Price estimate on paving a 35x24 foot garden?

just Scott · 10 May 2019 at 23:49

Just moved into a new build and I want the garden completely paved. I have zero experience when it comes to landscaping and gardening so I don't even know where to begin. We're just waiting for the builders to fit a land drain and rotavate it. I don't want anything fancy, just basic, clean looking paving.

Is it something I could do myself if I put in the effort to learn to do it properly? Or would it be best to get a professional to do it?

I've messaged about 15 landscapers on facebook but I've only had one quote for £1700, the rest haven't bothered even replying.

Here's a picture: https://photos.app.goo.gl/H9aWhcwSCKoka9fNA

Cheers

Thecaferacer · 11 May 2019 at 07:06

£1700 is quite cheap considering nice 600x600 slabs would cost you £1200 alone.

It's doable yourself if you can work a spirit level. It's just back breaking work by hand and a lot of aggragate to shift. You'd need to excavate down 150mm if the garden is already level with your house. 80-100mm of type one hardcore raked even and compacted. Then lay the slabs on a layer of bedding mortar 25-45mm thick.

It's a big area to pave. You could pave a section then gravel the rest to aid with water run off. Factor in getting rid of the soil as well that you've dug up. 150mm from that garden piled up is a fair load.

Personally I'd raise the end with some kind of decking area build up with walls using the non-timber decking. Then pave and gravel the rest. All paved reminds me of dingy courtyards

200sols · 11 May 2019 at 07:27

Depends what the quote includes really? You could do so much with that space, paving it all is not what I would do.

a1ex2001 · 11 May 2019 at 07:49

Please speak to a decent landscaper before you just flat slab the lot as it will be horrible you could have something much nicer in that space!

just Scott · 11 May 2019 at 08:15

Cheers guys. I want as big an area as possible to play basketball that's all

I'll think about reducing the size of the paved area and doing something else though if it will look rubbish

Would appreciate any ideas you guys have though

Thecaferacer · 11 May 2019 at 08:32

You could look at something like this at the bottom, kits are usually around £700-1000

Than pave up to your house with a gravel border. Very doable for under £2000

Scrutinize · 11 May 2019 at 09:22

Most decent gradeners / landscapers charge £15-£25 per hour.

Cost of prepping & seeding that for a decent lawn circa £200. Shed base + small shed £450. Enlarged patio area across the width £350-£450. Nice decking area £350-£550.

So for the price of your patio you can have a really nice garden. Then use large planter pots for some flowers/shrubs.

kiteloopy · 11 May 2019 at 14:41

bit of a shame to loose all the garden/could be green space that you've got.

Id have raised flower beds all the way around, replace and extend the existing patio area large enough for table & chairs and then new turf the rest. 100% patio would be rather sterile.

just Scott · 12 May 2019 at 13:55

What's the price difference between paving and artificial grass? Cheaper or more expensive?

I was thinking of doing a 24x20 foot paving area, with a 1-2 foot gravel border all the way around for raised flower beds. Then the rest artifical grass. Do you think that would be cheaper than the £1700 full paving quote I've had?

Thecaferacer · 12 May 2019 at 18:12

H2F Scott said:
What's the price difference between paving and artificial grass? Cheaper or more expensive?

I was thinking of doing a 24x20 foot paving area, with a 1-2 foot gravel border all the way around for raised flower beds. Then the rest artifical grass. Do you think that would be cheaper than the £1700 full paving quote I've had?

I wouldn't bother with artificial grass unless it's a tiny area. The good stuff will cost a minimum of £35 per square metre without the cost of a sand base etc. Even the best stuff still looks artificial. But if you want something 100% maintenance free it's a consideration.

just Scott · 12 May 2019 at 19:02

Thecaferacer said:
I wouldn't bother with artificial grass unless it's a tiny area. The good stuff will cost a minimum of £35 per square metre without the cost of a sand base etc. Even the best stuff still looks artificial. But if you want something 100% maintenance free it's a consideration.

Yeah, you're right - we've scrapped the artificial grass idea. The gf and I just had a walk around the garden thinking of ideas. We like your idea of the raised decking area at the back. So along the back wall we're thinking of putting the decking along most of it, with a small shed in the other corner. Paving from the decking up to the house, which will give me a good 20-23x20 foot paving area for basketball. And flower beds along each side.

What's the best way to prepare the soil for a shed and the wooden decking? A landscaper is probably going to do it for us, but I'd like to understand the job a bit myself so I know what to look for. We've got a landscaper coming round tomorrow as well so I'll bounce our ideas off him and see what he thinks.

Also, you mentioned non-timber decking. What's the benefit of that? Is it more expensive than timber as well?

Cheers

Thecaferacer · 12 May 2019 at 21:18

The beauty of decking of it sits on stilts, so the ground doesn't need to be prepared per say, apart from being level and a weed barrier to prevent stuff growing underneath.

The shed is dependant on size. I don't think you can beat a simple concrete base, but I have seen paving slabs used with success.

Softwood decking requires regular cleaning and treating to stop it looking a mess. The plastic stuff is 3x the cost but worth it in the long term for low maintenance. Avoid cheap decking and if you want wood go for quality cedar or redwood. Cheap wood in a garden is false economy unless you are prepared to spend one week a year stripping and re-oiling

j.col · 13 May 2019 at 21:47

I do paving as a profession, expect to pay £60-£80 per m2. Thats for doing everything.
so going by your measurements 35ft x 24ft = 10.66m x 7.3m = 77.8m2 should cost £4600 to £6200 for standard block paving.
Cheap utility slabs actually cost more than block paving these days.
Just be VERY carefull who you get to do this as there is a lot of cowboys about,

just Scott · 14 May 2019 at 02:11

j.col said:
I do paving as a profession, expect to pay £60-£80 per m2. Thats for doing everything.
so going by your measurements 35ft x 24ft = 10.66m x 7.3m = 77.8m2 should cost £4600 to £6200 for standard block paving.
Cheap utility slabs actually cost more than block paving these days.
Just be VERY carefull who you get to do this as there is a lot of cowboys about,

Cheers mate. I've decided against paving the whole thing now, just a decent portion of it. Perhaps 35 meters squared. I had a landscaper in today, he quoted somewhere between £5000 and £6000 for the whole garden completed. That's including the 35-40 meters squared indian stone, a flagged area for the shed, raised flower beds, and the rest artificial grass (small area) etc.

I've got someone else coming tomorrow as well so I can compare quotes.

One thing he did mention was asking the builders to not bother rotavating our garden. I thought it was odd, but it makes sense since he said any landscaper would just have to dig it up anyway. So would I be correct in assuming rotavating is only necessary if I wanted real grass?

j.col · 14 May 2019 at 06:57

yeah. dont rotavate it, its actually easier to dig out a garden in its normal state.
That quote sounds about right, as indian sandstone is more expensive than standard block paving. Just make sure its laid on a full mortar base.
Its personal preference but we use a product called easyjoint to point up the slabs, you can get it in different colours and it sets harder than mortar pointing and doesnt shrink or crack. https://www.azpects.co.uk/products/easy-joint.aspx
regarding artificial turf, the best we found is called Grono Premier Plus, the 40mm looks the most realistic. https://www.grono.co.uk/product-page/premier-plus-40

dessimpson · 14 May 2019 at 07:40

I paid about £3k for a similar sized garden for paving and a bit of AstroTurf.
Money well spent. Virtually zero maint and the dogs no longer bring mud back in to the house.

Quartz · 14 May 2019 at 09:23

Isn't sandstone a bit on the soft side? Surely you'll need a stone that's harder wearing?

j.col · 14 May 2019 at 09:50

Quartz said:
Isn't sandstone a bit on the soft side? Surely you'll need a stone that's harder wearing?

As stone goes it could be classed as soft but it's perfectly fine for a patio.
It's by far the most popular slab we lay
I have even seen driveways laid with Indian sand stone

Felix · 14 May 2019 at 10:43

With regards raised decking, isn't planning required if any section of the decking is 300mm above ground level?

just Scott · 14 May 2019 at 12:12

Felix said:
With regards raised decking, isn't planning required if any section of the decking is 300mm above ground level?

We're not bothering with decking anymore so it's fine.

j.col said:
As stone goes it could be classed as soft but it's perfectly fine for a patio.
It's by far the most popular slab we lay
I have even seen driveways laid with Indian sand stone

Is indian stone bumpy? It's mostly going to be used for playing basketball on, and I don't want stray bounces off the edge of the paving if I can help it.