Decide on the budget : Installing a patio is expensive but it is worth spending as much as you can afford as the patio is such an important part of the garden. The garden should be viewed as an outdoor room and if you are prepared to spend a little extra on getting it right it will be useable for most of the year. Allow around £120 per square metre as an all-in cost to get a contractor to lay your patio.
Brick : Brick is one of the most popular choice for patios because it is easy to install, looks great and is preferred by most DIY enthusiasts. This type of patio material offer a very traditional look in terms of warm, earthy colors and last a long time. Bricks can be installed on sand base or concrete pavements regardless of whether you use mortar or not and extremely durable in cold climates. It can have a variety of patterns as well because of its uniform shape and size, thus add a lot of personality and individually to your patio. The color of brick looks extremely nice and attractive on a patio especially if it is surrounded by a garden.
When you are figuring out your budget for the patio, you must take into account the maintenance costs of each different type of patio material. You may find that you are better off choosing a more expensive but durable patio materials up front rather than choosing a cheaper one that has a higher average maintenance cost. Also, make sure that you include into your budget for any additional walkways or paths that need to be built.
Nowadays, there are ample patio materials to choose from for your patio surface. Some of the more popular are available at landscaping centers or home improvement depot. They can be used for the simple and complex projects alike and are not confined just to the patio. These new types of patio materials can also be used for driveways, walkways and retaining walls along with permanent fixtures such as, plants, flowerpots and patio furniture.