Planning A Patio Remodel? This DIY Cost Breakdown Might Help You Budget

Adding a patio to your yard is almost always a good idea. It expands your living area, giving you extra space to relax or entertain. You can enjoy the outdoors without risking tearing up the lawn. If it's done well, it will make your home more attractive should you choose to sell, so it's also a wise monetary investment.

If you're on a limited budget, there are lots of cheap and clever ways to perk up the space. However, if you're DIYing a full patio remodel, you need to plan carefully, or your budget can soon get out of control. I've been remodeling homes for more than 20 years, and in this article, I'm going to give you a breakdown of potential costs and look at some of the key things you need to consider while planning.

What you expect to achieve has a huge impact. You can create a patio for under $800 with TikTok's DIY, but the end result is a relatively small rectangle and, frankly, a bit uninspiring. At the other end of the scale, a patio of several hundred square feet could easily exceed $10,000. If you're hiring a professional, then labor can amount to half of the total, but when you're DIYing a patio remodel, you're taking on that effort yourself. In this situation, what you're paying for is the materials, plus any tools and equipment you don't already own. Let's break those items down so they're easier to understand and calculate.

We're not getting into the patio building process in any detail in this article, but it's normal to dig down at least 6 inches to create a stable sub-base. Failure to do this will mean your patio will move around with changes in the weather and likely break up eventually. Once excavated, the area should be covered in heavy-duty woven landscape fabric. It costs about $0.15 per square foot. Do not use cheap plastic sheeting — it won't let water drain through.

Next, you need around 4 inches of crushed stone or gravel. This can cost anywhere from $15 to $30 per cubic yard, so shop around. You'll need to do some math to work out how much you need. It doesn't need to be decorative, as it's going to be hidden. Top that off with an inch of sand at $10 to $20 per cubic yard. That leaves approximately an inch for the material of your choice for the top surface. Increase the original depth if your selected pavers, for example, are thicker.

Now comes the stuff that makes the biggest difference: pavers, tiles, bricks, or stone. Concrete pavers, for example, might be as little as $2 per square foot, whereas natural stone can be $20 or more. If budget is a concern, one cost-effective approach is to use a mix of gravel and flagstones. There are several types of gravel to choose from to create an aesthetic that works with the rest of your yard.

If you have sandy soil, a shovel may be all you need to dig out for the sub-base. However, if you have hard clay or an existing concrete slab to remove, you'll need a jackhammer. You can hire one for around $120 a day. Alternatively, you can buy a lightweight model for similar money. It might take a little longer, but you could sell it on when you're done. One thing that's an absolute must is a plate compactor for the crushed stone and sand to ensure you have a solid base. These are expensive to buy, but you can rent one for around $100 per day.

You'll need a level for setting out, the longer the better. You can find a 4-foot version for around $20, and it's well worth the money. Finally, if you're laying any kind of pavers, stones, or tiles, you'll need a rubber mallet to bed them down properly. That should be under $15.

You'll save hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars by doing a patio remodel yourself, but you'll want to think carefully about the time and effort it will take and whether you have the skill set. While a well-made space will add value to your home, if it's poorly executed, it will have the opposite effect. Any good professional should give you an estimate free of charge, and from there, you can decide the best way forward.