Built Surfaces
Fixed surfaces and structures that sit level, drain well, and hold their shape for years.
Done Right
Paving laid directly on soil shifts with every frost cycle, leaving slabs uneven and cracked within two winters.
A correctly graded, compacted sub-base, typically 100-150 mm, gives paving slabs a stable bed that resists movement.
Without falls and drainage channels, water pools on the surface or tracks back toward the house foundations.
Drainage channels and surface falls are set out before any paving or brickwork goes in, not added as an afterthought.
Cambridge older properties often have uneven ground that makes a patio or path look crooked from day one if not addressed.
The site is excavated and levelled to the correct formation before sub-base or structure work begins.
A retaining wall built without checking actual ground loads can lean or fail, creating a safety risk and costly remedial work.
Retaining walls are sized for the actual ground conditions found on site, not estimated from a photograph or description.
Scope of Work
From a single patio to a full first-fit layout, each element is scoped and quoted separately.
Paving slabs or stone laid on a compacted sub-base with correct falls for drainage and a level finish.
Concrete, brick or stone paths with edging restraints and a sub-base sized for foot traffic and ground conditions.
Brickwork or block walls built to hold changes in ground level, sized for the actual load and soil type.
Drainage channels, soakaways and ground levelling to move water away from surfaces and structures.
Excavation and compacted base layer before any surface is laid.
Brick borders, path edging and low boundary walls.
Poured concrete for sheds, outbuildings and hard-standing areas.
Linear drains and soakaways to manage surface water.
Why Us
Local knowledge, clear quoting and accountability from survey to finished surface.
Patio, paths, drainage and walls are each quoted individually, so no element is hidden in a lump sum.
Levels, drainage and ground conditions are checked on site before figures are agreed or work is scoped.
Every survey accounts for the levelling and drainage demands of older Cambridge plots and new-build layouts.
You get a real survey and a named quote, not a call centre, not a generic directory listing.
Any change in scope found during excavation is flagged and agreed before work continues, not invoiced after.
The Process
Tell us the area, the ground conditions and what you need, patio, path, wall or drainage.
A site visit checks levels and drainage, then quotes each element as a separate line item.
Ground is excavated, sub-base compacted, drainage set, and the surface or structure finished to level.
Pricing Estimates
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Minor hard landscaping work | £600-£1,200 |
| Paths and edging | £1,200-£2,000 |
| Steps or small retaining features | £2,000-£4,000 |
| Larger hard landscaping project | £4,000-£8,000 |
Questions
Most gardens need both, but the balance depends on how you use the space. Hard landscaping, paving, walls, paths, creates structure and usable surfaces. Soft landscaping adds planting, lawn and beds. If your garden lacks usable space or has drainage problems, hard landscaping is usually the starting point.
Hard landscaping covers any fixed, built element in a garden. That includes patios, paving, paths, driveways, retaining walls, steps, edging and drainage groundwork. Anything constructed from stone, brick, concrete, gravel or timber decking falls under this category, as opposed to planted or grassed areas.
Yes. Older gardens often have uneven ground, crumbling paths or outdated paving that hard landscaping can replace entirely. Existing features like walls or steps are assessed before work begins to decide what can be retained and what needs removing. Ground conditions under old surfaces can vary, so a site visit is the best first step.
Yes, in most cases. Pooling water is usually caused by poor falls, compacted ground or no drainage outlet. Regrading the surface, laying a correctly sloped base and adding drainage channels resolves the problem at source. Ignoring it risks the issue worsening and damaging any new surface laid on top. See Garden Drainage & Groundwork for more detail.
A full hard landscaping job covers excavation, disposal of spoil, sub-base preparation, compaction, any required edging or drainage, and the finished surface layer. The exact scope depends on the element, a patio requires a deeper, more engineered base than a gravel path. Each stage is agreed before work starts.
Either works. A single element, a new patio or a replacement path, can be scoped on its own, or the full garden renovation can combine hard and soft landscaping. If you want a complete overhaul, see Garden Makeovers & Full Renovations for how that process is structured.
Scopes cover the full range of hard landscaping elements, including patios, paving, paths, driveways, garden walls and retaining walls. Work can be scoped as a single element or combined across multiple features in one project. Each element is quoted separately so you can choose exactly what you need.
Costs vary by material, area size and ground conditions. Guide prices run from £600-£1,200 (Minor hard landscaping work) to £4,000-£8,000 (Larger hard landscaping project).
We cover Hard Landscaping in and around Cambridge, including Trumpington, Great Shelford, Sawston, Fulbourn, Histon, Cottenham, Waterbeach, Cambourne and Northstowe. If your area isn’t listed, send us a quick message to check.
Describe the plot, the soil and how you want to use the space. We schedule a ground survey and quote each element separately.