Gardening Standards Advice

jpb001

Hi, We are having some work done on the garden / patio. This is new to me so I'm trying to establish if I'm being unreasonable:

We are having stone chippings in the front garden.The stones were installed on a hex grid but were unwashed. Is thisstandard? I would have expected the stones to have dust etc washed off before installing.

We have a number of planter beds installed. The landscaper is claiming that weed mat or mulch is an extra and would not normally be priced intothe work. Is that usual?

looksee

Not so much unreasonable as inexperienced. There is no need to wash the stone chippings, the dust will wash off in the first shower and settle helpfully at the bottom.

Is the landscaper planting the beds? If not then there is no point putting down mulch, and the membrane isn't the best idea anyway. If he is then he should have priced it in at the start. I would suggest you don't put membrane on beds, its a liability in the long run. Putting mulch on isn't a huge job but is not done until the planting is finished, so as I said, it depends on whether he is going to be doing the planting.

You are going to have some weeding to do anyway. Even with a membrane there will be some, and in the long run it will make weeding difficult. You will need to remove the weeds that come through mulch, but it is not as big a job as if there is no mulch.

standardg60

Looksee has pretty much covered it, the pebble dust is perfectly normal, and weed mat/ mulch is definitely an extra.

Calahonda52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058373054/gardening-standards-advice

Defo an extra, if it was not specified.

It's getting very nitty these days: Tiler asked to quote: quote accepted, tiles laid and he left.

Called re grouting, Oh, I don't grout

Sink splash back tiled with no edge beading: Not specified was the answer

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122692530#Comment_122692530

'You only asked me to build a house, you didn't say you wanted a roof on it'.

Stupid attitude.

jpb001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122692530#Comment_122692530

It was discussed verbally in pre start meeting. he said it was included, as he is doing the planter beds. now he claims its an extra.

It has been a long road….extra charge for 1st cut on the new lawn (we didnt ask him to cut it). Issues getting him to reinstate items he removed for access. Overall, very frustrating experience

jpb001

Are these guys regulated by an association? What is the course of redress if work is done poorly or incorrectly?