Paver patio cost in Raleigh, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $2,800 – $5,150
- Per sq ft
- $9.40 – $16
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $4,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #201
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a paver patio in the Raleigh area: $2,800 to $5,150 for 300 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 6% lower than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $21.95 an hour in the Raleigh area, 3% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Raleigh, NC, standard level
$3,500 to $4,450
About $11.50 to $14 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,350 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $2,050 | $2,650 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $240 |
| Total | $3,500 | $4,450 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Raleigh, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,450 | $1,750 | 36% |
| Labor | $1,650 | $2,350 | $3,050 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $170 | $340 | 4% |
| Total | $2,800 | $3,950 | $5,150 | 100% |
What is behind the Raleigh number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, brickmasons and blockmasons at 30%, landscaping and groundskeeping workers at 20%. Weighted together, Raleigh wages are 0.92 times the national level. Labor makes up about 59% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Raleigh is at 96.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,500 nationally becomes $1,450 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.2: $0 to $340.
What nearby projects cost in Raleigh
Jobs that often go together with paver patio are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Raleigh wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete slab comes out highest (−7%) and concrete driveway lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,650 | −8% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,000 – $7,300 | −8% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,400 – $12,500 | −8% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,950 – $14,000 | −8% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,850 | −7% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,350 – $8,300 | −10% |
Paver patio: what moves the price in Raleigh
Excavation and grading
Digging out is $1-$5 per sq ft; regrading a sloped yard is $0.40-$2.00 per sq ft.
Pattern
Herringbone and curves take longer to lay and waste more stone than a running bond.
Permit
At-grade patios often need no permit; add a retaining wall, a cover, or a connection to the house and that changes.
Raleigh against nearby metros and the rest of North Carolina
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 300 sq ft range from $3,750 to $4,000 across Raleigh and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NCthis page | $2,800 – $5,150 | $3,950 | |
| Durham, NC40 miles | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +1% |
| Burlington, NC55 miles | $2,750 – $4,950 | $3,850 | −3% |
| Fayetteville, NC60 miles | $2,750 – $5,000 | $3,850 | −2% |
| Greenville, NC60 miles | $2,700 – $4,850 | $3,750 | −5% |
| Greensboro, NC75 miles | $2,700 – $4,900 | $3,800 | −4% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $2,800 – $5,050 | $3,950 | −1% |
| United States | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Raleigh ranks #201 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Raleigh is 1% above the North Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in North Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +1% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $2,700 – $4,900 | $3,800 | −4% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +1% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $2,750 – $4,950 | $3,850 | −4% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $2,800 – $5,100 | $3,950 | −1% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Raleigh against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $2,650 – $4,850 | $3,750 | −5% |
| Providence, RI | 714,120 jobs | $3,450 – $6,350 | $4,900 | +23% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +1% |
| Louisville, KY | 685,190 jobs | $2,950 – $5,350 | $4,150 | +4% |
Who does the work: Raleigh trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Raleigh the blend is 0.92.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $21.95 an hour, which is 3% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.31 and $23.77 an hour. BLS counts 6,360 of them working in the area, 85.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 30%) the local median is $24.00 an hour, which is 20% below the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $22.21 and $29.61 an hour. BLS counts 290 of them working in the area, 3.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 20% of the weighting: a median of $18.51 an hour, in line with the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.98 and $22.28 an hour. About 5,710 work in the metro. That is 76.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $100 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $200. That is a swing of roughly 5.2% to 2.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Raleigh-Cary has 743,120 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 41st by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.31 | $21.95 | $23.77 | $22.66 | 0.97 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 30% | $22.21 | $24.00 | $29.61 | $29.87 | 0.80 | metro |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 20% | $17.98 | $18.51 | $22.28 | $18.82 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.92 | |||||
Optional extras in Raleigh
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.94 for Raleigh, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.92) and goods price index (0.97). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Excavation and haul-away | $280 – $1,400 |
Cost by quality level and size in Raleigh
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Raleigh. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 12x12 (144 sq ft) to pool deck (800 sq ft).
Basic
$2,800 to $3,750
Basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard
Standard
$3,500 to $4,450
Mid-grade pavers, a border or curve, some regrading
Premium
$4,200 to $5,150
Natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,350 – $1,850 | $1,750 – $2,250 | $2,100 – $2,650 |
| 16x16 (256 sq ft) | $2,400 – $3,200 | $3,000 – $3,800 | $3,600 – $4,400 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $3,750 – $4,950 | $4,650 – $5,850 | $5,550 – $6,700 |
| pool deck (800 sq ft) | $7,500 – $9,750 | $9,200 – $11,400 | $10,900 – $13,100 |
The best months for paver patio in Raleigh
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Raleigh Durham Intl Ap (10 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Raleigh are February through June and August through December: 10 of 12. Outside them, January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 65 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Raleigh gets about 46 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (5.2 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 52 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 32 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 56 | 34 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 63 | 40 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 80 | 58 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 5.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 69 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 63 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 73 | 50 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 40 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 55 | 34 | 3.4 | Workable |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $3,500 to $4,450 for Raleigh, NC is attached.
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Paver patio in Raleigh: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a paver patio in Raleigh?
For 300 sq ft, expect $2,800 to $5,150 in the Raleigh area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,500 to $4,450. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for paver patio in Raleigh?
About $9.40 to $16 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $340 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $17.
+Is paver patio cheaper in Raleigh or Durham?
Durham is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $4,000, which is 1% more than Raleigh ($3,950). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Raleigh?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $2,350 out of $3,950. Materials are 36% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Raleigh?
$3,750 to $6,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does paver patio need a permit in Raleigh?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $340 for fees in the Raleigh area (our national range of $0 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Raleigh expensive for paver patio compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Raleigh is 1% above the North Carolina statewide estimate ($3,950 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Raleigh?
The BLS median is $21.95 an hour in the Raleigh area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.31 to $23.77.
+What do basic and premium paver patio work cost in Raleigh?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $2,800 to $3,750 and premium work $4,200 to $5,150. Basic means: basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard. Premium means: natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge.
+When is the best time to install a paver patio in Raleigh?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through June and August through December. February and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "excavation and haul-away" add in Raleigh?
$280 to $1,400 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Paver patio near Raleigh
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: 2026 Paver Patio Cost | Paver Installation Costs (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Stamped Concrete Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020