Porcelain paving, built properly from the sub-base up.
Family-run porcelain patio specialist serving Bolton and the North West from our Westhoughton base. Every slab laid on a full primed mortar bed, every job a fixed, written quote in 1 working day — no deposit, no pressure.
From £110/m² fitted
Set your patio size, choose standard or premium porcelain, and see an instant per-m² guide price — including the sub-base build if you need one.
Use the porcelain price calculator →Get a free porcelain patio quote.
Free survey at your address. Fixed written quote in 1 working day — usually back to you the same day. No deposit, no pressure.
- 5.0 on Google — verified customer reviews
- Family-run, three founders on every job
- SafeContractor accredited · £2M public liability
- Westhoughton-based · covering the whole North West
Porcelain patios across the North West.
Three recent installs — different colours, different formats, same Wolsten build standard: primed mortar bed, levelling clips, drainage falls formed where needed.
Get an instant per-m² price.
Set your patio length, width and tile choice. Tick the sub-base box if your garden needs one and we’ll add the groundwork into the price — honest numbers, in 30 seconds.
Three ways to price your porcelain patio.
All prices supplied & fitted, on a prepared sub-base. Need new groundwork? See the sub-base note below or use the calculator for an exact figure.
Standard porcelain
20mm exterior porcelain in popular greys and stone tones. Frost-proof, slip-rated and virtually maintenance-free — the most-chosen finish for North West gardens.
Premium / large-format
Statement slabs up to 1200×600mm. Marble and timber-effect finishes. Heavier to handle, slower to lay properly — but a striking, high-end finish.
Install only
For trade and self-supply. You source the porcelain, we lay it to a full-bed, primed standard with all sundries (sand, cement, primer, grout, clips).
Is porcelain the right call for your garden?
It’s a more expensive finish than block paving or budget Indian sandstone — so worth knowing where it earns its keep and where it doesn’t.
Where porcelain earns it
- You want a clean, modern finish that stays looking new
- You don’t want to seal, jet-wash or scrub stains every spring
- Frost, ice and salt don’t damage porcelain like they do sandstone
- Algae and moss don’t take hold on a properly-grouted porcelain bed
- Lifespan 25+ years if laid right — lowest lifetime cost of any paving
- Anti-slip ratings (R11/R12) are available for shaded or wet gardens
Where it’s probably not for you
- Tightest budget patios — block paving or budget flag is cheaper upfront
- Awkward, intricate layouts — porcelain has to be wet-cut, adds days
- DIY install — porcelain MUST go on a full primed mortar bed; spot-bedding fails within a year
- Heavy planters straight onto the slab — can crack point-loaded ranges (we advise pads)
- If your existing sub-base is failing, that has to be sorted first or porcelain WILL move
What’s actually in your Wolsten quote.
Every fixed quote we write includes everything below as standard. If something’s outside that (like ACO drainage or steps), it’s a separate line so you can see exactly what you’re paying for.
- Site protection & daily clean-down
- Excavation & spoil removal (if new sub-base)
- Compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base with drainage falls
- Geotextile membrane under sub-base
- Full primed mortar bed (sharp sand & cement)
- Porcelain primer / slurry coat on every slab
- Levelling clips for a perfectly flat finish
- Coloured grout & jointing throughout
- All sundries, fixings & consumables
- Porcelain tile supply (Tier 1 & 2) with 10% cutting allowance
- Fully fitted by our in-house team — not subbies
- Building Regs / planning sign-off where required (raised patios)
Porcelain vs the rest.
Honest, side-by-side — we install all of these so we’ve no axe to grind. Each material has its place.
Indian Sandstone
Cheaper upfront, natural look, lots of colour variation. But it’s porous — needs annual sealing, stains easily, goes green in shaded spots.
Choose if: budget tight, you don’t mind the maintenance.
Block Paving
Versatile, easy to repair (lift & relay), good for driveways. But blocks shift over time, weeds force up through joints, and it dates.
Choose if: driveway-led project, mixed-use space.
Porcelain (this hub)
Highest upfront cost, lowest lifetime cost. No sealing, no jet-washing, no fading. Stays looking new for 25+ years.
Choose if: you want it done once, done right, no faff.
Simple. Transparent. Done properly.
From your first enquiry to the last slab laid — five steps, no surprises.
Enquiry
Use the calculator for a guide price, or send us a couple of photos and rough size.
Free survey
We visit, check the sub-base, levels and drainage. No pressure, no obligation.
Fixed quote
Written, itemised, in 1 working day. No deposit asked or accepted.
Install
Our in-house team. Primed mortar bed, levelling clips, clean site every evening.
Handover
Sign-off walk-round, sweep down, full clean. Aftercare guidance for the first 30 days.
Still scrolling?
If you’ve got a rough patio size in mind, the calculator gives you an honest guide price in 30 seconds — including sub-base build, install-only or supplied-and-fitted options.
Price it in 30 seconds →Porcelain paving in your town.
Local pages with pricing examples, recent jobs and team notes specific to your area — rolling out across the North West shortly.
The three of us on every job.
Wolsten is family-run. The three founders are on every project, every survey, every handover — no being passed to a subbie you’ve never met.
Liam
Quotes every porcelain project personally. If you’ve had a written quote from Wolsten, Liam wrote it.
Ryan
On site for the install. Sets the bed, checks every level, signs off the grouting line by line.
Paul
The hands behind every slab cut, every primer coat, every levelling clip. Twenty years on the tools.
What porcelain customers say.
We have always wanted a porcelain tiled patio area, and realise it requires quality and experienced workmanship. We are so glad we had Kieran and Liam install the patio — they primed every tile and built a proper sub-base, and the price was great considering how much work is involved. We would give them 5 stars.
Porcelain patios across the North West.
Based in Westhoughton, Bolton. Most jobs are within a 45-minute drive — close enough to survey quickly, lay properly, and pop back after handover if anything ever needs a second look.
Porcelain paving FAQs.
How much does a porcelain patio cost?
Supplied and fitted on a prepared sub-base, standard porcelain typically starts from around £110/m². With a brand-new MOT Type 1 sub-base built underneath, you’re looking at roughly £170–£200/m². Premium large-format finishes sit at the higher end. The calculator gives an instant guide based on your exact size.
Is porcelain really better than natural stone?
For maintenance and lifespan, yes. Porcelain is virtually non-porous so it doesn’t stain or go green like Indian sandstone, doesn’t need annual sealing, and stays colour-stable for 25+ years. The trade-off is higher upfront cost and it must be laid on a full primed mortar bed — spot-bedded porcelain WILL fail.
Do I need to build a new sub-base?
Only if your existing one isn’t solid, level and properly drained. If your patio is being laid on an old slab base or compacted hardcore that’s already in good shape, we work with what’s there. If it’s not, we dig out and build a fresh MOT Type 1 base with drainage falls. The calculator prices both options.
How long does a porcelain patio take to install?
A two-fitter team lays roughly 8–9 m² per day on a full primed mortar bed. So a typical 50 m² patio takes about 6 working days from levelled sub-base. Add 2–3 days for sub-base build if needed.
Is porcelain slippery when wet?
Quality exterior porcelain is rated R11 or R12 for slip-resistance — properly grippy even when wet. Cheaper indoor-grade porcelain (R9) can be slippery outside, which is why we only fit exterior-rated slabs. We’ll show you the rating on the supplier datasheet before you commit.
Do you install across Bolton and the North West?
Yes. Wolsten is a family-run team based in Westhoughton, Bolton, fitting porcelain patios across the full Bolton borough, Bury, Wigan, Leigh, Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Rochdale, Oldham, Chorley, Preston, Warrington — basically anywhere within a 45-minute drive.
Does the quote include drainage like ACO channels?
No. The standard quote covers the patio build itself — sub-base, primed bed, slab supply & lay, grouting, clean-down. ACO drainage and any land drains are priced as a separate line because they depend entirely on your site levels and where surface water needs to go.
Can I supply my own porcelain (install-only)?
Yes. Our Tier 3 install-only pricing covers labour and all sundries (sand, cement, primer, grout, levelling clips). You supply the porcelain — useful if you’ve already bought tiles, you’re a developer with trade pricing, or you want a specific range we don’t stock.
Ready for a porcelain patio that lasts?
Free survey, written quote in 1 working day, no deposit, no pressure. If you’re not sure what tile or layout to go for, we’ll walk you through the options at the survey.
