Back patios & extensions
Concrete Patios in Baton Rouge, LA
Outdoor space sized for how you live, with every storm sent away from the foundation.
- Free measuring visit at your property
- Written quote with each line priced
- Grade and drainage planned before forms go in
Patios for Long Louisiana Evenings
Concrete patios get more use in Baton Rouge than in most of the country. Winters are mild, with an average January high of 62.3 degrees on Wikipedia's climate table, so a back patio is usable for much of the year, and in summer it is where the grill, the fans and the evening crawfish boil end up. Concrete is a natural fit: HomeGuide lists plain concrete patios at $4 to $12 a square foot installed, it can be finished several ways, and upkeep is mostly sweeping, rinsing and occasional sealing.
Size it for real use
The most common regret with a patio is making it too small. A table for six with chairs pulled out takes roughly a 12-foot square by itself. Add a grill with room to work, a walkway past the table and a couple of chairs, and you are near 16 by 16 feet or more. At the estimate we mark the outline on the ground so you can stand in it and decide. A step down to the lawn and a path to the driveway or gate can be poured at the same time.
Drainage is the whole job
A patio is a large, flat surface right against your foundation, and this city sees close to 62 inches of rain a year. We typically pitch a patio about a quarter inch per foot away from the house, check where downspouts and gutters empty, and make sure the new slab does not block the path the yard already uses to drain. On lots where water stood during the 2016 flood or after big storms since, it is worth spending time on grading before anything else.
Covered patios
Many homeowners here want shade over the slab. If a roof or pergola is planned, the slab should be laid out with the posts in mind, with thickened areas or footings where the posts will land. The City-Parish residential permits page lists patio cover installation among the typical situations that require a permit. HomeGuide puts patio roofs at $20 to $155 a square foot and pergolas at $1,450 to $5,750 installed; we pour the slab and coordinate with whoever builds the cover.
Finish choices
- Broom finish: fine ridges for grip, the most affordable surface, easy to hose off.
- Integral color: pigment mixed in at the plant so color runs through the slab. Lighter tones stay cooler underfoot in the sun.
- Exposed aggregate: the top paste washed away to show the stone, with good grip and a surface that hides dirt.
- Stamped: stone, slate or brick patterns, covered on our stamped concrete page.
- Saw-cut patterns: a grid or diamond layout that doubles as control joints.
Building it
Grass and topsoil come off first. Soft soil is removed and a compacted base goes down to the planned slope. A standard patio is 4 inches thick, and HomeGuide says patios that will carry a hot tub or an outdoor kitchen should be 6 inches with added reinforcement. An isolation joint against the house lets the slab move without pushing on the foundation. Extensions to an existing patio are tied in with dowels so the two slabs move together.
When the old patio has to go
Replace a patio that now slopes toward the house, has cracks with raised edges, has crumbled at the surface, or has dropped away from the back door. HomeGuide's patio guide puts the life of a well-built concrete patio at 30 to 50 years, but a slab poured on soft fill decades ago may not make it that long. If it is whole and only settled, leveling may be enough.
What the Patio Price Covers
From layout to the finished edge, each item is listed on the quote.
Layout
Outline, steps and paths marked on the ground before any digging.
Excavation and base
Turf and soft soil removed, base compacted to slope.
Drainage
Pitch away from the house, downspouts routed past the slab.
Post footings
Thickened areas or footings where a patio cover will stand.
Finish
Broom, color, exposed aggregate or saw-cut patterns.
Extensions
New concrete doweled onto an existing patio or porch slab.
Typical Concrete Patio Costs
| Item | Published range |
|---|---|
| Plain concrete, per sq ft | $4 to $12 |
| Broom finish, per sq ft | $6 to $13 |
| Exposed aggregate, per sq ft | $7 to $18 |
| 12 x 12 ft, plain | $600 to $1,700 |
| 16 x 16 ft, plain | $1,000 to $3,100 |
| 20 x 20 ft, plain | $1,600 to $4,800 |
| Patio roof, per sq ft | $20 to $155 |
Figures from HomeGuide's concrete patio cost guide (national averages). Baton Rouge prices can run higher or lower, and tear-out, base work, access and finish all change the total. Your written estimate is the price.
Start to Finish
1. Lay it out
We mark the patio on the ground, check drainage and write the quote.
2. Dig and base
Turf and soft soil out, base compacted to slope.
3. Pour and finish
Concrete, your chosen finish, edges and joints.
4. Cure
Written dates for furniture, grills and sealing.
Why Choose Us for Concrete Patios
Water planned first
Slope and downspouts settled before the forms go in.
Ready for a cover
Post locations and footings planned with the slab.
Concrete Patios Questions
How long does a concrete patio last?
HomeGuide's patio guide says a properly installed concrete patio lasts 30 to 50 years with regular maintenance. Good drainage and a firm base matter most on clay soil.
How thick should a patio be?
Most patios are 4 inches on a compacted base. HomeGuide recommends 6 inches with added reinforcement under a hot tub or outdoor kitchen.
Do I need a permit for a patio cover?
The City-Parish residential permits page lists patio cover installation among the typical situations that require a permit. We plan the slab around the cover and check the requirements for your address.
Can you add on to my existing patio?
Often, yes. If the existing slab is sound and drains correctly, we dowel the extension into it so both pieces move together. If it is cracked or sloped toward the house, replacing the whole patio may make more sense.
Concrete Patios Service Areas
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Get a Concrete Patios Estimate
We mark out your patio and price it in writing, in Baton Rouge and nearby towns.