Very difficult access
The garden is uphill with many steps, and every material had to be carried through the house and up the garden.
Case study · Shortlands BR2 · February 2026
Porcelain patio and bullnose steps in Shortlands
Lucy's garden in Shortlands climbs steeply uphill from the house, and every material had to come through the house and up the steps. With a concrete truck and pump, we poured a concrete base, new steps and a base for the existing shed, then clad the steps in London Stone porcelain with bullnose edges and laid a 25m² patio in grey 60 × 90cm porcelain with a concrete edge all round. One week, £9,250 all in, including VAT.
- Location
- Shortlands, BR2
- Client
- Lucy
- Price
- £9,250 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 1 week
- Patio
- 25m² grey porcelain, 60 × 90cm
- Steps
- London Stone bullnose cladding
Where we started
The brief
Lucy's garden in Shortlands rises steeply away from the house, with old timber steps leading up to a shed at the top.
The job was new concrete steps clad in porcelain, a porcelain patio at the top and a proper base for the shed. The hard part was access: the garden is uphill with many steps, and every material had to go through the house. It is a good example of the patios in Shortlands and garden steps we build on difficult sites.
Before & after
The same garden, one week apart
The tricky parts
What went into it
Step by step
How we built it
Clearing the old steps
The old timber steps and rubble were cleared from the slope, with everything carried out through the house.
Clearing the old steps on the sloping garden in Shortlands 
Old timber steps and rubble before the work Concrete base, steps and shed base
Using a concrete truck and pump, the concrete was placed for the base, the new steps and the shed base.
New concrete steps formed on the slope 
Concrete base and steps poured using a pump Laying the porcelain
The 25m² patio was laid in grey 60 × 90cm porcelain on sharp sand and cement, with each slab primed on the back, and finished with a concrete edge.
Laying porcelain slabs on sharp sand and cement 
Porcelain patio taking shape at the top of the garden Cladding the steps
The steps were fully clad in London Stone porcelain with bullnose edges.
Cladding the steps in bullnose porcelain 
Bullnose porcelain steps from the side
The finished work
The finished patio and steps
Budget
What it cost
This project came to £9,250 including VAT, supplied and fitted, over one week: the concrete base, new steps and shed base placed by truck and pump, London Stone bullnose step cladding, and the 25m² porcelain patio with edging. Difficult access, with everything going through the house and uphill, is part of the price. See our patios in Shortlands page for more options.
Get a free quote- Price
- £9,250 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 1 week
- Patio
- 25m² grey porcelain, 60 × 90cm
Questions
About porcelain patios and steps on sloping gardens
Thinking about something similar? These are the questions we hear most.
How much does a porcelain patio and steps cost in Shortlands?
Lucy's project in Shortlands BR2 came to £9,250 including VAT and took one week, covering a concrete base, new steps and shed base placed by pump, London Stone bullnose step cladding and a 25m² grey 60 × 90cm porcelain patio with a concrete edge. Difficult access was part of the cost.
Can you build a patio if the only access is through the house?
Yes. We protect the house and carry materials through, and for concrete we use a truck and pump so it can be placed uphill without barrowing it through the house.
Why prime the back of porcelain slabs?
Porcelain absorbs very little water, so mortar does not grip it on its own. A priming slurry on the back of each slab makes it bond firmly to the sharp sand and cement bed.
What are bullnose steps?
Bullnose step treads have a rounded front edge instead of a sharp corner. They look finished, are kinder underfoot and are less likely to chip.
Do you need a concrete base for a shed?
A concrete base keeps a shed level and off damp ground, so the floor lasts longer and the doors keep closing properly.
Do you work near Shortlands?
Yes, across the Bromley borough, including Bromley, Beckenham and Hayes. See all our landscaping in Shortlands.
Free survey
Got a sloping garden or difficult access?
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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