Large gardne need complete overhaul. Advise and cost estimate.

Butters1979

Just moved into our new house (spent a lot of timing in the property and accommodation and now make the natural move over here).

The question I have is about the garden. It’s a very complicated setup. Basically there are a load of issues I would like to sort out and I’m wondering about the cost and if I’m better off doing it in bits or altogether. I’m also very new to all this, lived in apartments all my life. Looking for any opinions or ideas.

First of all we have side access but only narrow (about 3 foot) so would not be able to get heavy equipment in. It’s a 100ft garden with trellis separating a section about two thirds up.



There is a large (8 foot high) hedge running up the left side for the first two thirds that was not well maintained on our side, it’s almost 4 foot thick from the boundary line into our garden. The neighbors side is well maintained but I have already discussed getting rid of it and replacing with a fence (which we have for the last third of our shared boundary) and they are happy with that and willing to split the costs.
The right side of the garden has a 6 foot fence with concrete posts running the whole length and that borders onto the back of school grounds with trees and bushes. The problem with this fence and really the whole right side of the garden is the ground is very uneven. Dips and bumps and the fence posts themselves are at different angles to each other at some points. I think there used to be trees on this border which were removed but the ground was never evened out.

The first two thirds is covered in pebble stones and has a huge (8ft wide) rockery and water feature in the middle. This has power and water running to it from the house. It also has various plants and bushes growing that I want rid.

The last third is grass. It has a large wooden shed that is rotten. It is actually leaning to one side now and the door is very had to open and close. Behind the shed and near the back wall is a buildup of crap the old owners left. It looks like old doors and timer and what I think was a metal climbing frame as well as other stuff but not sure. There is also a hole under the shed which I think a fox is digging and living there. There is power running to this shed also. There is also a green house on a concrete foundation. They’ve also left and old fridge beside the greenhouse and various crap around.

Basically I want a simple enough layout. I want to build a deck on the back of the dining room and replace all the stones, rockery and plants with grass. Get rid of the trellis separating the last third. The shed and green house has to go and the right hand side of the garden needs to be levelled and the fence replaced. Between the stones and crap behind the shed and everything there would be a huge amount of stuff to take away. I’d imagine more than a skip full.

I’m wondering what’s the best way to approach this and what kind of cost are we looking at? Should we get some manual labor it to just clear everything first then get a landscaper or is it better to do get a landscaper for the whole thing?

Hoof Hearted2

Butters1979 wrote: »

Just moved into our new house (spent a lot of timing in the property and accommodation and now make the natural move over here).

The question I have is about the garden. It’s a very complicated setup. Basically there are a load of issues I would like to sort out and I’m wondering about the cost and if I’m better off doing it in bits or altogether. I’m also very new to all this, lived in apartments all my life. Looking for any opinions or ideas.

First of all we have side access but only narrow (about 3 foot) so would not be able to get heavy equipment in. It’s a 100ft garden with trellis separating a section about two thirds up.



There is a large (8 foot high) hedge running up the left side for the first two thirds that was not well maintained on our side, it’s almost 4 foot thick from the boundary line into our garden. The neighbors side is well maintained but I have already discussed getting rid of it and replacing with a fence (which we have for the last third of our shared boundary) and they are happy with that and willing to split the costs.
The right side of the garden has a 6 foot fence with concrete posts running the whole length and that borders onto the back of school grounds with trees and bushes. The problem with this fence and really the whole right side of the garden is the ground is very uneven. Dips and bumps and the fence posts themselves are at different angles to each other at some points. I think there used to be trees on this border which were removed but the ground was never evened out.

The first two thirds is covered in pebble stones and has a huge (8ft wide) rockery and water feature in the middle. This has power and water running to it from the house. It also has various plants and bushes growing that I want rid.

The last third is grass. It has a large wooden shed that is rotten. It is actually leaning to one side now and the door is very had to open and close. Behind the shed and near the back wall is a buildup of crap the old owners left. It looks like old doors and timer and what I think was a metal climbing frame as well as other stuff but not sure. There is also a hole under the shed which I think a fox is digging and living there. There is power running to this shed also. There is also a green house on a concrete foundation. They’ve also left and old fridge beside the greenhouse and various crap around.

Basically I want a simple enough layout. I want to build a deck on the back of the dining room and replace all the stones, rockery and plants with grass. Get rid of the trellis separating the last third. The shed and green house has to go and the right hand side of the garden needs to be levelled and the fence replaced. Between the stones and crap behind the shed and everything there would be a huge amount of stuff to take away. I’d imagine more than a skip full.

I’m wondering what’s the best way to approach this and what kind of cost are we looking at? Should we get some manual labor it to just clear everything first then get a landscaper or is it better to do get a landscaper for the whole thing?

Most landscapers give a free site visit/consultation, start phoning around and get professional advice for free.