Rutland Driveways & Landscaping 07312 132517 Site visit
Terrace garden before the work, with cracked and mossy concrete slabs
Rutland · Stamford · Oakham

Patio repairs

Most patio problems, such as rocking slabs, cracks, failed pointing and puddles, come from slabs that were never fully bedded.

Request a site visit See our projects
5 yearWritten guarantee
VubaApproved resin installer
NVQQualified
8 yearsTrading in Rutland

Most patio problems, such as rocking slabs, cracks, failed pointing and puddles, come from slabs that were never fully bedded. Individual slabs can be lifted and re-bedded, pointing raked out and redone and falls corrected; where the whole patio is failing, we say so before you spend money on it.

First step
Check the whole patio
Typical time
One to three days for most repairs
Guarantee
5 years, in writing

Our 2026 guide prices where shown. Your fixed price comes in writing after the site visit.

Patio repairs

What we fix

Slabs lifted and relaid on a full mortar bed, failed joints raked out and re-pointed, low spots and ponding corrected, and stained or mossy sandstone cleaned and sealed.

Patio repairs

When to relay instead

If most slabs were dot-and-dabbed or the patio falls towards the house, repairs only move the problem around. We will price a relay so you can compare.

Recent finishes

The kind of finish we build

Terrace garden before the work, with cracked and mossy concrete slabs
Terrace garden before the work
The same terrace garden with a large-format porcelain patio, raised beds and low-level lighting
The same terrace garden with a large-format porcelain patio
Natural sandstone courtyard patio against an old stone wall
Natural sandstone courtyard patio against an old stone wall
Porcelain steps with recessed lights
Porcelain steps with recessed lights
★★★★★

Rated 5.0 from 37 Google reviews

“Lewis and the team have just finished a small block paving drive and a porcelain patio in our garden. They arrived on time and were neat and tidy, work all looks as it should. We would use them again.”

Google reviewer · Block paving drive and porcelain patio — Google review

“Well what can I say about Rutland driveways that would make you seriously consider using them for your project I contacted them had a meeting with the team who was very informative with the level of inspiration I had ideas they had ideas and recommendations we bounced ideas to come up with the best option possible for my …”

Steven · Drive, walkway, patio and garden — Google review
Read the reviews
Questions

Things people ask us

How much do patio repairs cost?
Patio repairs are priced after a site visit, because the cost depends on how many slabs need lifting and re-bedding and whether the base underneath has failed. Re-bedding a few rocking slabs and repointing is a small job. If most of the patio is loose, relaying is usually better value; new patios run at £130–£180 per m² in sandstone and £150–£200 per m² in porcelain.
Why do patio slabs rock when you stand on them?
Usually because they were laid on spots of mortar rather than a full bed, so they flex and the mortar breaks up. The fix is to lift them and bed them properly.
Can loose patio slabs be re-bedded without relaying the whole patio?
Yes, if only a few slabs are loose, they can be lifted, the old mortar cleaned off and re-bedded on a full mortar bed, with the joints re-pointed around them. Tapping across the patio first finds any hollow-sounding slabs that are about to go. If most of the patio sounds hollow, it was spot-bedded throughout, and patching individual slabs will just move the problem along.
Can a cracked patio slab be replaced?
A cracked patio slab can usually be cut out and replaced on its own, once the cause is found, because a slab that cracked over a hollow bed or a soft spot will crack again. The harder part is matching it: natural stone varies and porcelain shades change between batches. Spare slabs from the original job are ideal; otherwise one can be taken from a hidden corner and replaced there.
Why is my patio pointing cracking and falling out?
Patio pointing usually fails because the slabs are moving on a poor bed, the mortar was too weak or too wet, or it was laid in frost or dried out too fast. Once joints open, water and weeds get in and the slabs loosen further. The fix is to rake the joints out to a good depth and re-point, but slabs that rock need re-bedding first or the new pointing will crack too.
Can I re-point a patio with a brush-in jointing compound?
Often, yes: brush-in resin jointing compounds are a good way to re-point a patio, but most need the joints raked out to at least 20mm deep and only work where the slabs are firmly bedded. On a moving patio they crack just like mortar. Porcelain needs a compound rated for porcelain, and the manufacturer's instructions on weather and slab preparation need following to the letter.
How do you fix water puddling on a patio?
Water puddles on a patio where slabs have sunk or the falls were never right, and the fix is to lift the affected slabs and relay them to a proper fall, usually around 1 in 60 to 1 in 80 away from the house. Filling hollows with mortar or resin on top does not last. If the whole patio is too flat, relaying it or adding a channel drain is the honest answer.
What should I do if my patio slopes towards the house?
A patio that falls towards the house sends rainwater at the walls and can cause damp, so it needs correcting rather than living with. The usual fix is to relay it with a fall away from the house and the surface at least 150mm below the damp proof course, or to add a channel drain along the wall where levels are tight. Re-bedding odd slabs will not change the fall.
Is it worth repairing an old patio or should I replace it?
Repairing is worth it when the problems are local, a few loose slabs, tired pointing or one low spot, and the rest of the patio is sound. If most slabs are hollow or rocking, the patio falls towards the house or slabs are cracked throughout, a relay or new patio is better value than repeated repairs. For comparison, a new patio runs £130–£180 per m² in sandstone and £150–£200 in porcelain.
How long do patio repairs take?
Most patio repairs take one to three days, depending on how many slabs need lifting and re-bedding and how much re-pointing there is. New mortar needs a day or two before the repaired area takes furniture and normal use, and a sandstone patio that is being cleaned and sealed needs a dry spell to finish properly.
Can a stained or green sandstone patio be restored?
Usually, yes: a careful clean, a treatment for algae and black spot lichen, re-pointing any failed joints and a breathable sealer bring most tired sandstone patios back. Deep stains such as rust, oil or old mortar smears may only lighten. Pressure washing too close strips the stone surface and the pointing, so it needs the right pressure and a rotary head rather than a bare lance.
What affects the cost of a patio repair?
The cost of a patio repair depends on how many slabs need lifting and re-bedding, how much pointing has to be raked out, whether the falls or drainage need correcting, and whether replacement slabs have to be found. Access and the type of stone matter too. We look at the whole patio first and give a fixed written price, with a relay priced alongside where that would be better value.

Request a site visit

We measure up, check levels and drainage, and send a written proposal with the build-up, the programme and one whole price. No pressure and no follow-up sales calls.

Request a site visit Call 07312 132517
☎Call 07312 132517 Site visit