Access through the house only
With no side access, all the old decking, concrete and hardcore came out through the house, and every slab, bag and roll of turf went in the same way.
Case study · Sutton SM1 · July 2025
White porcelain patio, side steps and new lawn in Sutton
Ruta's garden in Sutton had an old raised deck with railings and curved concrete steps right in the middle, taking up space. With access only through the house, we removed the decking, framing and railings, the concrete steps and the paving below, dug the hardcore out down to soil level and backfilled with topsoil. We built a new patio of around 20m² in white 60x90 porcelain, moved the steps to the left side as four new concrete steps clad in the same porcelain, fitted a manhole cover and laid around 35m² of new turf. Ten days, £15,320 including VAT and all materials.
- Location
- Sutton, SM1
- Client
- Ruta
- Price
- £15,320 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 10 days
- Patio
- Around 20m², white porcelain 60x90
- Lawn
- Around 35m² of new turf
Where we started
The brief
Ruta's garden in Sutton was dominated by a raised deck with railings and a set of curved concrete steps in the middle, which took up a lot of the garden. The only access was through the house.
The plan was to take it all out, bring the ground back to soil level, build a clean porcelain patio and move the steps to the side to free up more lawn. It is a good example of the landscape gardeners in Sutton work we do on tight-access gardens.
Before & after
The same garden, before and after
The tricky parts
What went into it
Step by step
How we built it
Removing the deck, steps and paving
The decking, framing, railings, concrete steps and paving were removed and the hardcore dug out down to soil level, all through the house.
Checking the dig-out depth down to soil level in Sutton The white porcelain patio
Around 20m² of white 60x90 porcelain was laid, with a new manhole cover.
Laying white porcelain slabs behind the house in Sutton 
Finished white porcelain patio with a manhole cover New steps on the left side
Four concrete steps were built on the left side and clad in the same white porcelain.
Porcelain-clad steps built to the side of the new patio Topsoil and new turf
The ground was backfilled with topsoil and around 35m² of new turf laid.
New turf laid on fresh topsoil in the Sutton garden
Video
Before: the old deck and steps
Ruta's garden in Sutton before the work, with the raised deck, railings and curved concrete steps.
The finished work
The finished garden
“Fine Landscape completely transformed my garden, which had been neglected and left in a dated, crumbling state by the previous owner. From start to finish, their team worked tirelessly, involving me in every stage of the process and taking the time to understand exactly what I wanted. They offered helpful, creative suggestions that improved the final result, all while using high-quality materials that really brought the space back to life. The team were incredibly professional, personable, and respectful throughout. They kept the site clean and tidy every day, and managed to complete all the work in just 7/8 working days. Their pricing was also extremely fair for the level of service and quality delivered. I couldn’t be happier with the end result and I HIGHLY recommend Fine Landscape to anyone looking for a trustworthy and skilled landscaping company.”
Budget
What it cost
This project cost £15,320 including VAT and all materials: removing the deck, framing, railings, concrete steps and paving, digging out the hardcore and backfilling with topsoil, around 20m² of white 60x90 porcelain, four porcelain-clad concrete steps, a manhole cover and around 35m² of new turf, all through the house, over ten days. See our landscape gardeners in Sutton page for more.
Get a free quote- Price
- £15,320 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 10 days
- Patio
- Around 20m², white porcelain 60x90
Questions
About replacing a raised deck with a patio
Thinking about something similar? These are the questions we hear most.
How much does it cost to replace a raised deck with a patio and lawn in Sutton?
Ruta's garden in Sutton SM1 cost £15,320 including VAT and materials for removing the deck and steps, around 20m² of white 60x90 porcelain, four porcelain-clad steps, a manhole cover and around 35m² of new turf, over ten days.
Can you move garden steps to free up space?
Yes. Here the old curved steps sat in the middle of the garden, so new steps were built on the left side instead, which gave much more usable lawn.
Why dig out old hardcore before laying turf?
Turf cannot root into hardcore. Digging it out to the natural soil and backfilling with topsoil gives the new lawn the depth it needs to grow well.
Can porcelain be used on steps?
Yes. The steps were built in concrete and clad in the same white porcelain as the patio, so they match and are easy to keep clean.
Can you do the work if the only access is through the house?
Yes. On this job everything came out and went in through the house.
Do you work near Sutton?
Yes, including Cheam, Carshalton and Hackbridge. See our patios in Sutton and turfing in Sutton pages too.
Free survey
Is an old deck eating up your garden?
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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