Preparation is the key to a well laid patio. Start with a peice of paper to plan & design. If it abutts your house it will need to be at least 150mm below DPC and the fall away at a min of 1:70. I would lay a 75-100mm concrete base, then lay the slabs on a 25mm mortar bed of 6/1 pit sand/cement. This means an excavation of around 150mm. Cost out muck away, concrete, slabs and bedding sand/cement. May be worth the getting a pro to price it, you may be pleasantly surprised as they will be buying materials far cheaper. Anyway have fun!