Natural cleft pattern (squares and rectangles) flagstone will be less expensive than thermal treated pattern flagstone, or irregular flagstone.
Cost of a paver patio on a compacted gravel base
A paver patio on a compacted gravel base in Virginia generally costs between $30-45 per square foot. This includes the following:
- Dig out for the patio (not including demolition of existing hardscape or plants)
- Install a gravel base, compacted the gravel in lifts to ensure maximum compaction
- Install a one inch layer of bedding sand.
- Installation of the concrete pavers. Pavers are secured with snap edging spiked into the paver base.
- Installation of polymeric sand in the paver joints.
There are a few factors that impact the cost of a paver patio in Virginia. Higher end pavers, like Techo-Bloc, will have a higher cost. Large slab pavers, like Techo-Bloc Para, will be more expensive than smaller pavers like Techo-Bloc Blu60.
Additional patio cost considerations
The costs shown above are just for the patio itself. Your specific project may have additional cost considerations:
- Demolition of existing patio or plantings. There is no standard demolition cost as every situation is different.
- Significant grade challenges. A patio is typically installed with a maximum pitch of ¼” per foot of fall. If the existing grade would make this impossible, we would need to add a retaining wall or a concrete turndown edge to the outer edge of the patio at additional cost.
- Difficult access. If we can get in with mechanized equipment, the build will go more quickly and labor costs will be lower. The more hand work required, the higher the cost.
- Patio size. Generally speaking a smaller patio will have a higher cost per square foot to build. The larger the patio, the more efficiently we can lay stone or pavers.
When considering a patio, we recommend always starting with a professional design. That way we can design to your style and your budget, and make sure that you get the end result you want. To get started with the design process, contact us today!