Access through the house
With no side access, the old decking, frame and waste came out through the house and all the materials went in the same way.
Case study · Balham SW12 · August 2025
Mint sandstone patio, new lawn and black limestone front in Balham
Aleata's home in Balham had the front and back garden fully transformed, with all access through the house. At the back, the old decking and its frame came out and a new mint Indian sandstone patio went in, from a project pack of mixed sizes, with eco drains connected to a new manhole cover. A brick wall was clad in the same sandstone, stepping stones lead across around 20m² of new turf laid on a new base, and one fence panel was repaired. At the front, the old concrete was removed and replaced with black limestone. Ten days on site, £18,000 including VAT, all supplied and installed.
- Location
- Balham, SW12
- Client
- Aleata
- Price
- £18,000 inc. VAT
- Back patio
- Mint Indian sandstone, project pack
- Time on site
- 10 days
- Front
- Black limestone, old concrete removed
Where we started
The brief
Aleata's Balham home needed both gardens redone. At the back, an old deck took up the space by the house; at the front, there was tired old concrete. The only access to the back was through the house.
The plan was a sandstone patio and a proper lawn at the back, tied together with a wall clad in the same stone, and a smart, dark limestone finish at the front. It brings together the patios in Balham and garden walls in Balham we build.
The tricky parts
What went into it
Step by step
How we built it
Old deck out, patio going in
The old decking and frame were removed and the mint sandstone patio laid, with eco drains and a new manhole cover.
Mint sandstone being laid where the old deck stood in Balham 
Mint Indian sandstone patio outside the back doors The lawn, stepping stones and clad wall
Around 20m² of new turf was laid on a new base with stepping stones, beside the sandstone-clad wall.
New lawn with stepping stones leading to the garden room 
Sandstone patio and new turf seen from the house Black limestone at the front
The old concrete at the front was removed and black limestone laid.
Front garden in Balham before, with the old concrete 
New black limestone at the front of the house in Balham
The finished work
The finished front and back
“The garden feels brand new. The paving, lawn, and wall look fantastic.”
Budget
What it cost
This project came to £18,000 including VAT, all supplied and installed, for the front and back together: removing the old deck and frame, a mint sandstone patio with eco drains and a new manhole cover, a sandstone-clad wall, stepping stones, around 20m² of new turf, a fence panel repair, and black limestone at the front after removing the old concrete, all with access through the house, over ten days. See our landscape gardeners in Balham page for more.
Get a free quote- Price
- £18,000 inc. VAT
- Back patio
- Mint Indian sandstone, project pack
- Time on site
- 10 days
Questions
About front and back garden transformations
Thinking about something similar? These are the questions we hear most.
How much does a front and back garden makeover cost in Balham?
Aleata's front and back gardens in Balham SW12 came to £18,000 including VAT for a mint sandstone patio with eco drains, a clad wall, stepping stones, around 20m² of turf, a fence repair and black limestone at the front, all through the house, in ten days.
Can a garden wall be clad to match the patio?
Yes. Here an existing brick wall was clad in the same mint sandstone as the patio, which ties the whole garden together.
What is black limestone like for a front garden?
Black limestone has a dark, smooth, contemporary look that suits Victorian and Edwardian frontages and makes a smart entrance.
Can you work in Balham gardens with no side access?
Yes. Most Balham terraces have access only through the house, as here, and we plan the work around it.
What is a sandstone project pack?
A project pack mixes several slab sizes so the patio can be laid in a random pattern, which looks natural and suits Indian sandstone.
Do you work near Balham?
Yes, including Clapham, Tooting, Streatham Hill and Streatham.
Free survey
Want the front and back done together?
Tell us about your garden and we will arrange a visit and a written quote.
020 3633 5529 info@finelandscape.co.ukFine Landscape Ltd
31 Tylecroft Road, Norbury, London SW16 4BL
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