Poor landscaping work - garden resembles a swamp

[norm]

If you want a multitude of opinions and advice from actual professionals, post in this group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/111972096145990/?ref=share they are actually very knowledgeable and helpful on the whole.

As per your job it's a shame it's gone wrong as it looks good otherwise.

It's a lack of drainage that's the trouble, if you could dig 1m3 hole under the lawn and install a soakaway system, assuming you can break through the clay into permeable soil it should work.

There needed to be a perimeter of ACO drains around the house also.

 

[kindai]

Yes it looks like a very poor situation that you've got - but with such a basic agreement/non specific contract of works - your going to have a fight on your hands to get anywhere with it. He could easily claim that the aco drains he installed fulfills his obligations under the "contract" agreed.

A court will disagree.

As a professional contractor it will be expected that he has the skills or training to understand what drainage would be suitable for the work provided.

It clearly isnt, so it should be an open and shut case.

As I said earlier, time to get your final letter before action written. Granted the time of year makes it a bit meh, but I would be onto him first thing on the 2nd Jan asking when he intends to come correct the problem, and if he hasnt shown up within 2 weeks the letter goes and be ready to take him to court.

 

[pastymuncher]

It isn't that clear from the photo's but how close is the water level getting to your air bricks? The last thing you want is that much water getting in through them.

 

[Simon]

Quite a random tile pattern too, its 3rds then goes to halves.

As for the drain, he could/should have put a aco drain between grass and patio. (and a slope!).

 

[Adam]

A small update: I created a letter before action (14 pages!) which was delivered on 31st December and within an hour of him receiving it he text to say he will come over next week to discuss it. It's unclear how that will play out but I hope he thought "oh ****" when he opened the letter. Even if I say so myself I think I did a good job of outlining the problems, our expectations and the consequences if he doesn't meet those deadlines (based on the helpful information: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...sembles-a-swamp.18964632/page-2#post-36104898)

Here are my expectations:

Based upon our research and advice from 2 other independent contractors, our expectation is that both the patio and grass would need to be re-laid to rectify the critical defects described below by with suitable drainage installed to solve the flooding issues. This would be through the use of aco drainage around the entire property, connected to the drain for the patio, with the correct fall. For the grass, 100mm perforated land drainage pipes under a suitable amount of shingle should be installed in channels around the garden connected to the drain, along with new turf being laid throughout. Our expectation is that the medium severity items should also be solved but we are willing to overlook the low items should everything else be properly rectified.

I also put together a table with a detailed description of each fault, a severity for each item and images. These images were uploaded to a google photo album so he could see them in high resolution. I was also able to show the quotes, when we paid and the signed receipt.

I updated the gallery I originally shared in my opening post which shows some other defects that I referenced such as the patio being completely level around the area where water pools, very little (if any) water tricking out from the drainage they put in, the misaligned manhole cover and broken handles, broken resin, poor tiling and adhesive left on the tiles, LED lights hanging down (his suggestion originally!) etc: https://imgur.com/a/FERCpMZ

I'll provide a further update after I speak to him next.

 

[Adam]

Also another question if I may. Is there any valid reason why he wouldn't have grouted between the edging bricks?



This is consistent around the entire border. It looks to me that water could get between the tiles.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I assume thats your drainage!

 

[Dis86]

That's a mess.

 

[aVdub]

That's a mess.

That's far more polite than my first thoughts.

 

[kindai]

A small update: I created a letter before action (14 pages!) which was delivered on 31st December and within an hour of him receiving it he text to say he will come over next week to discuss it. It's unclear how that will play out but I hope he thought "oh ****" when he opened the letter. Even if I say so myself I think I did a good job of outlining the problems, our expectations and the consequences if he doesn't meet those deadlines (based on the helpful information: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...sembles-a-swamp.18964632/page-2#post-36104898)

Glad I could help

 

[kindai]

Just looked through the pictures, what a mess, hope you get it sorted.

 

[pastymuncher]

Did he do that granite/quartz wall around the garden as well? It looks great from a distance but that close up you posted above looks gash as ****!!

 

[Blackjack Davy]

No/insufficient drainage did the job to too look good and disappear before the problems started to appear, cash in hand you say? Dear oh dear.

 

[Lean]

The finish is poor but the drainage situation is the main worry. Is the conservatory roof connected to your surface water drain or is it discharging direct into the earth? You may want to check the construction of the retaining walls (foundation, drainage and what blocks they used) The water pressure on the retaining walls will eventually lead to it failing if there is no drainage. If they are going to put a soakaway under the turf you are going to have to take into account you are draining the other gardens as you are the lowest point now. Also it would probably be too close to your conservatory.

 

[Adam]

Did he do that granite/quartz wall around the garden as well? It looks great from a distance but that close up you posted above looks gash as ****!!

Yes he did it all. There are some gaps between tiles which I expected due to the shape of the tiles etc but that corner is awful. They did the last and I suspect they rushed it.

No/insufficient drainage did the job to too look good and disappear before the problems started to appear, cash in hand you say? Dear oh dear.

We only noticed the drainage issue once it rained. I wouldn’t say they disappeared as he has been back to his credit and is due back again tomorrow.

The finish is poor but the drainage situation is the main worry. Is the conservatory roof connected to your surface water drain or is it discharging direct into the earth? You may want to check the construction of the retaining walls (foundation, drainage and what blocks they used) The water pressure on the retaining walls will eventually lead to it failing if there is no drainage. If they are going to put a soakaway under the turf you are going to have to take into account you are draining the other gardens as you are the lowest point now. Also it would probably be too close to your conservatory.

Yes the drainage is our main concern but I expect everything to be sorted. It seems the soakaway needs to be connected to the drain with shingle over the top then other drainage channels around the rest of the garden.

 

[DB_SamX]

That finish does look awful. Makes you question the workmanship elsewhere e.g. Retaining wall.


In terms of good practice, a soakaway should be 5m from building foundations.

 

[SpellowHouse]

Also another question if I may. Is there any valid reason why he wouldn't have grouted between the edging bricks?



This is consistent around the entire border. It looks to me that water could get between the tiles.

Well, normally it is a good idea to allow water through, it allows natural drainage. Unfortunately there really isn't enough of these bricks to drain anything. Bricks and slabs, tiles that are grouted do need to be angled away from the property to allow the water to flow away. But as you found out, absolutely useless if the garden is clay. I can't tell if your patio is angled away from the property. If it is then there needs to be a drain installed the lawn where the patio ends. Getting that connected to somewhere the water can actually drain is a problem. It might be possible to remove those bricks and continue the drain to the front of the property. Judging by the lie of the land it's probably lower at the front? I think someone already mentioned a French drain.

 

[ci_newman]

Yes he did it all. There are some gaps between tiles which I expected due to the shape of the tiles etc but that corner is awful. They did the last and I suspect they rushed it.


We only noticed the drainage issue once it rained. I wouldn’t say they disappeared as he has been back to his credit and is due back again tomorrow.



Yes the drainage is our main concern but I expect everything to be sorted. It seems the soakaway needs to be connected to the drain with shingle over the top then other drainage channels around the rest of the garden.

Soakaways must not be connected to the sewer drains

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Intrigued to know how you went with him calling back @Adam ?

 

[Adam]

Update: I'll focus on what happens next rather than the week of being let down trying to get him back Anyway, he came over today.

Without directly acknowledging or apologising for the inconvenience he has agreed to dig the patio and grass up to start again. He'll get another digger in to dig proper drainage channels etc for the turf and install land drainage pipes covered in shingle connected to the drain.

For the patio it will be completely redone (using the existing slabs) with the correct fall in to aco drains fully around the property again connected to the drain. The only thing i'm not sure about is that he suggested this time he'll reverse the fall and have it angled towards the house with aco catching the water which will flow away to the drain. I haven't done much research on the subject so interested to hear some thoughts on that.

I set him a deadline of the 17th but he cannot do it by then. Turns out he has started another job (!!) and cannot leave it this week but can on the 16th Jan. He anticipates the remedial work will take 6 days to complete.

I think my letter before action has got his attention plus I gave him quite a hard time today around the poor quality finish and grilled him on why the quality would be better the 2nd time around. Of course there were some excuses but I think he knows it wasn't good enough and is obviously frustrated he needs to put this job right before he can move on to a paying job.

He's assured me everything will be rectified so i'm not sure what other option I have really. I just want the job done that I paid for without the hassle of court action, him winding up the company and not paying etc. His reputation was very good before we started, he was recommended by a family friend and even the place we bought the tiles from said he buys loads from them and his work is decent. Let's hope he sticks to his word and the finish is better the 2nd time around.