cost of putting in a new garden

R

rkks

Registered User
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Hi all,

I just got a quote from a gardener to completely redo my garden (18 feet by 28 feet approx.). Its a 2 year old garden (blank canvas) as left by builders, so has very poor quality grass. Problem of water clogging. Not levelled at all. high in the centre, don't know why, gosh!!!! He has quoted me 1600 euros. The breakdown is:
3 men: 600
Horticultural sand : 400 euros
Skip : 350 euros
Turf Cutter + Rotivator: 250

All for 1-2 days
He says trhe soil condition is very poor and builder has dumped in lot of rubbish.
Please guide me as to how much it should cost.
Also we are planning to put in (build ourselves) a garden shed and deck a small area (not in the grass area). Should we put these things first and then redo the lawn or vice versa?

Please advice as I am a complete novice.
 
Hi,

Unfortunately I can't comment on the prices quoted but I would definitely get the shed built and possibly decking done before getting the grass laid.
 
What is the quote for - to redo the lawn or more than that? If there's a drainage problem, I assume he's proposed doing something to improve the drainage? (Is that what the horticultural sand is for?)

Labour-wise, €600 for 3 men for 2 days (if that's what it is to take) seems cheap.

I would get quotes from a couple of other companies and also check on their references. That way you'll have a better feeling for what it "should" cost, I think.

Cliona
 
Yes Cliona, the horticultural sand is to improve the drainage. I have problem of water clogging and the soil is very very hard. Didn't have the budget to do anything since we bought the house 2 years ago. The garden was built by the builder and i heard that they used to dump everything on the grounds (after taking off the top soil) and later just push the rubble in and then replace the top soil that was taken off and then seeds were scattered. They didn't take care of the level as well. Its high in the centre. (one slope towrads a house and the other towards the back wall). So basically its very poor soil with drainange problem and uneven surface.
The gardener said it will take one day but his assistant said might take 2 days as well.
I was just wondering if anybody on the forums could guide me as to what needs to be done if we wnat to do it ourselves and how big a job is this.
I don't know anything about building a lawn so please help me out.

Thanx a lot
Ruby
 
I think that sounds reasonable. €600 labour is very cheap for 2 days x 3 men - even 1 day for 3 men!

Not sure about the price of the Horticultural sand, or the skip etc. You might try to source these yourself and see if it works out cheaper. In saying that though, it might be just easier to go with this guy for everything. Less hassle for you.

Definately ring around a few places first though.
 
Sound fine for labour but rest seems excessive.

350 for a skip - garden isn't that big, he could probably put whatever waste in a trailer if he has one.

Turf cutter - Assume he intends to take the top existing layer up. No need for that. Just spray the gargen with round up and leave for ca. 2 weeks and simply rotavate it and mix the dead matter in.

No mention of putting in new top soil. If your soil is that poor sand will only improve drainage and not soil quality.

Put in decking and shed first. Doesn't matter what the soil is like under them and you wont have your new garden getting messed up.
 
Thanks Ned and Gramlab..we have to put in top soil as well, so I assume its not that bad a quote. I will try and speak to him about skipping the skip altogether and using his own truck (if he has one). I have called in a few more people to give me quotes.
We will definitely build the shed and deck before going ahead with the lawn. Where can we get a rotovater (sorry if i sound so foolish) ? Till which month can we safely seed the lawn to have flourishing grass before it gets too late in winters. Asking this because we have to build the shed and the deck first?
Can anyone tell me where to get good quality wood to make a robust shiplapped shed?

Regards
Ruby
 
rkks said:
Can anyone tell me where to get good quality wood to make a robust shiplapped shed?
Click to expand...

Woodworkers supply a range of shiplap, no idea of price I'm afraid, I've just seen it on display.
 
Any tool hire company should have a range of rotavators (some you can fit in your car). Check the yellow pages.

With the size of your garden and assuming you can get water to it you can seed it whenever you want but the earlier the better to give it time to set itself before the winter.
 
It seems a bit cheap to me, but also the 'solution' offered may not be the right one...

If you have drainage problems it may be more than just a dose of sand you need. We had to have 'french-drains' put in which involves putting 'soak-away' channels a few feet down and sloped away from the house.

You should dig a large bucket-sized hole in the garden and fill it with water and time it to see how long it takes to empty. If it's hours and hours you've got a more fundamental problem than just soil.

I'm a keen amateur gardener. There are loads of not so good 'gardeners' out there - is your guy accredited in any way or have you spoken to at least one past customer?

€1,600 is not a lot to have a great outdoor space but it needs to be mony well spent on someone with the right skills.

You can get loads of free & practical advice on the rhs.org.uk site and on the bbc.co.uk/gardening which can help you diagnose your problem.
FG
 
Lawn should be costed ONLY at a rate per metre squared. as your garden measures approximately 54 metres squared; at 10 euro average per metre squared plus the additional costs [and that is to supply and lay rolled turf?!!!] I'd say you are being taken up the M1. as a word of advice the horticultural sand is not wrong in horticultural terms BUT if i was advising my sister in her new home and mortgaged up to the neck - it is not totally necessary. [there is a difference] Grass grows in the cracks in your paving and your gutters. If you lawn cost more than a 1,000 I'd be very surprised. I've been in this trade 23 years and unless i am bringing a team to london to build a lawn for the queen [hotel costs included in the price you were given]
The lawn can be trimmed; then sprayed and the old lawn ploughed back in - so the only rubbish to be removed is that left by the builders[which they should pay for]. Also understand the lawn will never be wimbledon tennis courts so i would assume you want good patch of family green. Again i say check the ALCI to see if youy can get some free advice
 
Thankyou all for all the advice.
We have decided to try and do ourselves as much as we can, but only after we have finished installing the deck and the shed and also increasing the height of the fences. God!!! there's so much to do in the new houses. But its fun. We have started installing the deck last weekend and am happy with the progress. I have a question though and I think I will start a new thread. I don't know what I would have done without AAM. Cheers to all those who have helped build it up to this stage. Actually I am new to this country (moved here 2 years ago, and this is the first house my husband bought) so don't know about a lot of things....I guess I will keep asking to learn
Cheers
Ruby
 

Great to hear Ruby. Positive feedback is always welcome.
 
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