Fire pits & sunken seating in Kettering
Fire pits and sunken seating areas in Kettering, with the retaining walls and drainage done properly.
A built-in stone or brick fire pit typically costs £1,200–£2,000, and a fire pit with built-in seating from about £3,500. A full sunken seating area with retaining walls and drainage is priced per job, usually as part of a wider garden build. A fire pit or sunken seating area in a rear garden does not normally need planning permission.
- Fire pit with seating
- From £3,500
- Planning
- Not normally needed
- Ground
- Ironstone and clay; compacted new-build plots
- Guarantee
- 5 years, in writing
Our 2026 guide prices, all in. Your fixed price comes in writing after the site visit. Council fees checked October 2026.
Fire pits & sunken seating in Kettering: what is involved
We build fire pits set into the patio and sunken seating areas dug into the garden, with retaining walls, built-in benches, steps and drainage at the bottom so the area does not fill with water.
Kettering has Victorian and Edwardian terraces and villas close to the centre and along the Headlands, interwar and post-war estates, Barton Seagrave to the south east, and Hanwood Park on the east side, planned for up to 5,500 homes.
We cover Kettering (NN15 and NN16) and the villages around it, including Barton Seagrave, Burton Latimer, Geddington, Broughton, Cransley, Pytchley, Rothwell, Desborough and Mawsley.
Ground and conservation in Kettering
Ground around Kettering ranges from ironstone to clay, and new-build plots are often compacted subsoil under a thin layer of topsoil. We check what is under each garden before choosing the base and the drainage. Digging down into the clay in Kettering makes a sump that collects water, so a drained floor and drainage behind every retaining wall are not optional here; where there is nowhere for it to go, we pipe it to a lower outlet.
Kettering has 26 conservation areas, including the town centre, Barton Seagrave, Burton Latimer, Geddington and Rothwell. Its Article 4 directions are site-specific, mostly older ones covering individual streets or buildings, so we check your address before designing anything that faces the road.
The River Ise runs along the east of the town, with river level stations at Barford Bridge and Slade Brook. You can check any address on the Environment Agency flood map.
Sources: North Northamptonshire Article 4 directions · Hanwood Park.
Permissions in Kettering
- PlanningA fire pit or sunken seating area in a rear garden does not normally need planning permission. Keep fires a safe distance from fences, trees and buildings, and be considerate of neighbours: smoke can be a statutory nuisance. Listed buildings and the Kettering conservation area have tighter rules, so we check your address before anything is designed. Planning Portal: outbuildings
- TreesTrees in a conservation area need six weeks' notice before work, and protected trees need consent; both are free. North Northamptonshire: tree protection
- Design and priceWe measure up, check the ground and the planning position, and give you one fixed written price.
Rules checked October 2026.
What you get
- Retaining walls built on proper footings with drainage behind
- A drain or soakaway at the bottom so a sunken area never floods
- Built-in benches faced in stone, brick or render to match
- Fire pits lined and set at a safe distance from fences and trees
The specification
- Area set out and dug down
- Footings and retaining walls built
- Drainage and soakaway at the low point
- Paving laid to falls
- Benches, steps and fire pit built
- Five year workmanship guarantee in writing
“Really pleased with my new driveway. Beautifully finished, friendly professional workmen, would definitely recommend and will be using them again for the garden once other renovations complete.”
Driveway — Google review
“Absolutely great guys, job was done in good time and looks brilliant. No complaints, the driveway is immaculate. More work in the near future, thanks again!”
Driveway — Google review
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Fire pits & sunken seating in Kettering: questions
How much does a fire pit cost in Kettering?
Do I need planning permission for a fire pit in Kettering?
Does the ground in Kettering make a difference?
Will a sunken seating area fill with water?
Gas or wood fire pit?
Fire pits & sunken seating nearby
Request a site visit in Kettering
We measure up, check levels and drainage, and send a written proposal with the build-up, the programme and one whole price. No pressure and no follow-up sales calls.