FixerCalc

Patio Calculator

Patio quotes mix square-foot installed prices with a hidden material takeoff. This tool shows both: area times an editable range, plus paver square footage or slab yards so a bid and a quarry ticket can be compared.

Last reviewed 2026-08-25. How we calculate

Results update as you type. Units stay imperial inside the math.

Size
Surface

Paver cuts and a little extra sand or stone. Rectangles can use ~5–8%. Curves and patterns eat more.

Typical setting bed is about 1 in of concrete sand, not a substitute for compacted base.

Pedestrian patios often start around 4 in compacted crusher run. Soft soil or a hot tub needs more.

Pricing

Results

  • Installed planning range

    $1,440 – $3,600

    Uses your $/sq ft. Drainage, demo, and walls sit outside it.

  • Patio area

    144 sq ft

  • Pavers to order

    158 sq ft

  • Surface

    Pavers

Bedding sand
0.49 yd³
Base stone
1.96 yd³
Paver cut waste
10%
  • Excavation, drainage, permits, demolition, and seating walls are often the expensive parts. They are not fully in a $/sq ft average.
  • This is not a pavement design. Paver base thickness depends on soil and whether anything heavier than people will sit on it.

What you'll need

Quantities come from the result on this page, including the waste you entered. We do not add a second “just in case” layer on top. Tools and extras are a checklist, not a takeoff.

  • Pavers158 sq ft
  • Bedding sand0.49 yd³
  • Base stone1.96 yd³

Also typical for this job

  • Edge restraintPavers. Quantity depends on perimeter, not only area.
  • Landscape fabricGravel pads.

Where to buy

Search pages at major US retailers. These are not product reviews, and we do not pick a brand for you. They are ordinary store searches until we join a retailer program. Affiliate disclosure.

How this calculation works

  1. Area is length × width, or a total you already added up from rectangles.
  2. Pavers: order area includes cut waste. Bedding sand and base stone are separate volumes from the depths you enter.
  3. Concrete or stamped: volume uses slab thickness the same way the concrete calculator does. Stamped only changes the $/sq ft band.
  4. Gravel: volume from depth, same math as the gravel calculator. Use that tool if you need tons from a quarry density.

area = L × W; pavers = area × (1+waste%); yd³ = area × (in/12) / 27 × (1+waste%); range = area × $/sq ft

What to do next

  • Ask whether the bid includes excavation, fabric, edge restraint, and haul-off—not only the surface you see.
  • Slope the pad away from the house. This page does not design drainage.
  • For a raised wood or composite platform, use the deck calculator instead.

FAQ

Is this the same as the concrete calculator?
No. The concrete calculator is yards and bags for any slab. This page is a patio planning range plus the takeoff for pavers, a sitting slab, stamped finish, or gravel. Use both if you are pouring concrete and also want a ready-mix ticket.
Does the square-foot price include digging and base?
Some crews bundle excavation and base into the $/sq ft; others line-item them. The default bands are installed-project envelopes, not a soils report. If your quote is surface only, drop the unit prices or add demo as a separate check.
How much extra paver should I buy?
Rectangles often need about 5–8%. Diagonals, circles, and mixed sizes run 10–15%. Leftover from the same lot is cheaper than a second dye lot later. Edit the waste field to match the pattern on the drawing.
Patio or deck?
A patio sits on grade (pavers, slab, or gravel). A deck is a framed structure with footings and usually a rail. If you need air under the walking surface, use the deck cost calculator.

Sources

  • Area = L × W; paver order = area × (1 + waste%); yd³ = area × (depth in / 12) / 27 × (1 + waste%)
  • Default installed $/sq ft bands: typical US residential patio planning ranges, 2026

Cost defaults are typical US planning bands, last reviewed 2026-08-25. Edit the price fields on this page rather than treating them as a local market index.