Garden Steps Cost

Do you want a nice set of garden stone steps, but not sure where to start?

We'll tell you about the average cost of stone steps, how to save money, find a stone step installation specialist, and what questions to ask when they come to give you a quote in this guide.

On average, you're looking at a spend of around £815 to install garden steps.

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How Much Does Installing Garden Steps Cost?

Steps in your garden may be functional due to two or more levels, or they may be part of a landscaping project. You may even require steps to access your front or back door.

Stone steps are an amazing addition to any home. Stone comes in various colours and types, and you can buy it already cut into a step shape or have it cut to your specifications.

Handling heavy materials is required when installing stone slab steps. A single misstep or slip of the hand can severely damage the material. It would be a shame if the steps developed cracks before you could even install them.

Handling the steps provided by the suppliers can also be challenging. For example, some steps are delivered in the form of large tiles. Installing them can be difficult if you are inexperienced.

So, how much does a brick/stone steps installation cost?

A set of four slate steps (one metre wide) will cost between £730 - £930, while a set of four Portland stone steps (one metre wide) will cost between £900 and £1,100.

A set of six granite steps (three metres wide) will cost between £2,265 and £2,715, while a set of six cast stone steps (two metres wide) will cost between £1,415 and £1,790.

Garden Steps Prices

Stone Step Prices

Brick Step Prices

Supply Only Costs

If you want to build garden steps into an earth slope, you can use various materials, from bricks to concrete slabs, wood to gravel, and concrete to big flat stones. The design is heavily influenced by the material used, the gradient, and the length of the slope. We will only go over the supply costs and what you can expect.

Slate will cost between £40 and £60; Marble will cost between £50 and £70; Granite will cost between £35 and £45; Limestone will cost between £35 and £45, and York stone will cost between £45 and £63.

Sandstone costs between £36 and £45, Portland costs between £60 and £90, and cast stone can cost between £25 and £35.

A builder’s line and pegs will cost £3 - £8; a tape measure costs £3 - £7, and a spade will cost you £8 - £15. You will need a spirit level to ensure your steps are flat and level. This will cost you £7 - £11; stretcher bond bricks will cost £2 - £6, and an earth rammer will cost £28 - £33.

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Additional Costs

You may wish to have additional work done when installing brick and stone steps to give your garden a new look! Alternatively, minor details can add up to a high cost in some cases. As a result, we'll go over the additional costs of installing brick or natural stone steps in this section so you know what to expect.

Patio Cost

The average cost of laying a patio in a 20 square metre area ranges between £900 and £2,500. This price includes excavating the area, laying the foundations, purchasing, and laying the patio slabs.

Prices will vary depending on the supplies used; for example, budget options including concrete and brick patio slabs start at £15 per square metre, whereas premium patios are typically made of slate, which ranges from £900 to £3,800 for installation, and a stone patio can cost up to £4,600.

If you would like further information, please refer to our guide on the costs of patio design and installation.

Garden Landscaping

If you wanted to hire a landscaper to lay turf, the average cost would be £260 to £300 for a 20m2 area and £650 to £750 for a 50m² area. Artificial grass costs around £1300 to £1600 for a 20m² area and up to £3250 to £4000 for a 50m² area.

Decking would cost around £600 to £750 for a six-metre square area or £1000 to £1250 for a ten-square-metre area.

If you want a raised vegetable bed built, expect to pay £120 to £520 for a 4m2 area. When installing a patio, the cost is around £360 to £480 for a 4m2 area or £800 to £1200 for a 10m2 area. A one-square-metre pond in the back garden will cost between £260 and £530.

The landscaping cost can be affected by the size of the garden, easy accessibility, and where you live. Property location is essential because landscapers, like contractors, charge different rates in different country regions.

If you would like further information, please refer to our guide on the costs of landscaping.

Garden Fence

The fence installation and replacement cost are determined by two primary factors: the amount of fence that needs to be replaced and the type of fencing chosen. For example, if you only need a short section of fence, such as down one side of your garden, the installation will cost around £500 - £700 and take about a day. This would result in a 6ft tall fence in the most common style.

If you need to fit the fence around the entire perimeter of your garden and want a more modern look, the fencing cost could range between £2,000 and £3,000. Non-wooden fencing costs £1 to £4 per foot for split rail fencing, £6 to £11 per foot for picket fencing, £2 to £6 per foot for wire fencing, and £2 to £8 per foot for electric fencing.

Aluminium fencing costs between £20 and £30 per foot, wrought iron fencing costs between £30 and £40 per foot, and steel fencing costs between £30 and £40 per foot in instalments.

If you would like further information, please refer to our guide on the costs of replacing garden fences.

Buildings a Garden Brick Wall

Several factors influence the cost of constructing a brick wall in your garden. The two most important factors are the size of the wall and the type of bricks used.

A small 5m x 1.2m wall made of machine-made bricks can cost as little as £530. If made from handmade or reclaimed bricks, the same size wall can cost £1,100. You have the option of having a thicker wall built. Walls with two brick skins will cost twice as much as the same length wall with a single brick skin. A garden brick wall will cost between £70 and £120 per m2.

If you would like further information, please refer to our guide on the costs of building a garden brick wall.

Labour Costs and Timescales

The most expensive aspect of a garden brick steps project is labour. Before beginning the laying and treating of the bricks, the area must be prepared. A skilled bricklayer will typically charge between £150 and £200 per day.

A typical day rate for an assistant can range between £70 and £100. Although it may appear to be an expensive extra cost, keep in mind that more people mean a faster completion of the project.

One metre wide, two steps to the doorway would cost £150 - £200 per day and typically take your labourers one day to complete. A tradesperson would charge you £150 - £200 per day for two to three days for three metres wide, three-step patio steps with 430mm treads. The semi-circular single brickwork step to the doorway would take two days and cost between £150 and £200 per day.

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Cost Factors of Fitting Garden Steps

The Number of Steps

The total cost of installing brick steps is affected by the number of installed steps. The more steps that must be installed, the more material that must be used and the higher the labour costs.

Brick Style

There are many different brick options, and you should do your research or consult with a professional to determine which type of bricks will work the best for the project you're working on.

• Handmade Bricks – Because handmade bricks are more expensive than regular bricks, they are made by hand. They are commonly found on houses in nature reserves
• Wire-cut bricks – wire cut bricks are a type of facing brick that has holes running the length of the brick
• Reclaimed bricks have previously been used but have been cleaned and reused
• Standard concrete bricks – Common bricks aren't as strong as other types of bricks, and they're mainly used for internal applications where strength isn't an issue
• Engineered bricks – engineered bricks are commonly used where strength is required. For example, they are commonly used in damp-proof courses or retaining walls
• Facing bricks are by far the most commonly used type of brick. They can be found in houses all over the UK

Taking Down Old Steps

Existing steps may need to be demolished and the waste disposed of. The builder could include this in the quote, but it will increase the brick steps cost. A bricklayer's labourer can do the work. Expect to pay between £40 and £55 if it takes half a day.

Handrail Or New Balustrade

If you are installing multi-level decking, which is why you are building steps, you may also require a balustrade for security reasons. Alternatively, a handrail on patio steps may be desirable to make it easier for family and friends to climb and descend.

A metal handrail for a garden stairway will cost between £100 and £150, and installation will take about an hour and will cost between £50 and £75. Balustrades begin at £40 per metre and can cost up to £150 per metre, depending on the material used.

Skip Rental

If you have old steps removed or a section of your garden dug up for new steps, you may be required to remove the trash yourself. If this is the case, hiring a skip will be much easier. Skip hire costs around £150 but expect to pay more if you live in London. Provide a question about garbage removal in your request for quotes. Perhaps the builder will also include this in the quote.

If you don't want to pay for a skip, you can always bag up any cracked concrete and keep any unbreakable bricks. You could then post them on websites like Gumtree or Preloved, where people typically look for hardcore material or even used bricks.

Lighting

It is always good to have some type of lighting with steps to make using them easier and safer. A wall light can be installed for around £30. Solar lights can also be used to encircle your steps. They are a cost-effective option, with prices starting at around £10.

If you want security lights, you can install lights that can be turned on and off from inside your home or a motion-controlled light that will turn on when someone or something enters your garden or steps.

What's Involved in Fitting Garden Steps?

If you want to build garden steps into an earth slope, you can use various materials, from bricks to concrete slabs, wood to gravel, and concrete to large flat stones. The design is heavily influenced by the material used, the gradient, and the size of the slope.

Take a look at the steps below on how to build brick steps:

Step 1

Begin by outlining your site with a builder's line and pegs. Fix two parallel lines down the slope to mark the steps' outer edge and two more to mark the top and bottom. Confirm that the corners form a right angle with a builder's square.

Step 2

To determine how many treads and risers you'll need, measure your stairwell's height and horizontal spacing. Mark the back of the highest tread with a peg, then place one end of a long spirit level at the top of the peg. Request assistance in measuring the horizontal distance to the first riser and the vertical distance to the floor.

Step 3

Divide the vertical height by the riser height and use the tread-riser pairings chart to determine the required tread length. With a spade, remove any turf in the marked-out area.

Step 4

Mark the back of the treads with lines, setting them back an extra 50mm or so to give yourself enough room to work. The steps should then be roughly shaped with a spade. You'll need to leave 100mm of hardcore beneath the concrete slab treads.

Step 5

Dig a 125mm deep trench for the first riser's footing. Before pouring in the concrete, drive-in pegs levelled with a spirit level to mark the surface of the footing. If you want a paved path to the steps, dig a deeper footing and lay one or two layers of engineering bricks on top of it, below ground level.

Step 6

Pour concrete into the footing, ensuring that the floor is level with your pegs. Then let it dry for 24 hours before building on it.

You must choose the best tread or riser mixture. First, split the height of the flight by the height of your riser to determine the number of risers required. Then divide the flight's horizontal length into an appropriate number of treads.

When you've determined your measurements, make a drawing of your step dimensions to use as a reference while constructing your steps.

Step 1

Make a mortar by combining four parts sharp sand and one part cement. Construct the first riser on the concrete footing using two skins of stretcher bond bricks. Always use a spirit level to ensure that they are horizontal. The mortar should then be allowed to dry for two hours.

Step 2

Install hardcore behind the riser; it should stretch further than the back of the slab when finished. The hardcore is then compacted with an earth rammer.

Step 3

Raise the hardcore slightly towards the rear end of the step. This can be accomplished by using a spirit level and laying a 10mm shim across the front of the step.

Step 4

Create a continuous concrete bed on the riser and hardcore, then place the first tread slab on top. The slab should have a 40mm overhang on the front and sides of the riser. Place the spirit level across the front edge of the step to ensure it is level.

If you're laying two slabs side by side, mix three parts of sharp sand with one part of cement and spread it on the rim of the first slab before laying the second. This will make filling the joints easier.

Step 5

Check the treads for a slight fall towards the front edge with a spirit level and a 10mm shim. Then apply mortar to all the joints.

Step 6

Next, construct the second riser on the first tread. Check that it has the same depth as the first and adjust towards the horizontal joints. It's very easy for minor mistakes to occur, so double-check each riser against the total height of the flight.

This can be determined using a spirit level and tape measure from the top guide peg. The slabs for the next tread can then be laid.

Step 7

Continue constructing the steps, making sure the tread lengths are correct. Then, using a long spirit level or straight edge, check that the treads are parallel. Finally, you can bank up the slope along either side of the steps with the ground for planting or grass.

Freestanding Steps

Instead of being built into a slope, freestanding steps can be built on a flat floor alongside an existing garden wall. They are endorsed by low brick walls that also serve as risers. The walls are made up of boxes that are filled with hardcore. The supporting walls for a flight of up to five steps can be focused on concrete footing strips.

A concrete pad under the entire structure is required for a longer flight. The brick risers can be built up from ground level or by laying a 100mm concrete footing at the rear end of each tread on built-up compacted hardcore before laying the slab and then building the next riser.

When installing brick steps parallel to a brick wall, the bricks in the stairways should match the bricks in the existing wall. To make the risers more secure, they must be toothed into the existing wall.

Can I Install Garden Steps Myself?

Building stone steps is an exciting and fun project. You'll be rewarded with a beautiful set of stone garden steps when you're finished. They look beautiful in your yard, garden, days leading to your patio, or in the middle of a steep bank path.

Most people leave it to the professionals, but the joy of DIY-ing something at home always has a special meaning and is far more fulfilling. However, it may appear complicated, and to be truthful, it is not the easiest task to complete on your own, especially if you have no prior experience.

Building Brick/Stone Steps is not a difficult process. However, there are some difficult sections. The more you do this, the better the result. Building Brick steps or stone steps is a good way to practise the skill.

Just don't expect to be able to complete the task as quickly as a professional. A professional bricklayer can lay approximately 600 bricks per day. You will not be able to come close to this.

Choosing to do it yourself will save you money on the cost of laying out brick steps. However, you must factor in the cost of the necessary equipment. Therefore, when installing brick/stone steps DIY, you must consider:

Not Digging a Deep Enough Base Area

The second most common error is not digging a deep enough base area. When you read about laying a foundation, you might think, "Wow, that's a lot of digging!" Yes, it most emphatically is. However, gravel is inexpensive insurance for protecting and preserving your pavers.

Failure To Compact the Base

Before laying bedding sand and pavers, your gravel base must be flat and firm, with no more than 1/8′′ rises or bellies. This level of precision is achieved by correctly compacting your base and pavers. If you don't compact, you'll have sunken or raised pavers. In other words, a rough, uneven foundation will result in bumpy, uneven pavers.

The best method is to compact your gravel base in both directions with a steel tamper or a plate compactor two ′′ at a time until the desired thickness is reached. For smaller projects, use a steel tamper, and for larger patios, driveways, and walkways, use a gas plate compactor.

Improper Bedding Sand Installation

Your bedding sand is an important component of your entire hardscape. Bedding sand assists your stones in settling firmly into the base and remaining in place; it also acts as a levelling layer to even out any slight differences between the gravel base and the manufactured product. However, inserting the bedding sand incorrectly will leave dips or voids in the finished product.

To properly install bedding sand, use a process known as screeding to lay and level your bedding sand. When screeding, start by laying down a few 1" outside diameter screed bars on your compacted base, making sure they're level, and then add your sand. You must lay no more than 1" of bedding sand. Any more will encourage settling or wobbling, neither of which you want pavers to do.

Avoiding The Use of The Drag-And-Drop Method

You might be curious if you can just throw your paving stones on the ground or if there is a specific way to arrange them. You'll make two mistakes if you don't use the drag-and-drop method. First, you'll bulldoze the sand beneath your paver, creating a large void or hill. This error causes sunken or raised pavers that must be replaced later.

Second, bedding sand could be used to fill the gaps between pavers when bulldozing. Spacer bars are used to create gaps that remain open until you sweep in the sand to stabilise your joints.

Building Regulations & Planning Permission for Fitting Brick/Stone Steps

When designing steps, it is critical to ensure that the tread and riser dimensions are consistent, i.e., that each step has a rise of x mm and a tread of y mm. larger flights of steps can benefit from the addition of extended treads known as Landings, which provide a safe resting spot for non-mountaineers.

There are two common layouts for a flight of steps in most situations. The plain step has a constant width, whereas the wraparound step has a more pyramidal shape, with one or both sides of the flight increasing in width as the step descends.

A handrail is almost always required on a steep or long flight of steps, like these old granite steps in a city centre. GalvanisedGalvanised steel tubing is the preferred material for most brick, block, flagstone, or concrete steps, and they are best fabricated to site dimensions by a local light-engineering company. Timber steps may include a wooden handrail.

If they are frost-proof, engineering bricks can be replaced with walling blocks, artificial stone blocks, or even house bricks.

Types of Garden Steps

Bricks are the least expensive material for steps. They can be rough or smooth, come in various colours, and have a multi-coloured or mottled appearance. If you have an older home, you can even find used bricks with a weathered appearance that will blend in with your walls - though they are not cheap and may not be frost-resistant.

Bricks On The Face

Available in a wide range of colours and textures. Facing bricks are the most common type of brick and are probably the ones you are most familiar with. Facing brick faces outward from a building and is visible to the rest of the world. As the foundation of a building structure, facing bricks are designed to be stronger.

PROS

• ✔ Variety of colours and textures
• ✔ Strong

CONS

• ✖ Expensive

Ordinary Bricks

These are often laid where they will not be visible because they are less expensive and less attractive than facing bricks. Common bricks are the most common type of brick and the most used building material in building architecture.

This brick variant is made from basic clay and does not have any special appearances, surface treatments, or colour control.

PROS

• ✔ Affordable
• ✔ Popular

CONS

• ✖ Not aesthetically pleasing

Bricks Made by Hand

The most expensive type of brick is handmade brick. Best for achieving an authentic appearance and building in conservation areas. Handmade bricks provide an authentic look if you want to match existing bricks or build a home in a conservation area.

In addition, handmade varieties provide more flexibility because they can be built with standard or nonstandard-sized bricks, resulting in an instantly characterful and charming appearance.

Handmade bricks have a rougher, more open texture and an appealing creased face. You can achieve a more bespoke look with various colours and sizes — but this is built into the price, which is roughly four times that of machine-made.

PROS

• ✔ Provide an authentic look
• ✔ Rougher texture
• ✔ Variety of colours and textures

CONS

• ✖ Expensive

Recycled Bricks

If you're demolishing a house and constructing a new one on the same lot, you can reuse bricks from the previous structure(s) if you want to replicate the look or are required to do so due to a planning condition.

Another good source of used bricks is reclamation yards, but getting enough quality for a whole house or a big extension can be difficult. In addition, wastage is common, and you may need to discard some.

PROS

• ✔ Recycled
• ✔ Cost-effective

CONS

• ✖ Can create wastage

Limestone Steps

Limestone has been used as a building material for generations, as it is strong and durable.

It's a sedimentary rock and great to use as steps as you're less likely to slip on them.

PROS

• ✔ Strong
• ✔ Durable

CONS

• ✖ Can be expensive

Slate Steps

Slate is long-lasting and also looks perfect in any garden.

It's a great natural stone to create steps from as it's very durable.

PROS

• ✔ Very Durable
• ✔ Attractive
• ✔ Great in all weather

CONS

• ✖ Difficult to repair

Sandstone Steps

Sandstone is an attractive natural stone that resembles sand and is very unique.

It comes in a range of different colours and is great to use for garden steps.

PROS

• ✔ Attractive
• ✔ Durable
• ✔ Unique
• ✔ Great texture

CONS

• ✖ Can absorb water if not treated
• ✖ Can stain

Cast Stone Steps

Cast stone is not a natural type of stone but a manmade stone that's durable and versatile.

PROS

• ✔ Simple & quick to install
• ✔ Very resistant

CONS

• ✖ Heavy
• ✖ Hard to repair

Hiring Contractors for Fitting Brick/Stone Steps Checklist

When you request a quote, make certain that it includes all costs and labour. Here are a few things to look for when hiring someone to fit brick/stone steps.

• Do they have any credentials? Some bricklayers may have learned their trade through an apprenticeship. They may also have a city and guilds qualification or a building qualification. Any of these indicate that they will know what they are doing
• View some of their work. Ask to see illustrations of walls they have built-in gardens before, if possible, so you know what quality to expect

FAQs

Sources

https://www.diy.com/ideas-advice/how-to-build-garden-steps/CC_npci_100146.art
https://westerninterlock.com/6-common-paver-installation-mistakes/
https://www.pavingexpert.com/featur01
https://www.diy.com/ideas-advice/brick-stone-buying-guide/CC_npcart_400159.art