--- title: "Landscaping in Tunbridge Wells | Patios, Driveways & Gardens | Spectrum" description: "Tunbridge Wells landscaping for patios, driveways, fencing, decking and garden transformations. Properly laid sub-base, fixed quotes, fully insured." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "/#organization", "name": "Spectrum Electrical & Building Ltd", "url": "/", "logo": "/__l5e/assets-v1/278be0ed-e1be-458b-a1b1-a08de471118f/spectrum-icon.png", "telephone": "07480 485988", "email": "spectrum.eb@mail.com", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1 Sherwood Road", "addressLocality": "Tunbridge Wells", "addressRegion": "Kent", "postalCode": "TN2 3LB", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Kent" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Tunbridge Wells" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Tonbridge" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Sevenoaks" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Crowborough" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Brenchley" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Mayfield" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Paddock Wood" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Langton Green" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://maps.app.goo.gl/7AumDfwKajqS6xSU7" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "/#website", "name": "Spectrum Electrical & Building Ltd", "url": "/", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "publisher": { "@id": "/#organization" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "serviceType": "Landscaping", "name": "Landscaping", "areaServed": { "@type": "City", "name": "Tunbridge Wells" }, "provider": { "@type": "LocalBusiness", "name": "Spectrum Electrical & Building Ltd", "telephone": "07480 485988", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1 Sherwood Road", "addressLocality": "Tunbridge Wells", "postalCode": "TN2 3LB", "addressCountry": "GB" } }, "description": "Tunbridge Wells landscaping for patios, driveways, fencing, decking and garden transformations. Properly laid sub-base, fixed quotes, fully insured." }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much does a patio cost in Tunbridge Wells?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Costs vary by size, spec and complexity. Quotes are free. After a free on-site survey you'll receive a fixed itemised written quote, we aim for a 48-hour turnaround." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does a typical patio take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A 30–40m² rear garden patio is 5–8 working days: 2 days excavation and sub-base, 3–4 days laying, 1 day pointing and clean-down. Bigger projects scale proportionally." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will I need planning permission?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Most rear patios and replacement driveways are permitted development. New driveways over 5m² that drain to the highway require SUDS-compliant surfacing (porous block or permeable resin), we'll advise at survey." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you do driveways and fencing too?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. block paving, resin-bonded, gravel, closeboard and feather-edge fencing, gates, sleeper retaining walls. Often combined with patio work as a single co-ordinated quote." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will my patio sink or crack over time?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not when it's laid properly. Full mortar bed (never spot-bedded), 150mm compacted MOT type 1 sub-base, correct falls, and pointing mortar suited to the slab. Backed by a 1-year workmanship guarantee." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you handle drainage and soakaways?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. linear ACO drains, soakaways sized per BRE Digest 365, French drains behind retaining walls, downpipe connections to combined drains. We design the drainage as part of the landscaping, not as an afterthought." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are you insured?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. £5m public liability covering excavation, plant operation and all finished works. Certificates supplied on request." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What areas do you cover?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Crowborough, Brenchley, Mayfield, Paddock Wood, Langton Green and the wider Kent and East Sussex area." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Landscaping", "item": "/services/landscaping" } ] } ] --- Tunbridge Wells, Kent Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00 [spectrum.eb@mail.com](mailto:spectrum.eb@mail.com)[07480 485988](tel:+447480485988) [![Spectrum Electrical & Building Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/a7c2b1aa-2941-4064-ad5b-d00433ea5395/spectrum-logo.png)](/) [About](/about) [Building Services](/services) [Other Services](/services) [Service Areas](/service-areas) [Our Work](/our-work)[Contact](/contact) [07480 485988](tel:+447480485988)[Request Estimate](/contact) ![Premium UK garden landscaping with new patio, lawn, modern fencing and planted borders](/assets/landscaping-TCK1Xxyy.jpg) Landscaping · Patios · Driveways · Fencing · Kent # Tunbridge Wells Landscaping Patios, Driveways, Fencing & Garden Transformations Patios that don't sink, driveways that don't crack, fences that don't lean, sub-base done right, drainage thought through, and a finish that still looks tight in ten winters' time. [Request my landscaping quote](/contact) [07480 485988](tel:+447480485988) MOT type 1 sub-base · Free design visit · Fully insured · 1-year workmanship guarantee 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Landscaping - Proper MOT type 1 sub-base - SUDS-compliant drainage - Fully insured to £5m - Free design visit - 1-year workmanship guarantee Service overview ## What's involved in landscaping. Plain-English breakdown, so you know exactly what you're paying for and why it matters before we set foot on site. ### What it is Full-service garden and exterior works, natural stone and porcelain patios, block-paved and resin-bonded driveways, fencing and gates, decking and pergolas, raised planters, garden walls, drainage and sleeper retaining structures. Built to last on properly excavated, properly compacted sub-bases. ### Who it's for Homeowners tired of cracked, weed-ridden paving; families upgrading the garden for outdoor living; property investors lifting kerb appeal before sale; and landlords needing low-maintenance, durable hard landscaping. ### When you need it Patio slabs lifting, rocking or staining; driveway potholing or weed-infested; fences leaning after a winter of storms; garden levels making the lawn unusable; or a renovation finishing and the garden looks like a building site. ### Why it matters The visible 50mm of paving is 10% of the job. The other 90%, excavation depth, sub-base material, compaction layers, falls and drainage, is what stops the patio settling, the driveway cracking and the fence leaning. Get the unglamorous bits right and the finish stays sharp for a decade. The cost of doing nothing ## What goes wrong when this is ignored. Most failed landscaping jobs failed in the first 100mm, laid on builders' rubble, no MOT sub-base, no proper falls, and no thought to where the rainwater would go. ### Risks of waiting - Patios laid on a thin sand bed without sub-base settle and rock within 2 winters, opening joints for weeds and frost damage. - Driveways without 150mm+ compacted MOT type 1 pothole under the first delivery van's wheels, especially on Kent clay soils. - Surface water running toward the house (instead of into a soakaway or SUDS-compliant gravel strip) causes damp, blown render and ground-floor flooding. - Fence posts concreted into shallow holes (under 600mm) lean and snap in the first proper storm. ### Common mistakes - Buying cheap 'patio packs' from a garden centre without checking slab thickness or PSI rating, many are 18mm decorative tiles, not 30–40mm structural slabs. - Skipping a weed membrane under block paving, weeds eventually push through every joint. - Pointing a sandstone patio with normal sand-and-cement mix in the wrong weather, stains the surface permanently. - Building retaining walls over 600mm without proper footings, drainage and reinforcement, they bulge, crack and eventually fail. Our process ## How the job actually runs. Same system every time. No improvising on your floor. 1. 01 ### Design visit We measure the space, discuss materials, look at drainage and access, and sketch options on the spot for straightforward projects. 2. 02 ### Fixed written quote Itemised quote within 48 hours covering excavation, sub-base, drainage, edgings, finish material, jointing and clean-up. No vague allowances. 3. 03 ### Excavation & sub-base Dig to the right depth (typically 200–250mm), barrow out spoil, lay and compact MOT type 1 in 75mm layers with a vibrating plate. 4. 04 ### Laying & jointing Slabs or blocks laid to proper falls (1:60 minimum away from the house) on a full mortar bed or screeded sand depending on material, then jointed with kiln-dried sand, resin or appropriate mortar mix. 5. 05 ### Clean-down & guarantee Full pressure-wash where appropriate, all waste skipped, plant cleared, written invoice and a 1-year workmanship guarantee. What you get ## The outcomes that matter. ### Built on real sub-base MOT type 1 to the right depth, compacted in proper layers, the only reason a patio still sits flat in year 10. ### Drainage designed in Falls calculated, soakaways or linear drains specified where needed, SUDS-compliant where the regs require. ### Quality materials only 30–40mm structural porcelain, natural Indian sandstone, Brett or Marshalls block paving, not paper-thin garden-centre tiles. ### Tidy site, every day Skips on site, daily clean-up, neighbours respected, access protected with boards. ### Fully insured £5m public liability covering excavation, plant and finished works. ### Guaranteed for 1 year Workmanship guarantee covering settlement, jointing failure and structural movement. In depth ## Everything worth knowing before you book. The details a salesperson skips. Skim it, or read every word, both are useful. Questions on this? Talk to a Spectrum tradesman direct. [07480 485988](tel:+447480485988) ### Patios, natural stone, porcelain and concrete We lay Indian sandstone, limestone, granite, porcelain (20–30mm), and high-end concrete flags (Marshalls, Bradstone). Every patio sits on 150mm of compacted MOT type 1 over a geotextile membrane, then a full mortar bed (4:1 sharp sand to cement), never spot-bedded, which is the single biggest cause of slabs rocking and cracking. Joints are 8–10mm, pointed with a jointing mortar suited to the slab (Geo-fix, Romex, NCC streetscape) so they don't stain the surface. ### Driveways, block paving and resin-bonded Block-paved driveways sit on 200mm of MOT type 1 plus 30–40mm of screed sand, kerbed with concrete edgings haunched both sides, and finished with kiln-dried sand swept and vibrated into the joints. Resin-bonded drives are laid over a structurally sound base (existing tarmac or new concrete) with UV-stable resin and washed quartz aggregate at 18–22kg/m². Both finish levels are checked with a string line so the surface drains correctly and doesn't pond. ### Fencing, gates and timber screening Fence posts go into the ground at minimum 600mm (1m for 1.8m+ panels) on a 100mm gravel base for drainage, then concreted with post-mix to a domed top so water runs off. Closeboard, lap or slatted panels fixed to arris rails with stainless or galvanised nails. Gates hung on proper Tee-hinges or band-and-hook to braced frames, with drop bolts or slam locks as needed. ### Decking, pergolas and outdoor living Substructure in pressure-treated 4×2 or 6×2 joists at 400mm centres on adjustable pedestals or concrete pads. Visible deck boards in hardwood (iroko, balau) or quality composite (Trex, Millboard) fixed with stainless or hidden clips, no exposed screws. Pergolas built to take real load, with proper post-anchors and stainless fixings throughout. ### Drainage, retaining and groundworks Linear ACO drains across patio edges and driveway thresholds, connected to proper soakaways at the back of the plot (sized per BRE Digest 365). Retaining walls over 600mm built with poured concrete or reinforced blockwork, weep holes every 1.5m, and a French drain behind the wall to prevent hydrostatic pressure build-up. Garden levelling carried out with structural confidence, not just topsoil over a slope. Frequently asked ## Straight answers, no fluff. Can't see your question? Call [07480 485988](tel:+447480485988). How much does a patio cost in Tunbridge Wells? Costs vary by size, spec and complexity. Quotes are free. After a free on-site survey you'll receive a fixed itemised written quote, we aim for a 48-hour turnaround. How long does a typical patio take? Will I need planning permission? Do you do driveways and fencing too? Will my patio sink or crack over time? Can you handle drainage and soakaways? Are you insured? What areas do you cover? Ready when you are ## Book your landscaping job today. Fixed written quote. Insured tradesmen. No upsell, no pressure. [Request my landscaping quote](/contact) [07480 485988](tel:+447480485988) Fully insured to £5m Same-week starts 5-star rated locally Related services ## Other trades we cover. [View all services →](/services) [ ### General Building & Conversions Learn more ](/services/builder)[ ### Extensions (Single & Double Storey) Learn more ](/services/extensions)[ ### Loft Conversions Learn more ](/services/loft-conversions)[ ### Refurbishments Learn more ](/services/refurbishments) ![Spectrum Electrical & Building Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/a7c2b1aa-2941-4064-ad5b-d00433ea5395/spectrum-logo.png) Trusted residential & commercial electrical and building experts in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Over 20 years of skilled trade across the South East. Same-day service guaranteed. [Follow on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/spectrum_elec_and_build) ### Services - [General Building & Conversions](/services/builder) - [Extensions (Single & Double Storey)](/services/extensions) - [Loft Conversions](/services/loft-conversions) - [Refurbishments](/services/refurbishments) - [New Builds](/services/new-builds) - [Shop Fitting & Commercial Fit-Outs](/services/shop-fitting) - [Electrical Installations & Rewiring](/services/electrician) - [EV Charger Installation](/services/ev-chargers) - [Solar Panel Installation](/services/solar) - [Battery Storage Systems](/services/battery-storage) - [Plumbing](/services/plumber) - [Landscaping](/services/landscaping) ### Company - [About](/about) - [Service Areas](/service-areas) - [Reviews](/reviews) - [Contact](/contact) ### Contact - [07480 485988 ](tel:+447480485988) - [spectrum.eb@mail.com](mailto:spectrum.eb@mail.com) - 1 Sherwood Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3LB - Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00 · Sat–Sun closed © 2026 Spectrum Electrical & Building Ltd. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy)[Terms & Conditions](/terms-conditions)· Company No. 15948972 [Call now](tel:+447480485988)[Request Estimate](/contact)