Patio Design and Installation in Solihull
Porcelain and natural stone terraces, built on foundations that last
A good patio in Solihull starts below ground, because most of the borough sits on clay that holds water. We design and lay porcelain and natural stone terraces, from a new patio on its own to the first stage of a wider garden, and every one gets the same groundwork.
The Terrace at Chestnut House, Lapworth
Before we started, there was no usable surface outside the back of Chestnut House at all. We designed the garden in full, then built it: levels and drainage first, then curved rendered planters and feature steps, then a terrace of large-format Wexford Natural porcelain tying the whole scheme together.
The slabs slope gently away from the building so rain runs off, and the steps have bullnose porcelain edging with channels for the lighting built in as they were laid, so there are no cables or fittings stuck on afterwards. A granite fire table, a Moon Gate and a gazebo now sit on and around the terrace.
It is one of our garden design and landscaping projects in Solihull. See the full Chestnut House project →
From Bare Ground to Porcelain Terrace
Recent Patios Across the Area
A Patio That Suits the House
Solihull’s housing is varied, and the right patio changes with it:
- Period houses round the town centre and in Olton often have tall brick elevations and the original damp-proof course close to ground level. Natural stone usually suits them best, and the levels need care so the new surface stays well below the DPC.
- Interwar semis and detached houses, along the Warwick Road and through Shirley and Olton, tend to have long rear gardens and an old concrete or crazy-paved patio to lift. A terrace close to the house, with a path or second seating area further down, usually makes better use of the length.
- Newer estates such as Monkspath and Dickens Heath often have small, level gardens on compacted clay, sometimes with builders’ rubble just below the turf. A courtyard patio in porcelain works well, but the ground needs digging out properly first.
- Larger village plots towards Knowle, Dorridge, Balsall Common and Lapworth bring bigger terraces, changes of level and a house that deserves a considered approach, which is where design and build together pays off.
Built for Solihull’s Heavy Clay
Clay holds water instead of letting it soak away, so a patio laid on it without thought will puddle, stain and, in time, move. We build ours the other way round:
- Dig to firm ground and set the depth of the sub-base by what we find, not by a standard figure.
- Plan where the water goes before any paving is ordered: a channel drain along the house, a soakaway, or a fall towards a lawn or border. Where the whole garden is waterlogged, we look at drainage and soakaways in Solihull first.
- Set the falls with a laser level, at least 1 in 80, always away from the house.
- Bed each slab for its material. Porcelain gets a bonding primer on every slab, and natural stone gets a full mortar bed. Our guide to patio materials and laying goes into the detail.
Porcelain or Natural Stone?
Porcelain is the choice for most modern terraces: it barely absorbs water, keeps its colour and cleans easily, and large-format slabs such as the Wexford Natural at Lapworth make a garden feel bigger. Choose a textured finish where the terrace will be used in the wet.
Natural stone gives character that suits period houses and mature gardens. Indian sandstone comes in warm and cool shades, limestone is calm and even, and granite is dense and hard-wearing. If cost were no object, Andy’s choice would be York stone, a British stone with real depth of colour.
On a sloping plot, the patio is often best built on two levels, with retaining walls and steps taking up the change in height.
Planning Points for Solihull Patios
- Back gardens. Ground-level paving normally needs no consent, but a terrace built up by more than 30 cm counts as a raised platform and does.
- Front gardens. Over 5 m² of new paving at the front needs consent, unless rain can pass through the surface or drain into beds or grass on your side of the boundary.
- Conservation areas. Solihull has 20, including Olton, Knowle, Solihull town centre, the Warwick Road, Hampton-in-Arden, Berkswell and Station Approach in Dorridge. A conservation area can also carry an Article 4 direction, which removes permitted development rights, so check before changing the front of a house there.
- Which council? Most of the borough is covered by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, but some Solihull-postcode addresses, including Lapworth, are in Warwickshire and come under Stratford-on-Avon District Council.
This is general guidance for England rather than planning advice, and the council has the final say. We check the position for your address before work starts.
Why Choose Us for a Solihull Patio
Groundwork you can trust
Sub-base set by the ground, drainage planned for clay, and falls set with a laser level.
Designed if you want it
Andy can design the patio in 2D and 3D, on its own or as part of the whole garden, so the levels are resolved on paper.
Every material, laid for the material
Porcelain with a bonding primer, natural stone on a full bed, and bullnose steps with lighting built in.
Guaranteed and insured
A 12-month workmanship guarantee and £1M public liability insurance on every patio we lay.
Patios Across Solihull
From our Coventry base we build patios in Solihull and the villages around it, alongside the rest of our landscaping in Solihull and nearby Balsall Common.
Solihull Patio Questions
Do you build patios in Solihull as a job on their own?
Yes. Every enquiry is considered on its merits, and a high-quality patio or terrace is a project we are glad to take on by itself. Many Solihull patios also grow into more, such as walls, steps, lighting or planting, and we can design those at the same time.
What was the Lapworth terrace made from?
Large-format Wexford Natural porcelain, with every slab laid to shed rain away from the building. The feature steps have bullnose porcelain edging, with channels for the step lighting built in as they were laid.
My Solihull garden is heavy clay. Will a patio drain properly?
It will if the drainage is designed rather than assumed. On clay we set the sub-base depth for the ground, lay the paving to a fall of at least 1 in 80 away from the house, and plan where the water goes, such as a soakaway or drainage channel, before any paving goes down.
Porcelain or natural stone for a period house in Solihull?
Natural stone usually sits better against older brick and stone, whether sandstone, limestone or, if budget allows, York stone. Porcelain suits modern and newer houses, and large-format slabs make a clean, contemporary terrace. We bring samples so you can see them against the house.
Do I need planning permission for a patio in Solihull?
A level patio in the back garden rarely does. Out the front, a hard surface over 5 square metres needs consent unless water can soak through it or runs off into planting or grass, and anything built up more than 30 cm is treated as a raised platform. Solihull has 20 conservation areas, including Olton, Knowle and the town centre, where extra controls can apply. The council has the final say.
Which council covers my address?
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council for most of the borough. Some addresses with a Solihull postcode, such as Lapworth, are in Warwickshire and fall under Stratford-on-Avon District Council, so it is worth checking before you rely on any rule.
Can you build a patio on two levels?
Yes. Sloping gardens are common, and a terrace on two or three levels with steps and retaining walls usually gains far more usable space than a single patio. We resolve the levels before anything is dug.
How far below the damp-proof course should a patio sit?
At least 150 mm, sloping away from the house, so rain cannot splash up above the damp-proof course or run back towards the walls. On older Solihull houses the DPC can be hard to spot, so we find it before setting the levels.
Planning a new patio in Solihull?
Send us a few photos of the house and garden, and we will come out, take levels and give you a price.
