Decking Vs Patio

[sweetheart]

We have just finished the extension on our house and now need to turn our attention to the garden. We have 2 french doors at the rear of our extension which are 50cm high from the ground - further along the building we also have a back door which is only 30cm high from the ground. We basically have 3 options - steps out the french doors onto patio, build the entire patio up to the correct height or build decking to the right height. My dream idea I guess is the built up patio but it is by far the most expensive option and would be very labour intensive getting all the hardcore to the rear - we only have a small alleyway so would have to wheelbarrow the entire lot round the house.

Any thoughts of ideas to help me clarify. I really didn't want decking but I do love the idea of opening my french doors onto something raised rather than the steps option.

The size is approx 9m x 4m

We're looking at composite decking as will be in a similar situation - although we don't have a patio but house will be higher than garden so need to do something. Apparently its non-slip (or as close as you can get to non-slip), doesn't fade, doesn't need the maintenance that wooden decking has. It is expensive though but then everything to do with the garden seems to be.

decking is currently fashionable, so in years to come will presumably be unfashionable. But by then I expect a lot of it will have gone rotten anyway.

I have heard good reports about the plastic composite.

Rats like to nest under decking, if that matters, especially if there is a source of water and a rat table bird table nearby.

Go for the patio! We put in decking as the cheaper option, over £1000, DIY 8 years ago. The next door neighbours had Hamsters, and bird feeders, outdoors in the summer. Then came the rats!

We wished we had dug up the concrete and put down a patio! Also the maintenance was far more than the beech worktop in the kitchen!

Rats are a huge issue with anything with a void underneath. Foxes too!

We have a patio and l really like it. But then l really don't like decking. I'd take the steps over the decking, sorry OP.

How about wide and deep (in length) but shallow (in height) steps? then you can put pots either side of the doors/steps, which could look quite pretty and be quite comfortable to walk up and down?

Our decking is bloody lethal when wet and a ballache to clean. I'd go with patio.

Bloody hate my decking.