Patio Installation in Kingsbridge and the South Hams: Creating an Outdoor Space That Works

South Devon is genuinely one of the best parts of the country to have a good outdoor space. The climate is milder than most of England, the growing season is longer, and in a good summer — which does happen — you spend a meaningful amount of time outside. A decent patio makes a real difference to how much you actually use your garden.

For homeowners in Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Salcombe and the surrounding South Hams villages, here’s what matters when planning a new patio installation.

Patio Slabs vs Block Paving vs Resin

The three main options for patio surfaces in the South Hams are patio slabs (porcelain or natural stone), block paving, and resin bound surfacing. They each have different strengths:

Patio slabs are the most popular choice for outdoor seating areas. Large-format porcelain slabs (typically 600x600mm or 900x600mm) have become increasingly popular because they’re essentially maintenance-free — they don’t stain, don’t absorb water, and don’t need sealing. Natural stone — sandstone, limestone, slate — has more character and warmth but requires more maintenance to keep clean.

Block paving is a strong choice when you want the patio to flow into the driveway as a unified surface. The same blocks can continue from the driveway into the garden, creating a coherent exterior design. It’s also easier to repair individual sections if needed.

Resin bound is less common for patios but works well for connecting a patio to a driveway or pathway. It’s permeable, low maintenance and looks contemporary. For a dedicated seating area, most people prefer the texture of stone or block underfoot.

Planning Your Patio: Orientation and Size

In the South Hams, properties vary significantly in how they sit on the plot, which direction the garden faces, and what kind of view or aspect they have. Before choosing materials, it’s worth thinking through some practical questions:

• Which direction does the garden face? South-facing patios get the most sun through the day; east-facing patios are pleasant in the morning; west-facing catch the afternoon and evening light
• Are there trees or structures that shade the proposed area at the times you’d use it most?
• How does the patio connect to the house? A step down creates a clear threshold; a level connection to sliding or bifold doors is increasingly popular and feels more open
• How large does it need to be? A dining table for six needs at least 4m x 4m of clear space once chairs are pulled out
• Do you need drainage? If the patio is near the house, good drainage away from the building is important

Dealing With Devon’s Terrain

Kingsbridge and the surrounding South Hams villages sit in a landscape that is rarely flat. Many gardens in the area have a slope, which means patio installation often involves some groundwork — levelling, step creation, or terracing — to create a usable flat surface.

This is worth factoring into your budget and your brief. A steeply sloping garden that gets levelled into two or three terraces connected by steps can become a genuinely beautiful space, but it’s more work than laying slabs on an already-flat plot.

We assess drainage carefully on sloped sites. On a hillside garden, water management is particularly important — we need to ensure that runoff from a patio doesn’t collect near the house foundation or flood a lower section of the garden.

Matching Materials to Your Property

The South Hams has a distinct architectural character — a lot of Devon stone, rendered walls, natural slate roofs, and the warm buff and grey tones of traditional vernacular buildings. When choosing patio materials, it’s worth considering how they’ll sit alongside your house exterior.

For older or character properties, natural stone slabs — particularly sandstone or limestone — tend to look most sympathetic. For modern builds with rendered walls and contemporary finishes, large-format grey or light porcelain works well. Block paving in warm tones bridges the gap between traditional and modern effectively.

What Does a Patio Installation Cost in the South Hams?

Patio costs vary considerably depending on the material chosen, the size of the space, and the amount of groundwork involved. Broad price ranges for installed patios in Devon:

• Concrete block paving: £40 to £65 per square metre
• Sandstone or limestone slabs: £55 to £85 per square metre
• Porcelain slabs: £65 to £100 per square metre
• Steps, raised edges, and drainage features are priced separately on top

A 25 to 30 square metre patio — a comfortable size for outdoor dining — typically comes in at around £1,500 to £3,000 depending on the material and groundwork.

RM Driveways in Kingsbridge and the South Hams

We carry out patio installations across the South Hams — from Kingsbridge and Modbury to Dartmouth, Salcombe and the villages in between. We offer a free site survey and will come out to discuss your space, look at the options, and give you a clear quote.

Call us on 01364 712353 or contact us through our website. We’re based in South Devon and work locally — no travelling charges and a team who knows the area well.