Porcelain patio with lawn surround, Gloucester
The garden was a builder's finish on a new-build plot: soft ground, no falls, no defined edges. It was dug out, re-levelled and paved in porcelain around a central lawn, with a charcoal sett course separating the two.
Key facts
- Town
- Gloucester
- Year
- 2025
- Surface
- Porcelain paving, charcoal sett edge course
- Lawn
- Framed on all four sides by paving
Why frame the lawn with paving on all four sides?
It removes every awkward edge. There is no strip of grass against a fence that a mower cannot reach, the lawn cannot creep into the paving, and the sett course gives the mortar something solid to finish against instead of dying into soil.
What was done to the ground before any slab was laid?
The plot was excavated to formation, soft new-build spoil taken away and a sub-base built up and compacted in layers. Falls were then set away from the house before bedding started — you cannot correct a fall once slabs are down.
- Soft topsoil and builder's spoil removed
- Sub-base compacted in layers, not one dump
- Falls set away from the house and doors before bedding
How long does a garden of this size take?
A rebuild at this scale is typically one to two weeks of working days depending on ground conditions, spoil removal and weather. Groundworks take longer than laying; the paving itself is the fastest part of the job.
Photographs from this job
Other projects
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Resin bound side return
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Recessed manhole cover in resin bound
An inspection chamber dressed with a recessed tray cover and filled with the same gold aggregate, so the surface reads as continuous.
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Porcelain patio in progress
Mid-build: grey porcelain being laid on a full mortar bed with a recessed cover dressed in cut slab so it vanishes into the pattern.
Frequently asked
Can you work around a new-build's drainage runs?
Yes. New-build plots usually have shallow service runs and chambers in awkward places. We locate them before excavating and set covers into the finished surface rather than paving over them.
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