Landscape Gardening

Yazmina

My garden is about 90sq ft.  The landscapers who have quoted for the work have varying timescales impacting their quotes. 

We want to completely replace the patio paving using a good concrete base to suppress weeds. We'll also pave the short alleyway at the side of the house.  Also completely replace the lawn with new top soil and turf.  

We'll also build a new wall and steps, seen in the photo, remove the curved wall.

Two landscapers have said they'll get it all done in 7-10 days, c.£10k (weather permitting), two others have said 4-6 weeks (£14k+)  What seems a more realistic timeframe for a job well done? 

pramsay13

I don't think the timescales matters as much as references or reviews from past customers. 
Most landscapers will have someone working with them, but some can have a team of 3 or 4 or even more. 
I'm always a bit wary of people that can start straight away. 

ButterCheese

14k sounds like an awful lot of money.  To give it some perspective, our roofing guy demolished our BBQ area (brick walls and timber roof), then dug out for a new 14 foot shed, built the shed base and then asembled the shed, and torched a felt roof onto that and another existing shed roof.  Then concreted a path and a large slope which he made into 3 x long steps.  It's been about 6 days labour (quite a few half days whilst they wait for the weather or for things to dry etc) and we've paid him £1500.  He is reliant on his labourer so there has been the odd week where he can't get help or is on another job, but they are honest and hardworking.

Our other job was a 45Msquare decking, which is raised 6ft above our garden.  Our carpenter was there about 10 days with a labourer and they charged £8.5k, but that includes 45 metre squared of composite decking, and feather edge board all around, and a 12ft custom made staircase.  And 5 glass ballastrade panels.

I would keep looking and try to find someone (who will probably be 40 or older!) who is a general builder/maintenance/landscaper rather than looking up a dedicated labdscaping company. 

I know it's not always that easy, but we found our roofing guy in the pub, he's done our flat roof, replaced our conservatory roof and has done our shed and garden.  As an example, we were quoted £5k to do our flat roof.  Our guy did it for £1000 and did a sterling job.

Yazmina

The guy who has quoted £14k is a general builder/landscaper/maintenance guy.  He's done jobs for us before.  I'm in Greater London, if that helps shed more light. 

Albermarle

The difference in the projected time scales is huge !
Maybe the 4 - 6 weeks one is just a single person on their own? Even then seems a long time and a high price.