Demoing some concrete edging and pulling out small shrubs?

greensalad

I have just been quoted to do some landscape demo work, and I'm a bit surprised at the cost.

We have two beds with an arch in the middle, measuring 110cm wide and 7m long. One side of this bed has a low concrete edging (like this https://www.wickes.co.uk/Marshalls-Round-Smooth-Edging-Stone---White-600-x-150-x-50mm/p/220357) alongside a patio. The other side is nothing. (It was some little wooden decorative picket fences but we pulled them out as they had rotted). I also have a rose arch made of tubular steel, with multiple sections screwed together. Quite a cheap thing. 

The beds are full of knee-high lavender down one side which is dead/dying. And then normal plants (alliums and hellebores).

We want to pull out the whole lot and install new woodblocks/sleeper beds ourselves. I hate doing ground work and demo, so I thought I would get a quote to get the whole thing demo'd and taken away and give us a fresh slate to use one of the woodblocks kits on. 

Surprised to have been given a quote of nearly £1200 to remove 7m worth of concrete edge and 7m of knee-high lavender. It seems a lot for what is essentially mostly unskilled demo work? I would've thought removing stuff would've been cheaper than building stuff.

Thoughts?

[Deleted User]

 You can just pull the lavender out surely? Alright you then have to take it to the tip, or put it in recycling bin but that costs nothing much. I certainly wouldn't pay that much, last year took a quote for £200 for clearing most of a 15 ft driveway that was piled high with branches etc ( for a friend) ok the removal of concrete might be harder to do and levelling up after,  but then again it might not. Get another couple of quotes?

FreeBear

Is the edging concreted in ?

If they can be removed without damage, they'll have some value - Perhaps advertise of freecycle/faceache as "free to whom ever digs them out".

MikeJXE

You could ask a grab lorry firm if they could scoop everything up 

Around where I live it is £180 cash for a load of about 16 tons 

greensalad

FreeBear said:

Is the edging concreted in ?

If they can be removed without damage, they'll have some value - Perhaps advertise of freecycle/faceache as "free to whom ever digs them out".

Yes I think they are concreted in which is why I felt like it wasn’t really a DIY job… not something I have the tools for. 

greensalad

[Deleted User] said:

 You can just pull the lavender out surely? Alright you then have to take it to the tip, or put it in recycling bin but that costs nothing much.

Could I pull the lavender out? Yes. Do I want to? No not really. That's why I didn't mind spending some money to get it done for me. I personally hate groundworks and as I'm going to be DIYing the new beds and arch I thought it would be a nice treat to myself to not have to do so much prep work! But I didn't expect it to be this much.

I'll get some other quotes!

Eldi_Dos

£170 per meter seems mighty expensive to me.

Could you contact a employment agency and arrange for a labourer for a day or two to do the knock down and clear the beds and bag up all the rubble and debris.Then you could take to tip at your convenience.
You might need to provide a pinch bar, large hammer, spade and suitable saws ( hacksaw and pruning), but they are tools you will find a use for in the future.

greensalad

Eldi_Dos said:

£170 per meter seems mighty expensive to me.

Could you contact a employment agency and arrange for a labourer for a day or two to do the knock down and clear the beds and bag up all the rubble and debris.Then you could take to tip at your convenience.
You might need to provide a pinch bar, large hammer, spade and suitable saws ( hacksaw and pruning), but they are tools you will find a use for in the future.

Thanks that's quite a good idea. Or maybe there is someone in my village as there's a few handymen types round here. I'm not against getting rid of it myself I just don't want to be out sweating in the sun!

greensalad

Just wanted to come back and say I got an alternative quote through a family member. He actually works with my uncle (not in landscaping!) but does landscaping work on the side. He did my aunt and uncle's deck last year and did a fantastic job plus has some other good recommendations. He's doing the whole lot, materials included for £1,400. I have to get rid of the waste myself but for that price I'm willing!