The right patio furniture relies on the right setting. Your ideal dining set or sectional couch may look great on paper, but if you don’t have the right patio to lay it on, your dream may never come to fruition.
Surprisingly enough, patio installation is not as much as many assume. According to ImproveNet, a leader in online home improvement services and resources, the average price to install a patio across the U.S. is $2,637. However, many factors can increase or decrease the overall price, including materials, size, type, features and whether or not you decide to go at it yourself.
If you’re thinking of adding a gorgeous concrete, brick or tiled patio to your backyard, then continue reading to see what you can expect to pay to make your dream a reality.
Why Add A Patio
Besides enjoying the outdoors or hosting the next family BBQ, outdoor patios have an endless array of benefits, including increasing your home’s value. Potential homeowners are demanding more from their dream homes and are looking outside to add to their overall quality of life. Furthermore, unlike other major home remodeling projects, moderate to active DIYers can install a patio themselves, vastly lowering your overall project cost.
All in all, if your home’s footprint has the space, you should always consider adding a patio.
What Affects the Patio Installation Cost
Planning
All major home remodeling projects need to be planned and oftentimes, costs are incurred during this process. Many homeowners invest in landscaping software to create the ideal layout for your patio (and patio furniture). Others hire a landscape architect, but more often that, they are only brought in for complex patio designs.
Like most projects done outside the home, permits are involved. Permits may be required for some patio and walkway projects in your community, even if you’re doing minimal work. Additionally, if you live in a community governed by a homeowner’s association, you may be required to submit landscaping plans. As you can imagine, both drive up the total cost, both in terms of dollars and time.
Materials
The biggest expense with any patio installation project is material. There are numerous materials one can use to create a gorgeous patio, ranging from fieldstone and travertine to clay and cement. Nonetheless, two of the most popular patio types are brick and concrete. Each offers their own set of advantages.
Concrete Advantages
- Environmentally friendly
- Requires less maintenance than other types of patios
- Stronger and very durable
Brick Advantages
- Durable
- More design options
- More flexibility
- Easier to DIY
Brick patios tend to be more expensive. The price can vary, but ImproveNet data shows that the costs of brick patio materials range from $10 to $60 per square foot. Concrete patios, while harder to DIY, come in closer to $10 to $15 per square foot. Once you get into complex concrete designs, the price can rise to over $20 per square foot.
DIY
Professional labor is almost always more expensive than material costs. Therefore, as expected, if you do it yourself, you will save money on your patio installation cost. However, if you’re adding a concrete patio, you will have to purchase or rent certain tools you most likely do not own, adding to the overall cost.
Trowels, buckets, wheelbarrows and landscaping equipment are all common tools the pros use. If you want your patio to look great and stand up to the elements, one can not skim on these necessary elements.
Repairs
Natural upkeep and maintenance should always be considered in any home remodeling project, including patios. Sadly, brick patios can chip or fade and concrete patios can crack due to the foundation or weather.
Homeowners should expect to pay between $1,300 and $1,800 to repair their patio. Due to the labor and necessary tools, if you a hire a pro, a concrete patio would cost more than brick. However, as I said earlier, concrete patios are more durable and should last longer than most brick patios.
Added Features
No one adds a patio without furniture. Whether it’s a new bistro set or a fancy daybed, a patio owner has numerous décor options when it comes to their new and improved patio.
If you really want to go above and beyond, see 7 DIY Ways To Make Your Patio Awesome.
Conclusion
The average price to install a patio is $2,637. As you have read, there are a lot of factors that affect the overall price. Now that you have the tools, it’s time to start planning your own dream patio.
Photos Source: DesignMine
Related Topics:
- 7 Backyard Renovations That Will Boost Your Home Value
- Connecting the Interior of Your Home with the Exterior
- Whats the Difference Between a Pergola, Gazebo, and a Pavilion?
About the Author
Jacob Hurwith has been working on his writing craft since college when he gradated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has now transitioned to the home remodeling arena as part of the ImproveNet content team. When he is not writing, Jacob enjoys keeping up with Chicago sports, catching up on his favorite TV shows and of course, running along Lake Michigan.
It was beneficial when you brought up the fact that there are advantages to using either brick or concrete for a patio, with the latter being more flexible while the former is more environmentally-friendly. In recent years, my spouse and I have become interested in improving some aspects of our home, including adding a patio, but we have been unsure of what material to select. Once we have a firm plan, we’ll be sure to hire the services of a professional!