Cost of paving for new greenhouse base
Pete.8
Posts: 11,340
I have an area at the end of my 150ft garden that measures 30ft x 30ft.
It's currently a wilderness and I would like to have a greenhouse, raised beds and a wildlife area. I've sprayed everything with glyphosphate 3 x over the last 3 months and all vegetation is now dead.
I was planning on having an area 20ft x 20ft paved and putting the 10 x 8 g/house in the middle. I'd like it to be completed by next spring.
I contacted 11 landscapers who have good reviews and asked if they would quote. I sent detailed to-scale drawings.
Only 1 came back to me, and they gave me a quote of £9,000+VAT (£10,800) to clear the dead vegetation, level the ground and lay the paving.
The paving slabs they suggested (Marshall's Saxon) will cost in the region of £1000.
I have no concept of costs for such work, but that does sound rather pricey.
Anyone got any ideas as to how much it should cost to have 20ft x 20ft paving laid down properly?
I'm not looking for cheap, but I do want value for money.
Many thanks
Pete
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Posts
There ripping you off with that price. I had a 10' X 8 slab base layed that I brought the material and got the work done for £200 so that equates on your measure as approx £1800 for labour
I would definitely look elsewhere
Wow thats a whooping price, But I do it for a small fee of £9999
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I dont personally think you need fancy paving at the end of the garden to sit a greenhouse on top of, I would use 3x2 flags for the greenhouse base, you could use bark chipping around raised beds to save on money.
My 10 x 8 Gh is on 3x2 flags laid on a bit of hardcore and soil/clay ( it is easier using cement ), I got some 2nd hand flags for £2 and laid them myself saved a fortune.
Outrageous. I suspect they've priced themselves out for whatever reason. Maybe they are too busy but realised that not getting back to you would damage their reputation even more...like the other ten.
Ask around your neighbours and see if they know anyone or do what I do...keep an eye as you're driving about and go to people's door and ask them who did their work. (I've also done it for "where'd you get your front door", "who made your gates",...I could go on...)
Day before yesterday on my way to the wood yard I spied a cracking half built fence. I went to the door and the guy said he's doing it himself but when I eventually start mine he'll stand by. People like to help.
Check out some Tommy Walsh videos on youtube and you might even DIY like Perki! It's not complicated, just very heavy!
That's obviously a ridiculous price! Can I ask why you're paving the entire space and not just having your beds directly in the ground (raised or otherwise) and paving a pathway and around the edges?
A quick look for those slabs on Wickes they're £4.80 each for a 45cm^2 slab (on offer at the moment), so you are looking at around £1000 unless you can use a cheaper slab or use fewer.
I would think your builder friend from up the road could get that done in a week for closer to two thousand, especially if he's unable to work on bigger projects due to poor autumn weather!
I'd agree with DHRiley.
You don't need anything fancy for the base - you just need sturdy and well laid. A decent landscaper will do that if you don't have someone local who has a good reputation, as ppauper suggests.
Save your money for the rest of the paved area - I'm assuming you want the rest of it as a patio/seating area. Pick the paving you like, buy it and get quotes to lay it - remembering to factor in the cost of the prep and materials for the base if you don't want to do it all yourself
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you all so much for your helpful replies and suggestions.
I guess £10.5k is rather OTT. I was guessing at around £6k which is not cheap, but not overly expensive. I've got too much other stuff to be getting on with to do it myself.
My Mum died in March and I promised her I would get a nice g/house etc with some of what she left me, so I want it to be just right. She was in the land-army in WW2 and worked in vast g/houses. She grew fab toms at home too, so it will be a place where I'll feel close to Mum - when it eventually gets done.
I spoken with most people down the road where I live, and many of my fellow dog-walkers and I've only got one recommendation for a man with a shovel, but I'll explore that option.
Thanks again
Pete
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Thought I'd share my plan, so here it is-
Re costs, I done some looking and reckon
Paving £1000
Type 1 sub £200
Rammer hire £100
Microdigger £250
Electrics £350
Compactor £20
Cement etc £250
So costs are around £2k, the rest labour
I just want the paving done, I'll do the rest. (the quote I got excludes electrics)
The ground does slope, so will have to be levelled and compacted first
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Nice memories of your Mum, Pete. I'm sure you'll do her proud
Get yourself a nice greenhouse and carry on her tomato tradition - you'll get plenty of assistance with those if you need it too!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks fg - I'll do my best.
I've only got a 6 x 2 g/house atm which is fine to raise some pants, but now I'm semi-retired a proper g/house will keep me out of mischief - a little bit
Despite the impracticability of growing toms in the little g/house I still grow many more than I can eat, so the neighbours wont go short of toms next year!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.