Paving - Washed pebble (chino lavado) – cost per m² – UK 2026 Rate Guide

Budget rate for supply & lay · typical budget rate before your adjustments

Paving - Washed pebble (chino lavado)

per m² · supply & lay

£116 – £270 / m²

What is it

Washed-pebble paving is in-situ concrete surfaced with exposed decorative aggregate created by controlled surface retardation and washing.

Rate guide

Standard 100 mm pedestrian slab on prepared sub-base£138 – £182/m²

Light-duty 75 mm slab on prepared base£116 – £154/m²

Reinforced 125 mm slab for occasional vehicles£171 – £226/m²

Premium graded or coloured decorative aggregate£165 – £231/m²

Small, intricate or heavily edged areas£193 – £270/m²

Labour output

Open area, simple bays and ready-mix discharge alongside35–50 m²/day

Typical external works with moderate cutting and joints22–35 m²/day

Restricted access requiring barrowing or pumping14–24 m²/day

Broken-up areas, curves, falls and numerous interfaces7–15 m²/day

Key rate adjusters

Sub-base provision

Excavation, disposal and a new compacted granular sub-base typically add £30–£60/m².

Slab reinforcement

Mesh reinforcement, chairs and additional handling generally add £12–£25/m².

Aggregate selection

Premium colours, tightly graded pebbles or imported stone can increase the rate by £15–£45/m².

Area and geometry

Small pours, curves, narrow strips and frequent stopping points commonly attract a 15–35% uplift.

Concrete access

Pumping, long barrow routes or timed deliveries can add £10–£30/m² depending on pour size.

Weather protection

Hot, cold or wet-weather controls and return visits for washing can increase costs by 5–15%.

Quantity surveyor insights

Waste and buildability: Allow 8–12% for decorative aggregate and concrete losses where falls, irregular bays or wash-off control complicate placement; trial panels are advisable because colour, exposure depth and curing conditions materially affect acceptance.
Scope and procurement: Confirm responsibility for excavation, sub-base, reinforcement, movement joints, drainage interfaces, sealing and wash-water containment, as these are frequent scope gaps; procure the concrete supplier and specialist finishing gang together to secure compatible mix design, retarder and washing methodology.

Estimate Anything AI answer · indicative budget rates · updated 31 August 2026