The Landscape Company
Chichester · West Sussex
Chichester’s Georgian streets, period properties and coastal influences mean patios here face a mix of salt air, varied soil types and often tight urban garden layouts. Whether you live in central Chichester, Fishbourne, Bosham, Lavant, Tangmere or the nearby South Downs villages, getting the groundwork and drainage right is critical for long-term performance.
This guide explains how we design and build patios in the Chichester area – from choosing the right materials to excavation depth, sub-base standards and drainage, all tailored to local West Sussex conditions.
If you’re comparing materials, our Porcelain vs Sandstone guide for Chichester is a useful companion, along with Garden Drainage & Groundworks for wetter or more complex plots.
Porcelain is now the most popular choice for modern Chichester homes and extensions. It’s low-porosity, highly durable and offers:
Indian sandstone works beautifully with period properties in central Chichester, Bosham and Fishbourne. It suits more traditional gardens where a softer, varied look complements brick and flint walls.
For heritage homes and high-end landscapes, Yorkstone and premium British sandstones provide a classic, long-lasting finish that ages gracefully alongside older architecture.
Granite setts are often used for:
Chichester and its surrounding villages sit on a varied geology:
Each soil type affects how deep we excavate, how we compact the sub-base and how we design drainage. We cover this in more detail in Soil Types in Chichester.
We begin by checking:
Typical dig depth for patios in Chichester is 150–250 mm below finished height, depending on:
The sub-base is compacted in layers using plate compactors to minimise future movement or settlement.
We use full mortar beds – never spot bonding – to ensure:
Porcelain and many natural stones are laid over a suitable mortar mix with a priming slurry to promote a strong bond.
Chichester’s mix of chalk, clay and coastal exposure makes drainage design essential. Depending on the plot, we may introduce:
We select jointing products according to traffic level, material type and visual finish:
Finished work is cleaned down, and sealing may be recommended for certain natural stones depending on location and usage.
Patio costs vary with access, ground conditions and detailing, but as a broad guide for high-quality installations:
For a wider view of budgets across West Sussex projects, see Landscaping Costs 2025.
Chichester · Fishbourne · Bosham · Lavant · Tangmere · Oving · Donnington · Hunston · Apuldram · Goodwood · Westhampnett · Aldingbourne · South Downs villages
We design and build patios that are structurally sound, beautifully detailed and tailored to Chichester’s soils, microclimate and architecture.
If you’d like to understand why some patios last and others move or fail, this deeper guide looks at structure, bonding, drainage and materials in more detail – beyond brochure photos and colour charts.
Most rear garden patios in Chichester fall under permitted development, but conservation areas, listed buildings and significant level changes may require further checks. Front garden patios must also comply with permeable surfacing and drainage rules. We can advise on the guidelines that apply to your property, and our Planning Permission Rules page explains the key points for Chichester and the surrounding villages.
Yes – we only specify external-grade porcelain paving with appropriate slip ratings for outdoor use. Combined with correct laying, drainage falls and sensible cleaning to remove algae and salt build-up, porcelain works very well in coastal and exposed locations around Chichester.
Typical excavation depths are 150–250 mm below the finished patio level, depending on soil type, loading and existing levels. Chalk, sand and clay areas around Chichester each require slightly different sub-base and drainage approaches to remain stable over time.
Yes. Many Chichester projects involve creating a coherent route from driveway to front or rear patio using matching or complementary paving materials. When we do this, we design the build-up and drainage to suit both pedestrian and vehicle use. Our Driveway Construction Standards guide covers how we handle vehicle loading and detailing.
Explore all of our in-depth landscaping guides for Chichester · Bosham · Fishbourne · Lavant · Tangmere · Oving · Donnington · Hunston · Apuldram · Goodwood · Westhampnett · South Downs villages:
If you’re considering a new driveway, patio or full garden transformation, we’d be happy to talk through your ideas and advise on the best way forward.
Call: 01428 654812 · 07500 877949
Email: richard@tlchaslemere.co.uk
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