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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be angry with our landscaper

25 replies

MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 15:47

We've just spent a considerable amount of money with a builder/landscaper. 5 figure sum doing our drive patio and garden. The absolute last job was laying the turf. Due to a slight miscalculation by me we were 5 rolls short on turf this morning (literally the last job) now I've been saying all along its too hot to turf but of course he has his next job booked in! Bearing in mind what we've spent with him he's laid the turf and basically left it scorching in the hot sun! I have two small kids a raging headache and cold. The heat is melting us all and ruining my new lawn. I can't go on it so I'm hopelessly firing a hose across it. It seems so superficial and I'm praying for rain.

OP posts:
Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 15:47

The calculation has nothing to do with it really that was his bad mood. The whole lawn has been laid in the scorching sun

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Titsywoo · 20/07/2016 15:49

You can put wooden boards on it and walk on them to water it. No way should he have laid it in this weather though!

RhiWrites · 20/07/2016 15:51

With a 5 figure sum he should have insurance. Ask him how you claim if the turf dries up in the heatwave and note what you're doing already to try to alleviate the situation.

Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 15:54

Yes I hope so re:insurance. We are away this weekend for a wedding so worried about it and if it dries out. I'm trying to organise someone to come water it for us. And it can't be superficial. I feel so ill anyway and this is stressing me out. So frustrating. Actually got my eldest 'playing firefighter' and watering it from the patio. But it's superficial. What a d!ck I'm actually cursing him and I'm normally not like that at all

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Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 15:55

Ps what's the difference between walking on boards (his worker was doing that this morning I saw) and walking with feet? Thanks

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Out2pasture · 20/07/2016 16:00

Please don't water in the full sun. This will burn the grass, water early am before 10 or late after 6.

RobinHumphries · 20/07/2016 16:01

Walking on boards spreads the weight

Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 16:02

Ahh ok!! Oh gosh I better stop watering

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IdaDown · 20/07/2016 16:03

You can't walk on newly laid turf - it damages it.

Turf can be laid all year round just not in frost/snow. I presume when you booked the job, you/landscaper didn't know what the weather was going to be like.

Get one of those on ground sprinkler hose attachments. Turn on tap, periodically move sprinkler bit, job done.

Pay a friends reliable teen to water whilst you're away.

You'll need to water turf for next 6 weeks, till the roots establish into ground.

Sonders · 20/07/2016 16:04

I second PP - don't water it in this sun - it will only make it die quicker! To be fair when I was laying turf I was told don't even think about laying it in the summer months so not sure why the landscaper would schedule it for this time of year either.

YANBU to be angry, but it is just turf - worst case scenario is you need to re-lay it in September.

acasualobserver · 20/07/2016 16:06

Agree, wait until evening. Use a sprinkler and give a good soaking. Repeat each evening for several days.

VertiginousOust · 20/07/2016 16:10

Forget the hose, you won't be able to water it enough. You need a sprinkler on it for at least an hour.
Don't worry, it'll be fine, we had turf laid during a heatwave and watered it morning and evening and it was fine. we are forecast rain tomorrow and Friday at the moment, what's the view where you are for the weekend?

Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 16:17

Dry!! We've just had a short sunny shower and I hear thunder but it's hot and sunny outside. Will purchase a sprinkler. Hoping if DH gets back he won't mind watering it for a bit. Could I ask what sprinkler to buy?

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Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 16:19

When can kids play on it? No we didn't know what weather would be like and he was the most reasonable of the 5 figure quotes so I waited for him for 2 months to start

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BalloonSlayer · 20/07/2016 16:22

Why is it his fault the weather turned hot??? Confused

Did you think he was going to lay the turf first or something?

Why did you arrange for a job you knew would end with you having to intensely water some new turf to take place just before you went away for the weekend?

Why is this everyone else's fault but yours?

BengalCatMum · 20/07/2016 16:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

springwaters · 20/07/2016 16:36

I had turf laid in a heatwave once- it did just fine. Wait until the evening and water it well. Leave the sprinklers on overnight. Don't walk on it without boards.

acasualobserver · 20/07/2016 16:40

Your lawn isn't necessarily screwed. Keep watering it and see what happens - you will know soon enough if it's going to be OK. The kids will have to be kept off it for three weeks or so - wait until the turf does not give when you step on it.

SausageDogGeorge · 20/07/2016 16:43

We laid loads of turf last year when it was hot but it turned out really well. Use a sprinkler attachment for the hose and just move it every now & again to make sure all of it gets wet. It should be fine - very tight of him to just lay it and go though! Should have at least offered you instruction of how to look after it in the heat!

Catanddogmake6 · 20/07/2016 16:51

Hozelok sprinklers are fine. Have a tendency of breaking if left out in winter but will do the job. Depending on size of garden it will dictate which one you want - probably the long thin one as will cover more ground as opposed to the round one. Karcher make sprinklers too but not tried. Worst case buy a cheap one - will still be better than standing outside with a hose. You can also buy timers for the outside taps. Leave it set for when you are away. Worst that will happen is you might water in the rain.
Plus the other points - don't walk on it and don't water in heat of day.

Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 17:05

Don't know who asked all those questions but to answer a few it's a 5 figure project so big. Secondly timings were dictated by his availabilty. Sadly I cannot tell someone when to get married and it's our 5th wedding of the year (so far) it's pretty hard for us to say don't do our garden as we have very few free weekends. All these weddings have been immediate family or best friends (don't get/or expect to be invited to others). I have a karcher hose so I guess that sprinkler would work best? I'll check on line at John Lewis.

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Original poster
MoonStar07 · 20/07/2016 17:06

Thanks for the reassurance I'm hoping for storms!!

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BananaInPyjama · 21/07/2016 06:15

here in Aus we avoid laying tuf in summer because its over 30 for days on end and there is no rain/often a hosepipe ban.

But laying it on one day of 30 deg will not kill it. Look up 'turf care'...you water 2 times daily for 2 weeks, then once daily for 2 weeks, then every 2-3 days for 2 weeks, then you can walk on it. At least that's what our turf needed.

It will be fine

TotalConfucius · 21/07/2016 06:44

You can get a timer too so the sprinkler comes on automatically at dusk and switches itself off after a couple of hours, which will help over the wedding weekend.

Original poster
MoonStar07 · 21/07/2016 21:24

Thanks eveyone we're getting there on the watering, yes only 1 day over 30 lol

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