A paver patio costs about $8 to $24 per square foot installed, so a 12×12 patio runs roughly $1,400 to $2,500 and a 20×20 patio $3,200 to $9,600. Plain concrete pavers sit at the low end, brick in the middle, and natural stone such as travertine or flagstone above it.
The rest of the spread comes from the ground: how deep the crew digs, how much gravel goes under the pavers, whether an old patio comes out first, and how many cuts the pattern needs.
Key takeaways
- Per square foot: HomeGuide puts a typical paver patio at $10–$17 installed; LawnLove’s wider range is $8–$24.
- Labor is the bigger half: $5–$15 per sq ft for installation against $4–$6 for concrete pavers and base materials.
- 12×12 (144 sq ft): about $1,400–$2,500. 20×20 (400 sq ft): $3,800–$6,800 per HomeGuide, up to $9,600 at LawnLove’s top rate.
- Natural stone costs $16–$35 per sq ft installed and travertine $13–$45, roughly double concrete pavers.
- Pavers cost about twice plain poured concrete, but single pavers can be lifted and replaced instead of patching a cracked slab.
| Cost item | Typical range | How to keep it down |
|---|---|---|
| Paver patio, installed | $8–$24 per sq ft | Concrete pavers in a running bond or basket weave |
| 12×12 ft patio, installed | $1,400–$2,500 | Keep it square; skip curves and borders |
| 20×20 ft patio, installed | $3,200–$9,600 | Size it to the furniture, not the yard |
| Installation labor | $5–$15 per sq ft | Remove sod and haul debris yourself |
| Pavers only (concrete) | $3–$6 per sq ft | Ask about the installer’s supplier discount |
| Base materials (gravel, sand, fabric, edging, joint sand) | $1.40–$2.20 per sq ft | Do not cut base depth; it is the cheap part |
| Excavation | $1–$5 per sq ft | Choose a site that is already close to level |
| Sealing (optional) | $1.50–$3.25 per sq ft | Leave unsealed if the paver maker allows it |
Assumptions: professionally installed on a sand-set gravel base, materials and labor, no regional adjustment. HomeGuide paver patio guide (2026 prices, written Sep 2024) and LawnLove (updated Dec 2025); where they disagree the table shows the full span.
Paver patio cost per square foot: materials vs labor
Paver patio cost per square foot splits into three parts: the pavers, the base under them, and the crew. HomeGuide puts materials at $3.40–$6.20 per sq ft and labor at $6.25–$10.90, for $9.65–$17.10 in total. LawnLove quotes installers at $5–$15 per sq ft, or $50–$80 an hour.
| Labor line (HomeGuide) | Cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Laying pavers | $4.50–$7.00 |
| Excavation | $0.80–$1.50 |
| Dumping | $0.30–$0.50 |
| Fuel | $0.30–$0.70 |
| Delivery | $0.00–$0.70 |
| Pallet exchange fees | $0.05–$0.20 |
| Clean-up | $0.15–$0.30 |
| Total labor | $6.25–$10.90 |
Assumptions: HomeGuide labor calculator (2026 prices, written Sep 2024), excludes pavers and base materials. Contractors add 10–20% for overhead and profit.
HomeGuide notes a two-person crew lays about 100 square feet of pavers a day. That is why labor outweighs the pavers themselves: a 20×20 patio is roughly four crew-days before cuts, borders or steps.
Paver patio cost by material
Paver patio cost by material ranges from about $8 per square foot for concrete pavers to $45 for premium travertine. Concrete pavers are uniform, so they go down fastest; irregular natural stone takes the most layout time, which is where most of its extra cost goes.
| Paver material | Installed cost per sq ft | Pavers only, per sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete pavers | $8–$15 | $3–$6 | Cheapest and most common; HomeGuide lists sealant as needed, Unilock calls it optional |
| Brick (clay) pavers | $10–$17 | $2–$8 | High-end brick $25–$40 installed |
| Natural stone, general | $16–$35 | $7–$18 | Bluestone $15–$31, granite $19–$32, slate $18–$42 |
| Flagstone, dry-laid | $15–$32 | $13–$30 | Irregular shapes fitted by hand |
| Travertine | $13–$45 | $5–$30 | Most homeowners pay $10–$15 for the stone |
| Permeable pavers | $10–$30 | $4–$12 | Gravel-filled joints over a gravel base |
Assumptions: installed, materials and labor. HomeGuide paver patio (Sep 2024), stone patio (Dec 2025), travertine (Apr 2026) and permeable pavers (May 2025) guides; pavers-only brick and flagstone ranges from LawnLove (Dec 2025) and HomeGuide.
One split to know: HomeGuide’s older paver patio guide lists stone pavers at $8–$14 installed, while its newer stone patio guide says $16–$35. The lower figure fits small, cheap stone units; quotes for bluestone, slate or flagstone land in the higher band.
- Concrete pavers give the most patterns for the money and are the easiest to match later.
- Brick holds color well but, per HomeGuide, can chip and get slick.
- Natural stone costs about double; a 12×12 stone patio runs $2,300–$5,000 and a 20×20 $6,400–$14,000.
- Flagstone layouts and joint options are compared in the flagstone patio ideas and layouts post.
Paver patio cost by size
Paver patio cost by size is area times rate, but the rate is not fixed: small patios carry the same delivery, setup and haul-away costs as large ones. The table shows HomeGuide’s installed totals next to the same size at LawnLove’s $8–$24 range.
| Patio size | Square feet | Installed (HomeGuide) | At $8–$24 per sq ft (LawnLove rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6×9 ft | 54 | $500–$950 | $430–$1,300 |
| 10×10 ft | 100 | $950–$1,700 | $800–$2,400 |
| 12×12 ft | 144 | $1,400–$2,500 | $1,150–$3,460 |
| 15×15 ft | 225 | $2,200–$3,900 | $1,800–$5,400 |
| 10×20 ft | 200 | $1,900–$3,400 | $1,600–$4,800 |
| 12×24 ft | 288 | $2,700–$4,900 | $2,300–$6,910 |
| 20×20 ft | 400 | $3,800–$6,800 | $3,200–$9,600 |
| 24×24 ft | 576 | $5,500–$9,800 | $4,610–$13,820 |
| 30×30 ft | 900 | $8,600–$15,000 | $7,200–$21,600 |
Assumptions: concrete or brick pavers, installed, flat site, no removal. HomeGuide size table (2026 prices, written Sep 2024). Right column is LawnLove’s $8–$24 per sq ft (Dec 2025) times area, rounded; LawnLove’s own table lists 100, 200 and 400 sq ft at these values.
LawnLove puts an average 280-square-foot patio at $3,350, with most homeowners paying $2,275–$6,950. Before you price a 20×20, lay out the furniture with a hose or chalk line; a 12×16 or 14×14 often fits a dining set and saves a quarter of the bill.
Line items that make paver patio quotes differ
Line items that make paver patio quotes differ explain why two bids for the same 400 square feet can be thousands apart. One installer prices a 4-inch base, another 8 inches; one includes tearing out the old slab, another adds it later. Ask for each line separately.
| Line item | Typical cost | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation | $1–$5 per sq ft | How deep, and is haul-away included? |
| Base materials | $1.40–$2.20 per sq ft | How many inches of gravel after compaction? |
| Edge restraint | $0.10–$0.20 per sq ft | Plastic, metal or a concrete bond beam? |
| Polymeric joint sand | $0.10–$0.30 per sq ft | Polymeric or plain sand in the joints? |
| Sealing | $1.50–$3.25 per sq ft | Is it needed for this paver? When can it go on? |
| Removing old concrete and soil | +$0.30–$0.50 per sq ft | Is the old patio priced as demolition or excavation? |
| Grading | $0.40–$2.00 per sq ft | Which way will water drain off the patio? |
| Delivery | about $0.50 per sq ft | Pallet fees ($0.05–$0.20) on top? |
| Steps, seat wall or fire pit pad | +$500–$3,000 | Priced per feature or per square foot? |
Assumptions: HomeGuide paver patio guide (2026 prices, written Sep 2024); steps, seat wall and fire pit range from HomeGuide’s travertine guide (Apr 2026) for a 300 sq ft patio.
Excavation and base depth
Excavation and base depth set the price more than the pavers. Rochester Concrete Products’ install guide calls for 4–6 inches of compacted gravel for foot traffic, about 7–9 inches of total dig with a 1-inch sand bed and 2-3/8-inch pavers, and the deeper end in poorly drained soil. Unilock’s guide lists 6–8 inches of gravel for patios.
Both guides compact the gravel in thin layers with a plate compactor. A bid that is far below the others often has a thinner base; ask for the depth in writing. The full base build and pattern choices are in the paver patio ideas, patterns and base build post.
Edge restraint and polymeric sand
Edge restraint and polymeric sand are small lines that keep the patio together. HomeGuide says pavers without edging slowly shift outward and open gaps at the perimeter. Unilock calls edge restraints critical and says they must be spiked into the compacted base.
Polymeric sand hardens in the joints and resists weeds and washout. At $0.10–$0.30 per sq ft it is not worth swapping for plain sand to save money.
Sealing
Sealing costs $1.50–$3.25 per sq ft, including pressure washing and topping up the joint sand, per HomeGuide. It is optional for many pavers; Unilock says that if you seal, plan to reseal every 3–5 years, so it becomes a recurring bill rather than a one-time line.
Removing an old patio
Removing an old patio adds to excavation. HomeGuide adds $0.30–$0.50 per sq ft for taking out old concrete and dirt on top of the $1–$5 dig. Ask whether the crew breaks the slab itself or subcontracts demolition, and who pays the dump fees.
Grading and drainage
Grading and drainage matter because a patio that holds water settles and stains. HomeGuide prices regrading at $0.40–$2.00 per sq ft, and LawnLove at $770–$3,000 for a whole site. Rochester Concrete Products suggests a slope of about 1 inch for every 8 feet, and Unilock says to slope the patio away from the house.
Steps, curves and patterns
Steps, curves and patterns add cuts, waste and hours. HomeGuide says to order 10% extra pavers for waste and 20% for patterns laid at an angle, and LawnLove notes curved designs cost more because of special cutting.
Permits
Permits are rarely a large line for a ground-level patio. HomeGuide says a permit is not required for a paver patio, but that is a national generalization; drainage rules, setbacks, impervious-surface limits and HOA approval vary. Check with your local building department before you sign a quote.
Paver patio vs concrete patio cost
Paver patio vs concrete patio cost is roughly two to one for a plain slab. Our concrete patio ideas on a budget post uses HomeGuide’s $4–$12 per sq ft for plain poured concrete and $9–$30 for stamped. HomeGuide says pavers cost about twice as much as laying concrete.
| Patio type | Installed per sq ft | 20×20 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain poured concrete | $4–$12 | $1,600–$4,800 |
| Stamped concrete | $9–$30 | $3,600–$12,000 |
| Concrete or brick pavers | $8–$24 | $3,200–$9,600 |
| Natural stone pavers | $16–$35 | $6,400–$14,000 |
Assumptions: concrete rows from HomeGuide’s concrete patio guide (2026, written Jul 2025) as used on the live concrete post; stamped 20×20 is rate times 400 sq ft. Paver rows from HomeGuide (Sep 2024, Dec 2025) and LawnLove (Dec 2025).
- Up front: plain concrete wins; stamped concrete overlaps with pavers.
- Repairs: HomeGuide says pavers are easier to repair, while concrete slabs are more affordable.
- Looks: pavers come in far more shapes, colors and patterns than a broom-finished slab.
DIY vs hiring a pro for a paver patio
DIY vs hiring a pro comes down to labor, which is more than half of the installed price. HomeGuide puts a DIY paver patio at $5–$10 per sq ft, about 50% less than a contractor, once you add equipment rental, base materials, delivery and sealer.
| 20×20 ft (400 sq ft) | DIY | Installed by a pro |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete pavers, sand-set | $2,000–$4,000 | $3,800–$6,800 |
Assumptions: HomeGuide DIY rate ($5–$10 per sq ft) and installed 20×20 total (2026 prices, written Sep 2024). DIY includes rentals and base materials but not your time or tools you already own.
- Rentals per day (HomeGuide): plate compactor $70–$250, wet masonry saw $50–$180, sod cutter $60–$100, skid steer $165–$425.
- Kits: paver patio kits cost $300–$1,000 and do not include base materials.
- The other view: LawnLove prices a 280 sq ft DIY patio at $5,402–$5,652 with pavers at $16.50 per sq ft and every tool bought new, and says DIY is often not cheaper.
- Reasonable DIY: a small, square patio on flat, well-drained ground with a rented compactor.
- Hire a pro: slopes, clay soil, curves, steps, tear-out of an old slab, or natural stone.
Mistakes that raise paver patio cost
Mistakes that raise paver patio cost usually show up a year or two later as sunken spots and loose edges.
- Comparing per-square-foot prices only. The low bid may leave out excavation, haul-away or edging.
- Accepting a thin base. Ask for compacted gravel depth in inches; manufacturer guides call for 4–8 inches under a patio.
- Skipping edge restraint. The perimeter creeps and the joints open.
- Ordering no spare pavers. HomeGuide says to order 10–20% extra; keep a few spares for later repairs.
- Ignoring drainage. A patio pitched toward the house can send water to the foundation.
- Digging before calling 811. Rochester Concrete Products’ guide says to call before any digging.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 20×20 paver patio cost?
A 20×20 paver patio, 400 square feet, costs $3,800 to $6,800 installed according to HomeGuide, and up to $9,600 at LawnLove’s top rate of $24 per square foot. Natural stone raises the total to $6,400 to $14,000. Removal of an old patio, grading and steps are extra, so ask for each as a separate line.
How much does a 12×12 paver patio cost?
A 12×12 paver patio, 144 square feet, costs about $1,400 to $2,500 installed with concrete or brick pavers, per HomeGuide. In natural stone the same patio runs $2,300 to $5,000. Small patios cost more per square foot than large ones because delivery, setup and haul-away fees stay about the same regardless of size.
What is the labor cost to install pavers per square foot?
Labor to install a paver patio costs about $6 to $11 per square foot according to HomeGuide, and $5 to $15 according to LawnLove. Hourly crews charge $50 to $100 an hour. Labor covers digging, base compaction, laying, cutting and joint sand, and it is usually more than half of the installed price of a concrete paver patio.
Is a paver patio cheaper than a concrete patio?
No. Plain poured concrete costs $4 to $12 per square foot installed, while a paver patio costs $8 to $24, and HomeGuide says pavers cost about twice as much as laying concrete. Stamped concrete, at $9 to $30, overlaps with pavers. Pavers can be repaired one unit at a time, which narrows the gap over the patio’s life.
Do you need a permit for a paver patio?
Often not, but it is a local decision. HomeGuide says a permit is not required for a paver patio, yet some towns limit impervious surface, regulate drainage onto neighboring lots or require HOA approval. Check with your local building department and HOA before work starts, and call 811 to mark utility lines before anyone digs.
Sources
- HomeGuide, How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost? (2026) (written Sep 18, 2024).
- HomeGuide, How Much Does a Stone Patio Cost? (2026) (written Dec 19, 2025).
- HomeGuide, How Much Do Travertine Pavers Cost? (2026) (written Apr 16, 2026).
- HomeGuide, Permeable Pavers Cost (written May 27, 2025).
- LawnLove, How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost in 2026? (updated Dec 27, 2025).
- Unilock, Project Planning Guide: Typical Paver Base Thickness (Jan 2024).
- Rochester Concrete Products, Paver Installation Guide (accessed Oct 2026).
