Hi Dex, time is sort of, “of the essence”, from the end of this week, my free time will be severely restricted. I have deliberately (probably against good gardening practice) tried to limit the disturbance of the sub-soil, so as not to encourage long term settlement under the new lawn. The new lawn was never meant to be a statement piece, the last one was laid in stages, as a result of plan changes, ended up large and difficult to mow. The main criteria for this lawn as a reaction to previous manifestation is, it is compact and simple to mow, once laid, it will be subject to minimum maintenance, the same as over engineering the hard standing areas, partially done to prevent the ingress of weeds, in the final analysis, won’t need a shovel, fork or rake, just a Pressure Washer.
I’d seed it,but thats a personal choice,I know turf is instant but seeing the seed grow is satisfying.Sowing now would get a decent thatch for overwintering.
Would have been a good idea seeding, but, the Dog put a stop to that idea. Just finished skimming the real problem area, to hot to do much else, I will set the level baton this afternoon, so in the morning, before it warms up, I can start barrowing the topsoil in.
https://i.ibb.co/NmM0gJj/2-D99-C0-E9-5035-40-DF-843-C-5-CB8-F268021-C.jpg
Did you find out where the soil came from?
Its a good project to watch unfold,or should that be come toward completion.
Yes, the guy picks it up from an inner city area of Birmingham, one of the Tipper Transport Companies, I would not think it would have originated there, its most likely just a yard containing recycled aggregates and the like. My original guestimate was six tonnes at a cost of £210.00, the Turf costing about the same, had two quotes to redo the lawn as was, six months ago, one was £1000.00 the other £1200.00 if I remember right, so if job is completed by me, I’ll be £600.00 to £800.00 tp the good.
Can’t see anything it says image not found
Only the very first Image on post one I think Muddy.
Cheaper than here, a graded tonne of soil is £45 delivered.
The first one and a half Tonne was £58, subsequent deliveries are 10% off so £52. I reckon it will take one and a half Tonnes to fill this strip to height, Start about 7.30am tomorrow. We are forecast heavy showers Monday, Tuesday so that will help the settling process aided by the fact I will have my Roller by then.
Can you see what its going to be yet?
https://i.ibb.co/5B3WHC3/88133-BCC-2-E68-414-B-BF89-A9-E1-FE0-B00-AC.jpg
Hard work,
Its been a “Draining” morning:-) where there is chaos, let there be order. Just got to mock up a six inch square of timber, to replicate a drain cover, then mortar in sloping sides, oh, and cut a block paver for the gap on the far side.
https://i.ibb.co/kXhM0Sp/96-E6-FAFD-0-CD6-41-DB-8796-E80-F73-A5-C23-C.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/PNqWsQQ/BD0-D0070-7-E3-A-41-EA-BDAF-22547-D5827-F4.jpg
On second thoughts, I’ll just buy one of these and mortar it in, the cover costs this much on its own.
https://i.ibb.co/LxTWnHV/60421-F08-5-AD6-4191-9352-2-CCF3750-F218.jpg
Top tip - put some sticky tape along the rim at the top to stop mortar smears;-)
OK Dex, good thinking, I’ll mask it up, its been a good day, one Drain and a tonne and half of Topsoil. I should have my roller tomorrow so, I will move back onto the small lawn side and start compacting, the second photo shows how much of the first three tonnes I have left which should be plenty to deal with any compacting that may occur, then I should be turfing this side by Wednesday.
https://i.ibb.co/y63hHpN/5-D817810-BAD0-4-B93-AD07-72-A16-B507506.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/56przJ0/D43-C549-E-6374-489-B-943-E-ECC4-F958-BBF4.jpg
Bought my Roller, just haven’t been advised when I can collect it, so, I went and collected ten more slabs this morning, scraped the bit of lawn where the path in front of the Office will be then checked the set out with a line, the line on the pegs marks the thickness of the mortar required for the bedding.
The original path travels 9 metres up the garden, 5 metres across, the the block pavers return (9 metres) to the slab where the Water Butt is so, including the 5 metres about to be laid, the spirit level has guided me 28 metres and has me bang on plumb (photo 3).:-)
https://i.ibb.co/K7TrPbB/B30-DECCD-9472-401-B-9-A43-C8-ED2-BAEEB3-F.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/HKV2rWF/5770-B252-DE13-44-CE-90-B8-608813-B195-AF.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/d0fG0jS/4207336-D-2802-4895-ACFD-F84-D03-FE3-B3-C.jpg
Just picked the Roller up, didn’t need the blanket to protect the car, it was only used once then reboxed.
https://i.ibb.co/MVwbD26/2-B4-A9-BDE-5-A9-F-4-EA5-8-F3-B-74-A623-EA4-FB8.jpg
Here we go again, more slabs.
https://i.ibb.co/Qv2rvPH/05-CD8-AD1-1-B94-42-EB-922-B-8-E19-DE81403-C.jpg
Ready now to make the new drain.
https://i.ibb.co/GM6T74K/68-C272-E4-0096-44-DC-81-AE-D7-C6-D8-D12467.jpg
Got fed up with slabs so, I have put the small piece of paver far side, and cut a polystyrene plug, to protect the drain from the mortar.
https://i.ibb.co/3sL76cY/58-C25143-EE22-4-EB0-A75-E-A2661-FCB7018.jpg
Will probably mix 50/50 building and sharp sand to make mortar.