AIBU to take out a £30k personal loan to revamp our odd garden?

[GardenDeLuxe]

Would you??

We've had a rough quote from a gardener and this is the ballpark. We would have to finance it... at least a big chunk of it.

I've lived in my house for over 15 years and the garden has always been pretty rubbish. We have always struggled to know what to do with it. It has a strange plot shape so consists of multiple triangle shapes around the house. We are on a hill as well, so it's on lots of different levels so feels very disjointed.

We have 8 years left on our mortgage (£55k balance)... I think the current rate is currently similar to a personal loan. So, it seems a personal loan is a better way to go??? Seems 'frivolous' to take out a personal loan somehow - but then we would have a horrible garden forevermore otherwise??!

AIBU to just take out a loan as you only live once?!

Well, if you can afford the repayments and it will make you happy, yes, do it!

That's a lot! How big is the garden? What does the quote include? Is there anything you can do yourselves. Also, will it require a lot of upkeep once done?

Although £30k sounds a lot for a garden but if it is an odd shape and you think it will look great and make you happy for years to come then go for it.

I'm usually a 'Yes! Do it!' but I'm not sure I'd go into £30K of debt for a garden...

I wouldn’t personally.
How old are you and are you ever going to move again?

No, not personally BUT I'm keen on gardening and DH is very handy and can do pretty much anything DIY. I'd rather slog it out myself. It totally depends on what this 30k is getting you as well -how big is the space? What's included?

This, but with a healthy dose of realism on what it can achieve and whether you'll feel it's value for money. When all's said and done, it will still be multiple triangle shapes around the house and on a hill. What are they going to do that will make it £30k better?

All for it though, if that really stands up to scrutiny and you can afford it.

Personally I wouldn’t.

I wouldn't do anything until say a year from now , wait until after the election .

I’d be getting more quotes.
What’s a ‘rough quote’ anyway? An estimate?

Much better to reduce the mortgage, maybe pick a part of the garden to improve for 5k instead.

What are you getting done for 30k? Do you have the funds or time/interest in gardening to ensure upkeep? Beautiful gardens need attention and money spent on them consistently.
But yes, I would spend 30k if I had the money and a large garden.

If you are able to do any of it yourself then I would. Much better to get your mortgage paid off. We had a quote for landscaping of about 15-20k. We've done it ourselves for about 5k, yes it took much longer but could not justify such a big spend. We are lucky that we have experience in renovating etc though.

I don't think it is unreasonable in principle to borrow money to make long term improvements to your home and garden. I assume we are talking landscaping here, not just a few plants!

Are you sure a personal loan offers the same interest rates as adding to your mortgage?? That would be unusual I think. Go for the cheapest interest rate.

£30k debt for a garden? Nope, no way. Will it add £30k in value to the house when you sell? If not, you'd be crazy to take on debt for it.

I'd do it bit by bit myself to be honest, with maybe some ideas from an online garden designer or landscaper who will provide plans and ideas for a small price, that you could work towards executing yourself over time.

Pay to do a Level 2 horticulture course (work based city and guilds). It takes 1 year, can be done eves or weekends. Learn all you need to do it yourself, meet gardeners and then look after it yourself! That’s a much better project?

And use the gardening and diy boards on mumsnet for support :)

When all's said and done, it will still be multiple triangle shapes around the house and on a hill. What are they going to do that will make it £30k better?

This.
Imagine how gutted you’d feel paying back £30k and still being unhappy with the garden.

It is a lot! But, I think we really need expertise from professionals. We’ve tried many times over the years to do bits and pieces and it’s never been right as the entire design needs to be fundamentally changed.

It would mainly be landscaping, plus cladding of a garage that we had extended (so is a mishmash of different brickwork so is pretty ugly).

We can afford the repayments, but obviously we don’t know what’s around the corner.

No plans to move. The thought of it being the same forever feels depressing.

We’re not gardeners, but perhaps I would start if the space is inviting enough!

It will mainly be landscaping... so not much upkeep. Collectively, the space is not small, but it has such unusual plot spaces around the house, it doesn't feel like it. We are just at very early stages, so the next step would be the design process and proper quote. They gave £30k as indicative based on some of landscaping, cladding, etc.

I'm 48. Not planning to move.

Honestly I wouldn’t. 30k is a lot vs your outstanding mortgage, especially as you don’t have the cash up front. Tbh I’m not surprised at the quote if there’s a lot of hard landscaping. It’s worth shopping around to find a proper gardener. Most landscaping companies are builders who really push the hard materials, that’s what they know. A gardener will assess your landscape and look at plants trees and shrubs. You can make a lot of savings by buying smaller plants that will grow into the garden over time (and it often doesn’t take as long as you think - a couple of years will make s big difference)
You don’t have to live with an awful garden but there’s a middle ground between that and a 30k design,

Personally I wouldn't .
It seems a lot for a garden although I'm assuming most of the cost is landscaping.
Maybe if it's your forever home but I'd still save .

Do you think it'll make much difference?

I wouldn’t do it if it required taking out a 30k loan, no. If you could afford those loan repayments I would instead put that amount of money to one side for the next year or so, and then have another think. 30k of debt for an extension/house reno, yes, 30k of debt for a garden, no.

That sounds a lot OP. Ive just had part of our garden landscaped. An area about 6m x 30m flattened by bulldozer (basically created a terrace on a slope), lined, covered with chippings and then a retaining wall 4m x 3 m built and cladded for 15K. Took about 2 weeks of labour by 2 men.

Materials are expensive, but even at £30k I'd be getting other quotes.