Case study · Clapham SW4 · August 2026

Michelle's garden patio in Clapham

Michelle's courtyard garden in Clapham had become overgrown and unusable. We cleared it, built a compacted Type 1 sub-base and laid large-format porcelain wall to wall, with two recessed manhole covers and gravel edging around the borders. Six days start to finish, £7,350 including VAT.

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From the back doors · drag to compare

Location: Clapham, SW4
Client: Michelle
Price: £7,350 inc. VAT
Time on site: 6 days
Finished: August 2026
Paving: Large-format light porcelain

Where we started

The brief

Michelle's house in Clapham opens through large glass doors onto an enclosed courtyard garden. Over time it had become overgrown with weeds, soil and garden waste, so the view from the kitchen was of a space nobody could use.

Michelle wanted a clean, level garden patio that would feel like an extension of the house: easy to look after, with room for a table and loungers, and finished neatly around the edges. It is the kind of courtyard we are often asked about for patios in Clapham, where gardens are compact and every square metre counts.

Before & after

The same garden, six days apart

From the back doors

Across the courtyard

The tricky parts

What we planned for

Two manholes in a small space

There were two drain inspection chambers within the area to be paved. We fitted recessed manhole covers, which hold porcelain inside the frame, so both covers stay accessible but almost disappear into the patio.

Clearing an overgrown courtyard

Everything had to come out first: weeds, roots, soil and garden waste. In an enclosed Clapham courtyard that all has to be bagged and carried out, so we planned the clearance and waste removal before any groundwork started.

Edges along the fences

Instead of cutting slabs hard against the fence line, we left a border and finished it with gravel. It gives a neat edge, lets rainwater soak away along the sides and makes the fences easier to maintain. We also replaced a few slats in the existing slatted fence.

A level, lasting base

Large porcelain slabs need a flat, solid base. We built a compacted Type 1 MOT sub-base and laid the slabs on sharp sand and cement, so the patio stays level on Clapham's clay ground. See our garden drainage in Clapham page for wet gardens.

Step by step

How we built it

Clearing the courtyard
We cleared the weeds, roots, soil and garden waste, dug the area to depth and took everything away.

Clearing the overgrown Clapham courtyard
Soil and roots being dug out before the sub-base
Type 1 sub-base
The area was levelled, then a Type 1 MOT sub-base was laid and compacted to give the porcelain a firm, even base.
Manholes and laying
The two recessed manhole covers were set to the finished level, then the large-format porcelain slabs were laid on a sharp sand and cement bed.

Large-format porcelain slabs going down in the courtyard
Recessed manhole cover set within the porcelain patio
Grouting, gravel and finishing
The joints were grouted, gravel was laid along the borders, a few fence slats were replaced, and the patio was cleaned down for handover.

Gravel border and recessed cover in the finished patio

Video

Before and after on video

Video preview: After: the finished garden patio — **After: the finished garden patio**
A walk round the finished porcelain patio, gravel edges and recessed covers.

The finished work

Photos from handover

Finished garden patio in Clapham SW4 with white garden furniture

Light porcelain patio filling a Clapham courtyard garden

Porcelain courtyard patio with table and chairs in Clapham

Wall-to-wall porcelain paving with gravel edging along the fence

Loungers on the new porcelain patio beside the slatted fence

View of the finished Clapham patio from the garden end

The new patio seen from the back doors of the house

Large-format porcelain slabs outside the glass doors

Budget

What it cost

This garden patio cost £7,350 including VAT, materials, labour and waste removal. That covered clearing the overgrown courtyard, the Type 1 sub-base, the porcelain, two recessed manhole covers, the gravel borders and a few new fence slats, over six days. See more prices and options on our patios in Clapham page.

Get a free quote

Price: £7,350 inc. VAT
Time on site: 6 days
Finished: August 2026

Questions

About garden patios in Clapham

Thinking about something similar? These are the questions we hear most.

How much does a garden patio cost in Clapham?

Michelle's courtyard patio in Clapham SW4 cost £7,350 including VAT, covering clearance, sub-base, porcelain, two recessed manhole covers, gravel borders and waste removal. The size of the garden, access and drainage work make the biggest difference to price.

What is a recessed manhole cover?

It is a cover with a tray that you fill with the same paving as the patio. The cover still lifts for drain access, but the porcelain inside it lines up with the rest of the patio, so it is far less noticeable than a plain metal cover.

Why leave a gravel border instead of paving up to the fence?

A gravel border gives a neat edge, helps rainwater soak away along the sides, avoids awkward thin cuts against the fence and makes it easier to maintain or replace fence panels later.

How long does a courtyard patio take?

This one took six days from start to finish, including clearing the overgrown garden, the sub-base, laying and the gravel borders.

Do you work in other parts of Clapham and nearby?

Yes, across Clapham and neighbouring areas such as Balham, Battersea and Stockwell. See all our landscaping in Clapham.

Free survey

Want a garden patio like Michelle's?

Tell us about your garden and we will arrange a visit and a written quote.

020 3633 5529 info@finelandscape.co.uk

Fine Landscape Ltd
31 Tylecroft Road, Norbury, London SW16 4BL

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