Rutland Driveways & Landscaping 07312 132517 Site visit
Sunken seating area with curved sandstone benches around a lit fire pit at dusk
Whissendine · LE15

Fire pits & sunken seating in Whissendine

Fire pits and sunken seating areas in Whissendine, with the retaining walls and drainage done properly.

5 yearWritten guarantee
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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
Clay; slow to drain
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 Whissendine

Fire pits & sunken seating in Whissendine: 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.

Whissendine, on the north western edge of Rutland near the Leicestershire border, is known for its working windmill, and has a long main street of stone and brick houses, farm conversions and newer homes. Bigger gardens and longer drives are common.

We cover Whissendine (LE15) and the villages around it, including Langham, Teigh, Ashwell, Pickwell and Stapleford.

Whissendine specifically

Ground and conservation in Whissendine

Whissendine is on the clay of the Vale, and the Whissendine Brook runs through the village. Ground drains slowly, so we design the base and the water route before anything else. Digging down into the clay in Whissendine 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.

Whissendine is not one of Rutland's conservation areas and has no Article 4 direction, so normal permitted development rules apply outside listed buildings.

Rutland's flood strategy records that Main Street in Whissendine floods and becomes impassable, and names the village among the places with a few properties at river flood risk. You can check any address on the Environment Agency flood map.

Sources: Rutland flood risk strategy.

Rutland County Council

Permissions in Whissendine

  1. 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. Planning Portal: outbuildings
  2. TreesTrees in a conservation area need six weeks' notice before work, and protected trees need consent; both are free. Rutland County Council: tree works
  3. Design and priceWe measure up, check the ground and the planning position, and give you one fixed written price.

Rules checked October 2026.

Why us

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
Sunken seating area with curved sandstone benches around a lit fire pit at dusk
★★★★★

“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
Questions

Fire pits & sunken seating in Whissendine: questions

How much does a fire pit cost in Whissendine?
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. Your fixed price comes in writing after the site visit.
Do I need planning permission for a fire pit in Whissendine?
A 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.
Does the ground in Whissendine make a difference?
Digging down into the clay in Whissendine 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.
Will a sunken seating area fill with water?
Not if it is drained. We put a drain or soakaway at the low point, sized for the ground, before the paving goes down.
Gas or wood fire pit?
Wood gives the real fire and the smell; gas is cleaner and turns on at a switch. A gas pit needs a Gas Safe engineer.

Request a site visit in Whissendine

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.

☎Call 07312 132517 Site visit