How much does it cost to fix the garden after an extension?

Budget realistically for re-turfing, a patio, fence repairs, driveway gravel, and the drainage repairs the builder did not cover. A quoted figure at the low end usually grows once waste removal, equipment hire, and unforeseen drainage work are added.

When should I book a landscaper for after my extension?

Get quotes and book during the second-fix phase while the internal trades are still working, not after the build completes. Landscapers are booked weeks or months ahead, so a late start can leave you staring at a mudbath through your new doors until spring.

How high can a patio be next to the house wall?

The finished patio must sit a clear margin below the damp-proof course, typically 150mm, so moisture from the ground cannot bridge into the walls. A patio laid too high causes rising damp and is treated as a serious defect that means ripping it up and re-laying.

Do I need building control to sign off before laying a patio?

Yes. Building control must inspect and sign off the drainage runs under and around your extension before any paving goes on top. Laying a patio first means ripping it up later so the drains can be seen, which costs thousands.

Do I need planning permission to pave my front garden?

You do if you use an impermeable surface such as standard block paving, concrete, or non-porous tarmac over an area larger than five square metres. Permeable surfaces or designs that drain to a lawn or border are exempt regardless of size.

Can I do garden work near a protected tree?

Not without consent. Cutting roots or changing ground levels around a tree covered by a Tree Preservation Order requires written permission from your local authority, and an advance application of several weeks is needed. Penalties for breaching a TPO are unlimited.

Back to Single Storey Rear Extension

Phase 8 · Completion · Task 05 of 05

Garden Reinstatement and External Works

Garden reinstatement after a UK extension typically costs £2,000 – £6,000. Correct sequencing, DPC rules, patio costs, drainage, and how to manage landscapers.

13 min readUpdated 2026Premium

Process infographic showing the correct sequence for garden reinstatement after a UK extension, from drainage inspection through hard landscaping to soft landscaping

Prerequisites

Complete this first

Building Control Inspection: Drainage and Oversite

You'll spend months watching diggers, skips, and delivery lorries churn through your garden. Then one day the builder finishes, the scaffolding comes down, and you look through your new bifold doors at a wasteland of compacted mud, broken fencing, and rubble. Welcome to the part of an extension project that nobody budgets for until they're staring at it.

Every extension does this. Diggers compact soil so hard that grass can't regrow naturally. Material storage kills whatever was growing underneath. Skip placement gouges the driveway. Drainage changes alter how water flows across your plot. And the builder's responsibility ended at the building line. Everything outside is your problem.

£2,000 – £6,000

The realistic budget for garden reinstatement after a typical rear extension. A quoted garden job at the low end will typically grow once you add driveway gravel, waste removal, equipment hire, and the drainage repairs you didn't know you needed.

What this guide covers

01Start Planning During Second Fix, Not After
02The Sequencing Rule That Protects You
03The DPC Trap: Why Patio Height Matters More Than Anything
04Hard Landscaping: Getting the Patio Right
05Drainage: The Work You Can't See
06Underground Services: The Safety Conversation You Must Have
07Don't Forget the Front
08The Weather Factor
09Tree Preservation Orders: Check Before You Dig
10Front Garden Paving and Planning Permission
11Soil Condition After Construction
12What the Whole Thing Costs
13Managing Landscapers: A Different Culture
14Combining Work to Save Money
15The Seasonal Reality

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