What options are there for a Patio Area?

This is our current situation.

We have a 'slab' patio which is 12 foot deep and 22 foot wide.
Although the area is usable, there are two problems.

First (less serious) problem is that it's too small, second problem is
that the ground is clay so there is a lot of 'heave' going on
throughout the seasons. If we re-lay the patio, in 6 months time it
would have gone bumpy again

The new surface needs to have the following characteristics.


Required:
1. Totally proof against heave
2. Cheap as possible (max budget is less than a thousand pounds,
South Coast UK prices)
3. Size is 17 foot deep, 22 foot wide (we do a lot of outside
entertaining)
4. DIY-able (SWMBO's Dad is a ex-builder, so we have the skills, if
not necessarily the brawn)
5. Easy to keep clean
6. Nice to stand on with bare feet
7. Able to withstand the heat (and mess) from our Cast Iron Chimnea
8. Will last 5 years minimum without major rebuilding
9. Slightly higher than the existing patio/grass area so that water
runs off rather than collect in a pool in the middle.


Nice-to-haves:
10. Able to complete in 80 man-hours or less
11. Retains heat from the mid-day sun.
12. Dog/baby/small Child Friendly
13. Ability to retro-fit floor lighting
14. Winter slipperiness is not a problem.


Do Like:
15. Railway Sleepers
16. Block Paving
17. Red House Bricks


Don't Like:
18. Commercially purchased Decking, it's too 'Ikea'
19. Not keen on pre-formed patio slabs


Our thoughts are so far a
20. Our budget is unrealistic.
21. A solid concrete base is needed


Um, I guess that's enough to be going on with. All comments
gratefully received!



Regards,
Steve
--

"Ragworm The Abominable" no@email wrote in message
...
What options are there for a Patio Area?


Been a while since it's been mentioned in these parts, I think, but the no.1
resource for paving issues on the web is the truly excellent site of Cormaic
(a past frequent contributer to this NG) - http://www.pavingexpert.com/

There's tons of stuff to inspire in there.


This is our current situation.

We have a 'slab' patio which is 12 foot deep and 22 foot wide.
Although the area is usable, there are two problems.

First (less serious) problem is that it's too small, second problem is
that the ground is clay so there is a lot of 'heave' going on
throughout the seasons. If we re-lay the patio, in 6 months time it
would have gone bumpy again


Search around the site's various discussion areas - there may well be
answers to this question.

snip

Agree with you about the decking, btw. It looked good, and very "San
Fransisco" (which was actually quite appropriate... ) when some friends had
an area done in 1995 as part of an imaginitive garden redesign. Has become
the "Black Ash Effect" of garden design now, though....


--
Richard Sampson

email me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk