Paving my yard

[AndrewJ]

Right, I have a jungle ahem garden front and back of my council house, I fancy paving the rear one totally.

Now apart from getting council permission how much am I looking at the garden is relativly large as council houses go, and is at a upward angle from the house.

I am curious into the cost before I start poking into getting permission and my hopes up.

Thanks

Andrew

[Nugget]

How big's 'fairly large'?

I'm just asking because the price is going to vary depending on the number of slaps you'd need, and the style etc :)

[AndrewJ]

Of my head I would guess at about 14ft width and 30-35ft long the rear gardens on these houses are very large for what is end of the day a council house.

[Nugget]

Have you tried places like B & Q, or Jacksons Builders Merchants? (Sorry, I would look but our internet is playing silly buggers at the mo).

[AndrewJ]

I am toying with that, thanks Nugget, however I am curious if anyone has any pointers what to lookout for and pitfalls, in this sort of thing.

What sort of cost shall I prepare my bank for :erm:

[pedantic]

How big's 'fairly large'?

I'm just asking because the price is going to vary depending on the number of slaps you'd need, and the style etc :)

Slaps :Yikes:

What's the poor bloke done to you :erm: :D

[Chris]

Depends how steep the slope is. You can't really put paving slabs on any serious kind of gradient ... you may have to level the back garden into terraces.

I suspect if you are after low maintenance, low cost, you would be better off clearing the whole lot of all weeds, squirting with kill-everything weedkiller, then seeding a lawn and buying a cheap flymo.

[homealone]

not cheap, have a look here

http://www.pavingexpert.com/patio01.htm#price

- but check out local people, who will probably be cheaper...

<edit> you are looking at about 40 square metres from the figures you gave.

[AndrewJ]

Depends how steep the slope is. You can't really put paving slabs on any serious kind of gradient ... you may have to level the back garden into terraces.

I suspect if you are after low maintenance, low cost, you would be better off clearing the whole lot of all weeds, squirting with kill-everything weedkiller, then seeding a lawn and buying a cheap flymo.

Thanks, the main point of this is the dog's I have love playing in the rear yard and right now it's a death trap.

[Scarlett]

Why not do the relatively cheap crate of beer and a few mates ? You get your mates around with a selection of tools and go at it with a will. Afterwards Beer and pizza on you + some new DVD or something to watch. Gets the job done without you needing to be really knackered.

Remember thou Beer afterwards... Beer + garden tools = Bad...

---------- Post added at 16:55 ---------- Previous post was at 16:53 ----------

Thats the clearing of the Garden by the way, not the paving....

[Millay]

You may want to think about retaining a little lawned area, as dogs mess can stain patios quite badly.

Also, have you thought part paved part gravel, will break up what could otherwise look very bleak and is less labour intensive tan full slabs..

[AndrewJ]

I am after reading everyones views, considering ripping up what is there as its just plain rubbish soil and crap bits of brick etc, getting skip and then, resoiling a portion of the garden, as for the rest a general tidy up shall do and careful placing of pots to hide the worse parts.

As for gravel and stone paths, are those wise with dog's about?

[scrotnig]

How big's 'fairly large'?

I'm just asking because the price is going to vary depending on the number of slaps you'd need, and the style etc :)

I know it's hard work, but would he *really* need slapping before he'd do it?

[Tuftus]

Why not phone the BBC and get a garden makeover show interested?

;)

[AndrewJ]

Hahahah I wish Tuftus :D

[MovedGoalPosts]

I'd suggest that a garden that size would end up pretty boring, and rather expensive to fully pave.

I can understand the lack of desire to have a lawn, simply from the upkeep grass cutting.

If you don't prepare the base for your paving properly, in only a couple of years it could be quite bad. Don't be tempted just to level off the ground, throw down a thin bed of sand and expect it to look great.

If you do want low maintenance, consider a decking area, as well as a paved area. Also go for some stones or gravel, over a weed suppressing membrance. The variety of textures will help get rid of otherwise bland surfaces.

[danielf]

I am after reading everyones views, considering ripping up what is there as its just plain rubbish soil and crap bits of brick etc, getting skip and then, resoiling a portion of the garden, as for the rest a general tidy up shall do and careful placing of pots to hide the worse parts.

As for gravel and stone paths, are those wise with dog's about?

If you want to save money, you could get the dogs to do the re-soiling?

[Nugget]

Slaps :Yikes:

What's the poor bloke done to you :erm: :D


I know it's hard work, but would he *really* need slapping before he'd do it?

:D

Only noticed that this morning :disturbd:

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Are there no local irish lads who'd do it for you...... theres always plenty round my way!

[Salu]

You may want to think about retaining a little lawned area, as dogs mess can stain patios quite badly.


If you made the gradient steep enough, they'd just roll down again wouldn't they? :)

[Taf]

Pave over a slope and the rain water will head to the lowest end...do you know how to swim?

[Ramrod]

is relativly large as council houses go, and is at a upward angle from the house.

I am curious into the cost before I start poking into getting permission and my hopes up.

Thanks

Andrew
I'd be less concerned about the cost and more concerned about the drainage. If you pave over a piece of land it can no longer easily drain away rainwater. If it's sloping towards your house and quite a large area you suddenly have the capacity to dump a large amount of water up against your house when it rains. A drain can only handle a certain amount of water before it cannot take away any more and then you end up with something like this:

[Nugget]

I'd be less concerned about the cost and more concerned about the drainage. If you pave over a piece of land it can no longer easily drain away rainwater. If it's sloping towards your house and quite a large area you suddenly have the capacity to dump a large amount of water up against your house when it rains. A drain can only handle a certain amount of water before it cannot take away any more and then you end up with something like this:

Says Rammy, who apparently built an entire estate in the middle of the Thames estuary ;) :p:

[marky]

I hate to tell you this Saxo, but your garden is about 24' wide not 14 ;)

[AndrewJ]

Damn :(