To want a patio more than a holiday

[coralpig]

We moved house last summer and are lucky to have a decent sized back garden that gets lots of sun especially in the evenings.

I would really like a patio- DH is less keen. We have a quote which is about what we budgeted for our summer holiday (nothing fancy- a week in France at a family friend’s holiday home).

AIBU to pick the patio so we can enjoy summer, barbecues, maybe eating outside? DH’s argument is that we don’t have young kids (TTC in a few months) so not really watching little ones playing etc and that we are in stressful jobs so holiday is needed.

I'd go for the holiday, as you won't get the chance for a relaxing break for years once you have a baby. Do it while you can!

Or how about some decking instead of a patio (generally cheaper) and a cheaper holiday?

Patio every time.
You will have years to enjoy it & you'll almost certainly spend more than a week on it this year.
Everything after that is a bonus.

I would choose patio

@downcasteyes It's a pretty ordinary one bedroomed flat actually but does have a conservatory and nice south facing garden. My patio is 15 square metres. I didn't have to pay labour as I did it myself with my dad's help - he's a builder, so I know the cost of things. Yours sounds the right sort of price and upto £6k if it large with lots of prep work, soil extraction. I just rang my dad and told him of quotes of £9k and £11k and he burst out laughing.

Obviously depends on size, what type of paving slabs. You can get slabs for as little as £3 each or & each or £14 each. But a 15 square metre patio of decent £7 slabs is £600 for the slabs before sand, removal of soil and labour etc.

My patio is Indian stone flags, as was what my friend is quoted for. Not the top end fancy ones. Probably the cheapest of the 'nice looking' ones.
For context, it took over a week of levelling, laying and grouting! And it's really not that big.

It's hard to give a size estimate as ours is L shaped, but my friends 11k estimate was for a standard square yard and straight path. One of the building companies is well known round here and reputable.

For me, home improvement would come before a holiday if I had to choose.

There are a couple of references to 'yard' which makes me wonder if those posters are in the US and so their costs might refer to dollars?

Ps this the the flags I got

cheshiresandstone.com/product/camel-dust-sandstone-patio-pack-20m2/

£360 (I got for 350) for 20m2. This includes delivery

I'd go for the patio. We are lucky to have a really large one and I adore it. We use it a lot in the nicer weather. I'm fortunate that our garden is not overlooked; one of my favourite things to do is sit and have my coffee out there in the mornings. As it's private I don't bother getting changed. Trouble is I often get distracted by looking at the garden and planning what I need to do next, so DH often find me wandering around in my nightie looking at plants