Always dreamed of a garden transformation but your unsure of what will happen?
Worried about the noise? Whether you can still work from home? The mess? Can your dog still go in the garden? These are all common questions I've been asked as a landscape gardener. Achieving your dream garden makeover yet minimising any potential disruption is something your chosen landscaper should and will be aware of, But what exactly does my dream involve? Here I will walk through the three main phases of the job, detailing each and including tips and advice.
Stage one: Ground Works
At the start of every job is the ground works stage. This is where all the old is removed and your garden prepped for the new.
Like a bombs gone off...
This stage is by far the most challenging for a homeowner. Your garden will look far from the end product and will look worse than ever. However this stage is the most important as it dictates whether your garden will last 30 days or 30 years!
Kicking off the process will be the rip out, a fun day of destruction for your workers but a noisy day for you. This will include ripping out your old structures and removing any old patios, walls etc. Cutters and sds breakers are likely to be in use providing a level of noise that can impact on any zoom meetings or business calls you may make during your day due to background noise so make sure to check with your landscaper about his plans.
Moving on from the rip out will be any excavation needed. Again potentially noisy due to any machinery in use. The soil will either be dumped into a skip or into a pile for collecting via a grab truck. As awful as a pile of earth can look it will 9/10 be a lot cheaper than filling skips.
After excavating any foundations will be layed and hardcore for patio areas layed.
Stage two: Construction
This is the stage where your dream will start coming to life. Construction of your project will begin and the area will start to look more like a garden than a war zone.
Once again potentially noisy due to any cutters, cement mixers being used but generally not as much as the previous stage.
An important factor in this stage is the weather. Rain can and will impact work.
Rain causes patio slabs and walls to sink and move during the cement setting. This will have an impact on the quality of your patio especially. To be safe it is best to avoid laying a patio or building a wall in heavy rain.
Stage three: Finishing touches
The last and by far most rewarding stage. This is the part where your patio will be grouted, top soil spread and a good clean down. It is essential you have a good look through your project and identify with your landscaper anything you think has been missed. Your landscaper will begin cleaning any area made messy by the work and sealing your patio spaces, laying any gravel and seeding any lawn areas damaged.
With this drawing to a close I will leave you with one last consideration.
Quality takes Time
Unlike any quick makeover TV show, good workmanship and quality won't take a couple days. Allow your landscaper to progress appropriately. Avoid any pressurising completion dates as you'll be the one losing out in the long run.
I hope this has proved useful and please don't hesitate to contact regarding any questions or queries you have.
Thyme Construction