DIY 15m x 5m Garden makeover.
Discussion
I quite like seeing other peoples DIY house/garden threads so hopefully there's a bit of interest for this.
House is a mid terrace town house built in 2003 and as far as I can tell the garden hasn't had any attention at all beyond 3 pavers put down by the back door.
I'll start by saying the budget is fairly modest £1500, so it's not going to be an epic build. I also want it to be relatively low maintenance, but don't worry I'll hold off on the plastic grass.
This is what it looked like after I'd attacked the foot high weeds with the strimmer.
It probably doesn't look it but there's a fall of atleast 1m over the length of the garden. First job was to remove earth and level the first 5m from the house for a patio area. Hired a digger for the day. It was bigger than I expect. Had to remove a fence post to get it in, and then try not to put my windows through.
After a rather shaky start I got the hang of it and about 3 hours later I had this (no doubt that's 15 mins work for a professional operator)
Around 5 tons from a 5 x 5m square so happy I got the digger. I also dug a path to the back gate, but that turned out to be a mistake.
House is a mid terrace town house built in 2003 and as far as I can tell the garden hasn't had any attention at all beyond 3 pavers put down by the back door.
I'll start by saying the budget is fairly modest £1500, so it's not going to be an epic build. I also want it to be relatively low maintenance, but don't worry I'll hold off on the plastic grass.
This is what it looked like after I'd attacked the foot high weeds with the strimmer.
It probably doesn't look it but there's a fall of atleast 1m over the length of the garden. First job was to remove earth and level the first 5m from the house for a patio area. Hired a digger for the day. It was bigger than I expect. Had to remove a fence post to get it in, and then try not to put my windows through.
After a rather shaky start I got the hang of it and about 3 hours later I had this (no doubt that's 15 mins work for a professional operator)
Around 5 tons from a 5 x 5m square so happy I got the digger. I also dug a path to the back gate, but that turned out to be a mistake.
Next up I want a low wall to separate the patio from the garden and to provide somewher else to sit. So dug a trench and filled it with hardcore.
Some left over cladding from the shed was used to make the form work. Bought 22 bags of sand, thinking that was 10 more than I needed but the other half still had to run back to B and Q for 4 more mid pour but ended up with this. (Minus the last 4 bags)
I'm sure it'll be sufficient for 3 courses of block work (the pallet load you can see in some of the photos came free via Fb Marketplace)
Barrowed 3ton of hardcore up the garden for the patio sub base.
I'd initially assumed 3ton of hardcore would do the whole job but it's about half what I need.
Some left over cladding from the shed was used to make the form work. Bought 22 bags of sand, thinking that was 10 more than I needed but the other half still had to run back to B and Q for 4 more mid pour but ended up with this. (Minus the last 4 bags)
I'm sure it'll be sufficient for 3 courses of block work (the pallet load you can see in some of the photos came free via Fb Marketplace)
Barrowed 3ton of hardcore up the garden for the patio sub base.
I'd initially assumed 3ton of hardcore would do the whole job but it's about half what I need.
Edited by ChocolateFrog on Sunday 18th August 18:47
After filling a 6 yard skip with perfectly reasonable top soil I realised I wouldn't be happy with the levels in the middle section of the garden. The hardest part I've found is envisioning the levels prior to digging then refilling with sub base etc.
Decided to create a retaining wall to bring the bottom end of the garden up. Used 5 railway sleepers. Decided it would be a good idea to attach them together on the path before lifting them into place (dramatically over estimating my own strength).
Finished it and added some left of damp proof course to the back side, not sure if this was the right thing to do.
I thought I'd made it 2cm narrower than the garden but turns out it was a friction fit between the two fences. Managed manhandled it into place and used postcrete to cement the spikes into the ground.
Not sure the foreman approves.
Had a bit of a panic that it wouldn't be secure enough so another 5 bags of postcrete along the base and each side will hopefully mean it doesn't move.
Another 3ton of hardcore and the bottom end by the shed is now level.
And while I was down there I fixed the fence that was broken to get the digger in. The original concrete post cracked when I dug it out.
Started leveling out the top soil and the garden is starting to make more sense.
But it does highlight where I didn't need to dig out the path in the first place.
Decided to create a retaining wall to bring the bottom end of the garden up. Used 5 railway sleepers. Decided it would be a good idea to attach them together on the path before lifting them into place (dramatically over estimating my own strength).
Finished it and added some left of damp proof course to the back side, not sure if this was the right thing to do.
I thought I'd made it 2cm narrower than the garden but turns out it was a friction fit between the two fences. Managed manhandled it into place and used postcrete to cement the spikes into the ground.
Not sure the foreman approves.
Had a bit of a panic that it wouldn't be secure enough so another 5 bags of postcrete along the base and each side will hopefully mean it doesn't move.
Another 3ton of hardcore and the bottom end by the shed is now level.
And while I was down there I fixed the fence that was broken to get the digger in. The original concrete post cracked when I dug it out.
Started leveling out the top soil and the garden is starting to make more sense.
But it does highlight where I didn't need to dig out the path in the first place.
Picked up the first pallet of sandstone pavers, 600 x 900mm x 35.
Not exactly sure on the load capacity of a T30 T5.1 Tranaporter but at best I was on the limit, on an already lowered van.
Moving that lot was fun, bent double to get into the van then 15m from the road to the garden, they currently sit here.
And that brings it up to date. Next day on it will probably be Tuesday.
Costs so far.
£200 Hardcore
£670 2 x pallets of 900 x 600 sandstone flags
£100 digger
£130 skip
£80 sleepers
£50 sand, cement and postcrete.
£12 fence post.
Sundries, fuel etc.
Around £1270 So far. When it was just a muddy rectangle that seemed a lot but now something is coming together hopefully it'll be worth it.
Not exactly sure on the load capacity of a T30 T5.1 Tranaporter but at best I was on the limit, on an already lowered van.
Moving that lot was fun, bent double to get into the van then 15m from the road to the garden, they currently sit here.
And that brings it up to date. Next day on it will probably be Tuesday.
Costs so far.
£200 Hardcore
£670 2 x pallets of 900 x 600 sandstone flags
£100 digger
£130 skip
£80 sleepers
£50 sand, cement and postcrete.
£12 fence post.
Sundries, fuel etc.
Around £1270 So far. When it was just a muddy rectangle that seemed a lot but now something is coming together hopefully it'll be worth it.
CharlieH89 said:
Enjoy seeing threads like this playout.
I’d love to do something myself but what’s in my mind is ‘after I’ve spent that £1500 or so would have it looked better paying an extra £1500 to someone to have made it look perfect?’
It's hard to decide if it's worth it until the end. If you've got more money and less time then it's definitely worth paying someone. I’d love to do something myself but what’s in my mind is ‘after I’ve spent that £1500 or so would have it looked better paying an extra £1500 to someone to have made it look perfect?’
I quite like trying new skills if I was paying someone I'd probably have to scale ir back and just have the 5 x 5m patio.
Got a bit more done today.
Hired a wacker plate got the patio area stamped down, had to dig up some of the path hardcore to bring up the lower left corner as you're looking at the picture.
Made sure there was atleast some fall away from the house. This was typical
Laid out the first row. It's exactly 5 and half slabs wide so should be minimal wastage. My little angle grinder was working overtime to cut them, glad it's not granite.
Then the potentially most costly bit, if I screw it up. Managed to get the first 3 rows down. That's 400kg and 75kg of cement, just for half of it.
Happy enough so far. There's probably a 5mm variance at some of the joints. I can see why people dot and dab or atleast use a sand screed as its definitely more difficult to get everything level with a full bed of mortar, more so I think because it's a natural material.
Shouldn't move when its finished though.
Hired a wacker plate got the patio area stamped down, had to dig up some of the path hardcore to bring up the lower left corner as you're looking at the picture.
Made sure there was atleast some fall away from the house. This was typical
Laid out the first row. It's exactly 5 and half slabs wide so should be minimal wastage. My little angle grinder was working overtime to cut them, glad it's not granite.
Then the potentially most costly bit, if I screw it up. Managed to get the first 3 rows down. That's 400kg and 75kg of cement, just for half of it.
Happy enough so far. There's probably a 5mm variance at some of the joints. I can see why people dot and dab or atleast use a sand screed as its definitely more difficult to get everything level with a full bed of mortar, more so I think because it's a natural material.
Shouldn't move when its finished though.
Edited by ChocolateFrog on Tuesday 20th August 18:13
CharlieH89 said:
ChocolateFrog said:
It's hard to decide if it's worth it until the end. If you've got more money and less time then it's definitely worth paying someone.
I quite like trying new skills if I was paying someone I'd probably have to scale ir back and just have the 5 x 5m patio.
I’ll probably have mine done next year, definitely low on cash atm I quite like trying new skills if I was paying someone I'd probably have to scale ir back and just have the 5 x 5m patio.
With you doing it yourself you can look at it and say ‘I did that!’
I’d look at my work and say ‘need someone to fix that bit’
Andeh1 said:
Looking good! £1500 wouldn't have got you far with a professional in to do it!
Cheap skip & digger hire.
+1 ensure you have a decent fall from house to garden, a puddle against the house or in the middle of it will be an issue.
A combination of facebook marketplace and the other half ringing round to get the best quotes, saves a few quid. Cheap skip & digger hire.
+1 ensure you have a decent fall from house to garden, a puddle against the house or in the middle of it will be an issue.
Think my £99 per 3t MOT type 1 loads were significantly lighter than 3t though so maybe not the best deal.
A long but productive day today.
Started by tackling the inspection chamber. It had been installed off vertical and was too high. It is also 320mm diameter, which I've learned isn't a standard size, most seem to be 300mm. That meant the recessed drain cover was a chunk more expensive.
A fair bit off faffing later, including taking an angle grinder to the plastic riser I got it level. Cut the pavers around it, kind of looks like the ones I've seen on other people's patios so happy with it.
The rest of the patio went down without a hitch, apart from running out of sand and cement, again, and my 115mm £4.99 diamond blade is already struggling.
That's it until atleast the weekend. I have a renewed appreciation for landscape gardeners.
Started by tackling the inspection chamber. It had been installed off vertical and was too high. It is also 320mm diameter, which I've learned isn't a standard size, most seem to be 300mm. That meant the recessed drain cover was a chunk more expensive.
A fair bit off faffing later, including taking an angle grinder to the plastic riser I got it level. Cut the pavers around it, kind of looks like the ones I've seen on other people's patios so happy with it.
The rest of the patio went down without a hitch, apart from running out of sand and cement, again, and my 115mm £4.99 diamond blade is already struggling.
That's it until atleast the weekend. I have a renewed appreciation for landscape gardeners.
stevemcs said:
Looks good, i'm getting closer to completing ours although I started April last year.
Skips our way are around £200, I'm on number 3 and i recon i've taken 6 tonne to the tip in the back of the mondeo.
Sounds like a big job. I used to have a V70 that once took a whole brick outbuilding to the tip, got to love an old estate. Skips our way are around £200, I'm on number 3 and i recon i've taken 6 tonne to the tip in the back of the mondeo.
Another ton of hardcore (the whiter stuff) doesn't go very far. Might get away with that level now though.
After that was raked relatively level I moved onto sticking a wall here
First couple of mixed were too dry and maybe too sandy, buttering the blocks and half the time it just fell off, got the hang of it after almost giving up because of the heat.
Not pretty but it is atleast level.
Gave up at that point to watch the football.
Not sure if it will be sturdy enough with the slabs on top without any other cross bracing internally.
After that was raked relatively level I moved onto sticking a wall here
First couple of mixed were too dry and maybe too sandy, buttering the blocks and half the time it just fell off, got the hang of it after almost giving up because of the heat.
Not pretty but it is atleast level.
Gave up at that point to watch the football.
Not sure if it will be sturdy enough with the slabs on top without any other cross bracing internally.
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