We're picking up the keys to our new house on Monday and cannot wait!
The garden is fabulous, and one of the things that makes this house "the one", but it has some seriously steep terracing in the middle section. There are three parts to it - upper flat grassy bit, steep terraces with steps, lower patio. When the DC are all older the steepness won't matter, but for now our youngest and last is only 14 months so of course we need to keep her safe as there's nothing stopping her tumbling.
There are two things we can do:
- build a child-proof fence/gate across where the slope begins (it's very sudden and steep) which is the cheaper option
- build out raised decking over some of the steep terrace (maybe 2-3 metres?) increasing the usable flat part of the garden and it would also be a nice sun trap in the evening. A neighbour has done this so it is feasible. Obviously there would be a fence at the far end and we'd still need fence for the remaining part and a gate
The garden is approximately 10m in width.
We are completely and utterly new to any form of garden landscaping having always lived in tiny, flat gardens before and have not the first clue on the likely costs. If putting in a fence is going to cost loads, if we later got the decking done after doing the fence originally, the fence money would be wasted. This wouldn't matter if the fence was peanuts but if it's a significant amount we might as well tighten our belts and go for the decking straight off. However if the decking is going to cost a small fortune then we'll stick with the fence indefinitely.
I don't want to bother people for quotes until I'm more confident over the likely sort of prices for either fence or decking. Can anyone give me a rough sort of idea? I have no idea if we're talking hundreds or thousands here, I really know nothing on landscaping costs or how long it might take either! We're in the SE but not London.
Thanks!!