Poor landscaping work - garden resembles a swamp

[dlockers]

Unfortunately it'll never be right with a rogue man like this. I had a roofing situation very similar...basic fix cost as much as the entire roof - didn't work, he repaired twice, then threw his toys out of the pram to replace the lot..........and left a hole.

Angled towards the grass or not, if it is ACO'ed should be irrelevant...

 

[booyaka]

He anticipates the remedial work will take 6 days to complete.

Dig up a patio, and grass, and then install proper drainage, and relay everything in 6 days.... Good luck with that.

If the patio has been properly installed/layed in the first place, he'll be doing very well to lift those slabs without damage, and relay. He'll need to clean off all the mortar/bedding used. I'd be amazed if he's done it correctly the first time that he can reuse 100% of the slabs after lifting them and starting all over.

If it wasn't done properly the 1st time - I'd be amazed if you get a better result the 2nd time.

I hope it works out for you, but there is no reason if he was capable and reputable, that he shouldn't have done it correctly the 1st time. I don't see what "another digger" is going to solve here.

 

[norm]

Credit to the landscaper that he's agreed to rectify the situation. It'll be costing him a lot in time/materials. Which we all know is the right thing to do, but some/most trades people would put up much more of a fight.

 

[scarps]

Credit to the landscaper that he's agreed to rectify the situation. It'll be costing him a lot in time/materials. Which we all know is the right thing to do, but some/most trades people would put up much more of a fight.

To be honest for the price that was paid the landscaper will still make a profit

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Yeh as others have said, I cant see how, if the flags were laid correctly, that he will be easily able to lift them up without making a mess of them/damaging them. Interested to see how this plays out.

I'm no landscape gardener but would another potential option not be to just take up the slabs around the edges and fit the aco drains then re-lay just the edge pavers?

 

[pastymuncher]

Credit to the landscaper that he's agreed to rectify the situation. It'll be costing him a lot in time/materials. Which we all know is the right thing to do, but some/most trades people would put up much more of a fight.

I have no sympathy for him at all. If he did the job properly in the first place he wouldn't have to come back to fix his utterly terrible workmanship. The price he was paid would suggest a top quality job, instead the result was a **** poor effort that left the op with a flooded garden that could have put his house at risk of damp or worse.

OP, When he gives you a sob story when he comes back don't let him talk you into giving him more money. You have already paid handsomely for the job to be completed to a high standard, it's his mistake so down to him to put things right. Unfortunately after seeing your pictures from his first effort it appears he hasn't a clue what he is doing and I will be surprised if he get's it right this time.

 

[john_smith]

Credit to the landscaper that he's agreed to rectify the situation. It'll be costing him a lot in time/materials. Which we all know is the right thing to do, but some/most trades people would put up much more of a fight.

Agree with this. Good luck on it being resolved. Hopefully now you know more about what needs to be done and if you monitor it you'll end up with a good (better?) result.

 

[Buffman]

I wouldnt be keen on the proposed remediation to have it fall towards the house, it is built high relative to the damp proof course and also against airbricks. I'd check if that's what's recommended by other professionals?


Also regarding those coping stones/tiling, the finish looks poor and that corner looks shocking. I'd get him to fix that.

 

[norm]

I have no sympathy for him at all. If he did the job properly in the first place he wouldn't have to come back to fix his utterly terrible workmanship. The price he was paid would suggest a top quality job, instead the result was a **** poor effort that left the op with a flooded garden that could have put his house at risk of damp or worse..

It's not terrible workmanship, the finish on the wall in places was a bit rough, but overall it looked good.

The fact that the ground doesn't readily drain away isn't something you'd be fully aware of until a heavy downpour, and yes people do make mistakes and this guy is willing to fix it, so that should be recognised as a good thing.

I'd be interested to know if the OP got quoted for the job from other landscapers and what they said in terms of drainage. Typically a gravel edge or channel drainage is left between the building and slabs.

 

[dlockers]

It's not terrible workmanship, the finish on the wall in places was a bit rough, but overall it looked good.

The fact that the ground doesn't readily drain away isn't something you'd be fully aware of until a heavy downpour, and yes people do make mistakes and this guy is willing to fix it, so that should be recognised as a good thing.

I'd be interested to know if the OP got quoted for the job from other landscapers and what they said in terms of drainage. Typically a gravel edge or channel drainage is left between the building and slabs.

Sorry but I am thick as two planks and even I know you need X fall over Y distance.

 

[Adam]

It's a difficult one as the aim of my letter before action was to get his attention and make him take it seriously. He's agreed to put everything right at his expense so in that respect it's worked. Am I concerned about what happens the 2nd time around? Yes I am but he's made it clear that he'll get it right and do everything possible to make us happy. If I decided that I didn't want him to continue (which was an option) i'd have to pay out to get someone else in and hope I can claim the money back. His repuatation would also take a hit as he is always being recommended on the local facebook group so if I commented negatively I think it would really hurt him. If he can do the job properly this time then I think we both get what we want. I need to be able to let the dog out in the garden and let the kids play out there when the weather improves which is something they have never been able to do properly because of how dangerous the garden was before. I cannot do that today without sinking in to the turf.

Regarding the tiles, he has taken a few up at the front of the patio without damaging them to try and fix the issue previously. They also said the manhole cover will be replaced and the corner of the wall will be redone.

My wife and I plan to keep a much closer eye on the work and we'll try and anticipate any issues before they happen. We saw the lawn wasn't level when they were doing it but gave them the benefit of the doubt. We won't be doing that again and will say something at the time so we have learnt through this experience.

As for the slope, I believe it's always best to have it angled away from the house from what I have researched. In this case there will be aco drains all around the edge of the property to catch the water. I believe this will eliminate the need to have an aco between the lawn and patio as the drainage will be under the turf so that will look better too.

 

[Lean]

Porcelain has to be laid with a slurry mix brushed onto the backs. SBR and cement works (cheaper but not a consistent mix). The only way the slabs are coming up clean enough to reuse is if they have just been laid on a wet mix without any primer. You must insist on them primed. Grout can fail then you'll get freeze-thaw and they will start popping up.

Btw primer or sbr has to be sponged off straight away if any gets on the face of the paving. It is evil stuff to shift if it drys. Also the 6 day timeframe is a little tight with the short days and so-so weather.

Good luck

 

[Buffman]

Is he going to build a soakaway or similar? You're not supposed to/its not allowed to have the surface water running out of your property. It is difficult for the council/water company to identify to be fair.

Also, is it not going to be an issue regardless on the turf that you've excavated 4 feet below all the bordering properties so effectively you are at the "low point"? I guess its a wait and see.

 

[Adam]

Is he going to build a soakaway or similar? You're not supposed to/its not allowed to have the surface water running out of your property. It is difficult for the council/water company to identify to be fair.

Also, is it not going to be an issue regardless on the turf that you've excavated 4 feet below all the bordering properties so effectively you are at the "low point"? I guess its a wait and see.

There is a soakaway in the middle which I would expect to be filled with water because the clay doesn't allow it to drain away. He hasn't said anything about connecting the soakaway to the drains. I anticipate he will use something like this to cover the entire area: https://www.easymerchant.co.uk/blog/choosing-a-herringbone-drainage-system/ The edges are especially but it's hard to tell if the soakaway is actually doing anything as all the turf is waterlogged and can't be walked on.

I don't know about the low point so yes we'll have to wait and see.

 

[dlockers]

Is it worth consulting with a drainage expert before your lad comes? He will then have some drawings to go off of, at the very least?

Surely if it is solid clay it'll never have a chance to get rid of the rain, and needs to be hooked up to a storm water drain?

 

[Berger]

Ascertaining the permeability of the ground would be simple for a competent contractor.

It’s as simple as dig a hole take dimensions, fill with water, measure time to soak away. Repeat test x3. If you’re digging up clay then it’s not going to work, don’t even need to test….

If it doesn’t soakaway or takes a long time then it’s not going to function and need a rethink.

Have a google for SuDS and BRE 365.

 

[ci_newman]

Is it worth consulting with a drainage expert before your lad comes? He will then have some drawings to go off of, at the very least?

Surely if it is solid clay it'll never have a chance to get rid of the rain, and needs to be hooked up to a storm water drain?

Hooking your garden drainage to a storm water drain is illegal, don't do this. The proper method is a deep soakaway below the layer of clay

 

[dlockers]

Hooking your garden drainage to a storm water drain is illegal, don't do this. The proper method is a deep soakaway below the layer of clay

That's interesting --- I have a gutter that goes into the floor and I have no idea where it goes, but it isn't into the waste drain.

 

[ci_newman]

That's interesting --- I have a gutter that goes into the floor and I have no idea where it goes, but it isn't into the waste drain.

Depending on when it was built, it may well go into the storm drains already or to an existing soakaway. I'm referring specifically to surface water though, which shouldn't be directed into drains.

 

[Adam]

To be clear, the aco drains around the property and the drainage underneath the turf will both be directed to the drain where an existing downpipe from the guttering connects to. Would this be permissible? I'm not sure what the correct terminology is so hopefully that question is clear.

I have no reason to believe the soakaway will be connected to any of the drains but I will check.