Home Improvement

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Patio

| May 31, 2014 | 0 Comments

Cost to Build a Patio

build-patio-costWhether it’s simple or lavish, adding a patio expands a home’s living and entertaining space into the outdoors. It can add to a home’s versatility. It can improve the chance to be social and to liven up one’s life. There are several different things to consider when planning to build a patio.

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Typical Costs for a Contractor

  • Having a contractor build the patio for you will increase its quality, and increase the cost as well. Simply preparing the area and then pouring a concrete slab ranges in cost from
  • $1,000-$2,000 for 10×20-feet,
  • $4,000-$6,000 for 80×20-feet and
  • $5,000-$10,000 for 100×100-feet, depending on the cost of labor and materials.
  • Smaller projects cost more per square foot because of the minimum amount of travel, labor and equipment costs needed to complete any project properly.  Having a brick patio professionally installed can run around $15-22 a square foot for labor and materials. Concrete can be plain or have added color, texture or patterns, attractive options that also move a project to the more expensive end of the price ranges. The home owner may want to consider using a professional for the parts that they want done “just right”, like pouring a concrete floor, and then doing everything else o their own, including all the decorative work. When checking out professionals, feel free to get several estimates, making sure what is (and isn’t) in each quote; understand whether all prep and clean-up work is included. Request and check references. Ask about the contractor’s length and type of experience; and be sure they’re properly bonded, insured and licensed in your state. Check if there are any complaints with the Better Business Bureau or other regulatory agencies in your state or area.

Do it Yourself Costs

  • Total costs for a do-it-yourself brick patio can run $2.80 a square foot, which comes out to $560 for a 10×20 foot (or 200 square foot)area. The tradeoff is clearly between the quality of the work done by professional who does this sort of work all the time, compared to the abilities of a skilled “do it yourselfer” who may end up doing work they later regret. There is also the risk of too much time being spread out on a project. For example, pouring a concrete floor is best when done in its entirety at one time, and it can be a time consuming task to do properly, to ensure the mix is correct, etc.

Additional costs

  • Building a patio is just the beginning; furniture, plants, a barbecue, an electric outdoor heater and other accessories can add $300-$6,000 or more to the total cost, depending on the level of quality desired in the final project.
  • Patio covers can be large outdoor umbrellas, priced for $50.
  • Awnings are often priced at $300-$800 for basic models or $1,000-$2,000 for mechanized models.
  • Metal-and-canvas canopies or gazebos can start at $50-$350.
  • A wood lattice roof or gazebo can cost $500-$10,000.
  • Low-maintenance wood-patterned aluminum roofs are often priced at about $6,000-$8,000 for a 400 square foot area, with screening available for an additional $3,000-$4,000.

The potential patio enthusiast must decide exactly how and when the new patio will be used. Check out what other people have on their patios to better determine what works best with your plans. Gather information about potential materials and designs and collect images of patios that appeal to you.

Want to Build a Deck Instead?

Find out: How much it cost to build a deck.

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