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£6k for garden Reno.. too much?
I have moved into my first home about 2 months ago. Thankfully the inside of the house is modern and not much needs doing in terms of DIY at all. The garden however is a tiny courtyard measuring 4x5 M at largest part and is paved and fenced in with no other additions or greenery.
I have been quoted £6,100 to take down the old fencing, out new fencing up with concrete posts, take out old paving and repave it with porcelain and to put in some raised beds.
We did get a quote from another gardener but they quoted us £8.5k for this job so obviously we turned them down.
We are unable to do this work ourselves due to our expertise and jobs so I don't mind spending the money if it is reasonably in line with what people would expect for today, however what do others think? Does this seem expensive for what it is?
I have been quoted £6,100 to take down the old fencing, out new fencing up with concrete posts, take out old paving and repave it with porcelain and to put in some raised beds.
We did get a quote from another gardener but they quoted us £8.5k for this job so obviously we turned them down.
We are unable to do this work ourselves due to our expertise and jobs so I don't mind spending the money if it is reasonably in line with what people would expect for today, however what do others think? Does this seem expensive for what it is?
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Comments
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I have asked MSE to move this to a more appropriate boardNever pay on an estimated bill. Always read and understand your bill0
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It does appear to be quite high but where are you living? Does the fence need replacement or would a coat of wood preservtive revive it? Why would you replace pavers with porcelain tiles? Have you had this work costed by a lanscaping company with potentially high overheads? You could probably save a substantial amount by splitting the job between a fencing contractor and a gardener.0
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Porcelain tiles are expensive.
Is your estimate detailed as to what each part costs?0 -
So all the old fencing out, this means they dig out the old posts and concrete.
Re dig deep and fix concrete posts and panels.
Dig out slabs and base, new base, levelling, expensive slabs.
Build raised beds.
Remove and disposing of old slabs, fence, rubble etc
Sourcing, buying and transporting all new materials
Sounds reasonable to me.
Things to check - they will remove and dispose of old fence and slabs.
The panels are pressure treated and decent quality.
What are the raised beds made from?
Doing this in one go.I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!
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The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well
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twopenny said:So all the old fencing out, this means they dig out the old posts and concrete.
Re dig deep and fix concrete posts and panels.
Dig out slabs and base, new base, levelling, expensive slabs.
Build raised beds.
Remove and disposing of old slabs, fence, rubble etc
Sourcing, buying and transporting all new materials
Sounds reasonable to me.
Things to check - they will remove and dispose of old fence and slabs.
The panels are pressure treated and decent quality.
What are the raised beds made from?
Doing this in one go.
They also just offered a 10%discount at the moment too which will mean it's more in the region of £5.5k.
Will definitely check re fencing being pressure treated and what beds are made of but the quote they have already given me includes disposal of all materials.0 -
gwynlas said:It does appear to be quite high but where are you living? Does the fence need replacement or would a coat of wood preservtive revive it? Why would you replace pavers with porcelain tiles? Have you had this work costed by a lanscaping company with potentially high overheads? You could probably save a substantial amount by splitting the job between a fencing contractor and a gardener.
I did wonder about splitting the jobs but fencing company have estimate of 2k for just fencing which to me seemed high...0 -
Seems even more reasonable to me.
It's the equivalent of a room being gutted and rebuilt but much harder labour.
Where are they making the 10% cut? They may be going for less labour so a tad longer or sourcing other materials. Or it may just be that with autumn fewer people are doing gardens.I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!
viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on
The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well
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Porcelain tiles are very expensive and slippy in the winter, my friend had her patio done in them 2 years ago which cost 4k without any fencing or beds.She’s regretted it ever since as she now has to jet wash it every 3 or 4 weeks because it gets so dirty with rain etc.I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Competitions Time, Shopping & Freebies boards, Employment, Jobseeking & Training boards If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.2
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I've got porcelain tiles that are non slip. If they get mossy then yes they're slippery like everything else would be. I throw a bucket of water at the moss and clean it with a brush.
The tiles weren't that expensive for what they are, it's always the labour that adds the bulk of the cost.
My tiles were from here
https://nustone.co.uk/product-category/porcelain-paving/
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