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Gardens landscape design

Help with patio dilemma

last year

We are in the process of having an extension built on the back of our house. The extension will have 2 sliding doors which will open out onto a north facing back garden. The garden drops down away from the house so we were going to build a patio up to the house approx 2.4m deep with a step down to the lawn.

We can’t build as high as we thought as there is an air brick and 2 bricks below the sliding doors we need to build below. Also because of the damp proof course.

The paver has suggested a step down to a raised patio area and then another step off the patio onto the lawn. It isn’t what we wanted but need to think about how to work with it

My dilemma is:

the patio is north facing so can’t imagine it will be used for seating much other than a corner which faces east. We have another area at the bottom of the garden for sitting on when the weather is bright.
the width of the step will match the doors so will take up a lot of room.
a step outside of the house and then another down the the lawn seems a lot of steps.

Questions are:

can we do anything so that we just step down onto a patio rather than a step?
if we have to include steps should we just go to the ground and build a patio at ground level?
any other advice which may help?

Many thanks for your help and advice

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Comments (7)

User
last year
You'll be thankful you have a North facing patio on a hot summers day, believe me. I have decking outside my French doors which is below the DPC and air bricks. I think stepping straight out onto the patio and having steps down to the lawn will be nicer.
User
last year
You could have planters either side of the steps
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Sarah R
Original Author
last year
Thanks so much for your suggestion and this looks gorgeous. This was our original plan but as we need to build below the airbricks and damp proof course we need to incorporate a step onto the patio. We think the best way is to have 2 steps coming out of the sliding doors onto a patio area which is level with the lawn
Sonia
last year
You may be able to have a wooden or composite deck higher up as there will be space below for air flow. I know wooden decking has a short life, but perhaps composite will last longer? However, if you want a paved patio it will need to be below the damp proof course and steps down. Making the steps nice and wide would be good.
PRO
AGI Landscapes
last year
Don't listen to your paver/builder as they will always put the terrace there!

Is your floor in your extension floating or solid concrete with a dpc under it?

Your best place for your main terrace is away from the house, you can always have an area with a pergola over it for very hot days.

Make sure it is big enough with space to spare for what you require.

A nice transition from your patio doors leading to the terrace is important.

I would suggest getting a proper landscape designer to come out for at least a consultation, if not a proper design.

You will end up saving money in the long run by getting it right on paper first, and you can get multiple quotes as they are all quoting from the same design.

There are many factors to take into consideration when developing a garden, remember this is probably the biggest room of your house, and if it it done right, on of the most enjoyable and relaxing!

Please don't rely on your paver/builder saying "I can slap down a lovely patio for you right outside your patio doors" it won't be.

Good luck.
Sarah R
Original Author
last year
Thank you for the pictures Sonia. They are lovely and really like the wide steps idea going down to the garden
Sarah R
Original Author
last year
Thanks for your comment and advice AGI landscapes. The floor inside is floating with dpc underneath.
We have a lovely area down the bottom of the garden which gets sun and is a nice place to sit so don’t need another big paved area here. Ive included a photo.

The area outside the doors gets the early morning sun so I would like somewhere to sit and have a cuppa on a morning and to look out onto from the new extension.

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