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Garden & Patio Stepsin Newton Abbot, Torbay& the South Hams
Comfortable, well-proportioned steps that link the levels of your garden, making every part of it easy and enjoyable to use.
30 years' experience · Built on footings · Fully insured
30 years
Hands-on experience in Devon
5.0 rating
Average score on Google reviews
Fixed prices
Agreed in writing before we start
Fully insured
Self-employed team covered
Brick, block and stone steps linking terraces, patios and back doors on sloping Devon plots.
What garden steps involve
Steps connect the levels a Devon garden already has: a back door above the terrace, a terrace above the lawn, a path climbing a bank. We build them in brick, block, natural stone and porcelain, with treads that match the paving they lead to.
Structurally a flight is a small piece of masonry: a footing, a built core, then treads and risers faced to suit the garden. Building it this way, rather than stacking free-standing slabs on sand, is what gives you steps you can trust underfoot for years.
When steps are the answer
Any level change of more than a slab's thickness is worth building as a proper step rather than a lip. Where the change is larger, a flight with a landing usually gives a more comfortable climb than a single steep run.
Existing steps are worth replacing when the risers have become uneven, the treads have sunk or tilted, the nosings have worn, or they've become slippery in shade: all common in older South Devon gardens, and all straightforward to put right.
Why even risers matter more than anything else
People climb steps without looking. The brain learns the rhythm of a flight within two steps and then relaxes, which is exactly why a consistent rise all the way to the top makes a flight feel effortless.
Consistent rise, a going deep enough to take a whole foot, a small fall across the tread to shed water and a nosing you can see in low light are the four things that make a flight feel safe and comfortable by the back door.
What's included
- Consistent rise and going across the whole flight
- Concrete footings and solid-built cores, not dry-stacked slabs
- Stone, porcelain and brick treads matched to the patio
- Handrail fixings and lighting ducting built in where needed
Doing it right from the start
Even risers keep every step comfortable
A flight with a consistent step height feels natural to climb. It's reassuring for visitors, older relatives and anyone carrying something down to the bins after dark.
Solid footings keep treads steady
Steps built on proper footings with a solid core stay put with the ground and with use. A well-built flight keeps every tread firm underfoot.
A slight fall keeps water moving
A small fall across each tread sheds standing water, which helps avoid algae in shade and ice in January: on the one part of the garden you use every day.
Steps deserve their own attention
Rather than squeezing steps in at the end of a patio job with leftover slabs, we give them their own setting out, their own footing and their own place in the plan.
How your project comes together
- Step 1
Measure the level change
We measure the total rise and the space available, then work out the number of steps, the rise per step and the going so the flight is comfortable rather than steep.
- Step 2
Design and fixed price
Materials, width, any landing, handrail fixings and lighting ducting are agreed, then you get one fixed price based on the measured area and labour.
- Step 3
Footings and core
We excavate and pour a footing, then build the core of the flight in block or brick so every tread is carried on solid masonry.
- Step 4
Treads, risers and finish
Treads are bedded with a slight fall and a nosing overhang, risers faced to match the garden, and the flight tied cleanly into the paving and any adjoining wall.
- Step 5
Handover
We clear the site, walk the finished work with you and explain any aftercare. We want you to enjoy your new space from day one.
What you'll enjoy
Safe in the dark
Even rises, deep treads and a visible nosing, plus ducting for step lighting where you want it.
Built on footings
A masonry core on a proper footing means treads that stay steady rather than rocking, tilting or sliding over time.
Matched to your paving
Treads in the same stone or porcelain as the terrace, so the steps read as part of the design.
Drains itself
A slight fall across every tread keeps water moving instead of sitting where you step.
Handrails allowed for
Fixings designed into the structure where a rail is wanted, rather than drilled into a finished tread afterwards.
Step types we build
The right flight depends on the level change, the space you have and what the steps lead to.
- Straight flights, the standard connection between a terrace and a lawn or a back door and a patio.
- Steps with landings: used where the rise is large, breaking the climb and giving somewhere to turn.
- Curved and radiused steps: softer, more generous flights that suit informal and planted gardens.
- Steps built into a retaining wall: where terracing and access are one piece of work rather than two.
- Sleeper and timber steps: for banks, woodland paths and rural plots where masonry would look heavy.
Dimensions, materials and lighting
Garden steps are more comfortable with a lower rise and a deeper going than indoor stairs, because people walk them in the dark and carry things up them. We set those dimensions on site against the total level change rather than cutting to a standard.
Treads can be natural stone, porcelain, brick-on-edge or concrete. Porcelain and sawn stone need the correct bullnose or nosing detail; riven stone gives a softer edge. Slip resistance is worth prioritising on any shaded flight.
Lighting makes a real difference to how much a garden is used after dark. Ducting for low-level or recessed step lights goes in during the build, because retrofitting it means lifting treads.
Examples of our work
Slide through photos of finished projects across South Devon.
Where we do this work
Related services
Back to the PC Landscaping homepage, see all services or get in touch with Phil.
Garden & Patio Steps: common questions
How much do garden steps cost?
It depends on the total rise, the number of steps, materials and whether a retaining wall or landing is involved. We measure the level change on site and give one fixed price.
Can you match the steps to my existing patio?
Usually yes, we can work in the same stone or porcelain where it's still available, or choose a deliberate contrast if matching isn't possible.
Can you repair existing steps rather than rebuild?
Sometimes. If the footing and core are sound and only the treads have worn, re-bedding treads is sensible. If the flight is moving, the core is the issue and rebuilding is the honest answer.
Do you fit handrails?
We build the fixings in for a handrail where you want one, so it's anchored into the structure rather than bolted onto a finished tread.
How long do steps take to build?
Most domestic flights are a few days including the footing and curing time. Larger terraced schemes with retaining walls take longer.
Can you make the steps less slippery?
Yes: slip-rated material, a fall across each tread and good drainage all help, and step lighting makes a shaded flight much easier to use safely.
Which areas do you cover?
Teignbridge, Torbay, Exeter and the South Hams, from our base near Newton Abbot.
Client feedback
Recent words from South Devon gardens
“Phil finished the remainder of my featherboard fence. Started the job promptly, arrived on time and finished the job professionally.”
Big Steve
Featherboard fencing · Google review
“Fitted our hardwood deck and it looks great! Decent price and took just a couple of days plus they cleaned up after themselves.”
Steve Marson
Hardwood decking · Google review
“Phil and Nigel did a complete redesign of our garden, did a very professional job from start to finish… this is the second job they have done for us and we have another project for later in the year.”
Robert Down
Full garden redesign · repeat client · Google review
“Fab job for my pathway around my house and patio… Phil's suggestion and explanation of the construction work was the most solid.”
Hung Alice
Pathway & patio · Google review
Get a fixed price for your garden steps
We measure the level change, work out a comfortable flight and quote one fixed figure.
30 years' experience · Fully insured · 8am–6pm, Monday to Friday