Patio services in Ireland typically cost €150 to €220 per square metre in 2026, including VAT, with €200 per square metre serving as a useful central benchmark.

For a typical patio or seating area, most homeowners spend €5,000 to €10,000 supplied and installed. The range is broad because a patio is effectively two jobs in one. Buying paving slabs for a small courtyard may only cost a few hundred euro, but the groundwork and installation can add considerably more. In recent times, over 2,000 homeowners have reached out to more than 4,000 Bark experts for this type of work.

Compare patio services on Bark, check reviews and get free quotes before choosing who to hire.

The bigger share of the cost usually comes from excavating the ground, laying a proper sub-base and then bedding and jointing the slabs correctly so they do not sink or crack over time.

This guide breaks down what drives the price, what a fair quote should include and the questions worth asking before you sign one. It covers installing a new patio, not repairing or resealing an existing one.

How much do patio services cost by size in Ireland?

A small 10 square metre patio typically costs €1,500 to €2,500 installed, while a large 50 square metre patio runs €7,500 to €11,000 or more.

Larger patios often cost slightly less per square metre because excavation, delivery and setup costs are spread across a bigger area.

Patio cost by size

2026 prices in EUR, typically including 13.5% VAT.

Very small patios can carry a higher effective rate per square metre.

Contractors still need to bring machinery, deliver materials and set up the site, so those fixed costs weigh more heavily on a small job. That is why a small courtyard can cost more per square metre than a larger patio.

Do you pay VAT on patio installation in Ireland?

A supply-and-install patio job normally qualifies for the reduced VAT rate of 13.5%, which Revenue confirms applies to construction services connected with immovable property.

Buying paving materials on their own from a retailer, without labour, is taxed at the standard 23% rate.

There's a catch here to bear in mind before comparing quotes. 

Revenue's Two-Thirds Rule can push the whole job to 23% VAT if materials cost more than two-thirds of the price before VAT. That applies even when a contractor is doing all the labour.

Premium stone or porcelain patios are more likely to tip into that bracket than a basic concrete-flag job, since the slabs themselves cost more.

For this reason, it’s important to ask any professional to confirm which VAT rate applies and why, because 13.5% does not always apply to every patio job. 

How much does patio paving cost per square metre by material?

Patio paving, supplied and installed, typically costs €150 to €220 per square metre, including VAT at 13.5%.

Premium or complex paving runs €200 to €250 or more and is more likely to tip into the 23% VAT bracket.

Patio paving cost by material

2026 prices in EUR. Material-only prices include 23% VAT. Installed prices usually include 13.5% VAT, unless the Two-Thirds Rule means the full job is charged at 23%.

That gap between a €30 slab and a €200 finished square metre is one of the easiest parts of patio pricing to underestimate.

It covers excavation, sub-base, bedding, cutting and pointing, plus drainage falls so water flows away from the house instead of pooling.

A finished patio built to last needs all of that underneath it, whether the slabs on top cost €30 a square metre or €100.

A 25 square metre concrete patio typically costs €3,000 to €4,750 installed, while the same size in porcelain runs €4,500 to €6,250.

What should you put under a patio?

A patio needs a solid, well-prepared base to stay level over time. This usually starts with a compacted hardcore sub-base, followed by a bedding layer before the paving is laid.

The bedding can be made from sharp sand or mortar, depending on the paving and ground conditions. A full mortar bed provides a firmer, more even base and is often used for natural stone or porcelain. Sharp sand may suit lighter concrete paving on stable, well-drained ground.

Whichever system you use, the sub-base is essential. Poor preparation is one of the main reasons patios sink, crack or become uneven.

Retail bedding concrete costs roughly €15 to €18 per 25kg bag, while jointing compound costs about €55 to €60 per 20kg tub, including VAT.

Much of the gap between materials-only and installed pricing comes from the labour involved in excavating, preparing, compacting and laying the base correctly.

Can you lay a patio directly on soil?

Laying paving slabs straight onto bare soil leaves no proper sub-base or bedding to hold them in place.

The slabs can move or sink, weeds can grow through the joints and changes in moisture can shift the soil underneath.

Can you lay patio slabs on grass?

Not without preparing the ground first.

The turf and topsoil need to be stripped back before the sub-base and bedding layer are added. Only then should the paving go down.

Laying slabs directly onto grass creates the same risk of sinking and unevenness as laying onto soil, as well as grass regrowing through the gaps.

Can you lay a patio on an existing concrete base?

Sometimes, if the existing base is sound, flat and properly drained.

A contractor will check for cracks, movement and drainage falls before deciding whether to bed new paving on top or break out the old base.

If the existing slab is old, cracked or holding water, laying on top of it can simply bury the existing problem.

Is it cheaper to install a patio yourself or hire a professional?

Buying materials, without labour, is significantly cheaper upfront at roughly €25 to €100 per square metre including 23% VAT.

But that figure only covers the paving itself. It doesn't include excavation, sub-base, bedding, cutting and jointing.

A professional's installed price of €150 to €220 per square metre at 13.5% VAT covers groundwork, equipment, waste disposal and labour.

DIY can make sense for a very small, low-traffic area on flat, well-drained ground. Larger projects or sites with drainage issues require more preparation.

See what patio installers in your area would charge to finish your garden.

Do you need planning permission for a patio in Ireland?

Patios, paths and hard surfacing within the curtilage of a house can fall within exempted development under the Planning and Development Regulations.

The exemption is subject to conditions, including limits around changes to ground level.

A standard patio replacement or new installation at the existing ground level will often fall within those limits.

A raised patio or a project that significantly changes the surrounding ground level deserves a closer look. If you're unsure, check with your local planning authority before work begins.

What's the best time of year to lay a patio in Ireland?

Spring and early autumn tend to offer workable conditions for laying a patio in Ireland.

Mortar and bedding materials need suitable temperatures and weather conditions to set properly, while prolonged wet weather can interfere with groundwork.

According to Met Éireann, air frost in Ireland is rare in June, July and August but can occur in other months.

That means there's no single guaranteed frost-free installation window. Contractors may build contingency time into a project when conditions are changeable.

Does it cost more to install a patio if you're removing an old one first?

Yes, and how much you pay comes down to what's being removed.

Lifting loose slabs typically costs €15 to €30 per square metre, while breaking out an existing patio costs €20 to €40 per square metre.

Thick reinforced concrete can push removal towards €30 to €60 or more per square metre. Waste disposal may be billed separately.

A 25 square metre patio can therefore require another €500 to €1,500 or more in removal costs before the new surface goes in.

Restricted access can increase that further if spoil has to be removed manually through the house or a narrow side passage.

What else might add to your patio installation quote?

The headline price can shift once you factor in the shape of the garden, changes in level, drainage needs and any extra work around the patio itself.

Does drainage add to the cost?

A flat, well-drained garden may need little more than correctly designed paving falls.

A sloping site can require channel drains, gullies or a soakaway. That may add a few hundred euros for a simple job, while more substantial drainage work can cost €1,000 to €3,000 or more, plus VAT.

What about steps or level changes?

Steps and changes in level usually cost more because they add groundwork, cutting and finishing work to the job.

They are normally priced as part of the surrounding paving rather than at one fixed per-step rate.

Steps and level-change cost by scope

2026 prices in EUR, typically including 13.5% VAT. These are project allowances rather than a published national average.

Does patio edging cost extra?

Yes, although the impact depends heavily on the finish you choose.

Basic edge restraint adds relatively little, while granite kerbing can cost up to €50 to €60 per linear metre. On a 20 metre perimeter, that can add more than €1,000, plus VAT.

Do patterns or cut paving cost more?

Usually.

Simple rectangular layouts are the cheapest to lay because they require fewer cuts and less setting out.

Diagonal patterns, curves, mixed slab sizes and cutting around obstacles all add labour. Premium materials can also increase waste costs when slabs need trimming.

Is extending an existing patio cheaper than replacing it?

It can be, provided the existing surface and sub-base are still sound.

Matching old paving exactly can be difficult, but keeping the existing patio in place avoids paying to remove and rebuild areas that are still performing well.

An extra 10 square metres typically costs €1,500 to €2,000 in standard paving or €1,800 to €2,500 in porcelain or premium stone, VAT included.

If the patio is part of a wider garden project, it can also make sense to price related work at the same time rather than arranging several separate jobs.

For example, you can discuss a new driveway with driveway installers on Bark, while deck and porch specialists step in where decking sits alongside the paved area.

If you're also replacing a boundary, fencing professionals can quote that work separately.

For a larger overhaul, a landscape designer helps plan how the patio fits with the rest of the garden. If the project extends to paths, walls or a broader garden reshape, landscaping professionals cover that wider scope.

The bottom line

A patio in Ireland costs around €1,500 to €11,000, VAT included, depending largely on size. A typical mid-sized patio lands between roughly €3,000 and €6,600.

The paving slabs themselves can cost much less than the finished surface. Excavation, sub-base, bedding and installation work make up much of the final price.

If you're choosing between a materials-only quote and a full installed price, ask exactly what groundwork each one includes before comparing the numbers.