Does this sound reasonable?

[DelGirl]

I want to have my front garden done. Currently it has a border which is about 3ft deep and 15ft wide. Some planting will be removed and replaced with shrubs (about 4/5ft width).

Then the turf will be taken up and replaced with membrane and large gravel with edging cemented all round. Whole area about 15 ft by 16ft? at a guess. I'll have 6 or so slabs laid also and about 9 grasses put in and around the gravelled area. Have been quoted £520.

[Piffle]

Price sounds ok assuming it includes all the plants?, hope you like sweeping :)
Our little bit of gravel out front gets everywhere :(

[DelGirl]

yes includes the plants. It will be 14mm stone so not tiny. I wanted larger (20mm) but he thinks it'll look better smaller. He has done 2 gardens for me which i'm pleased with but I know things are slow at the mo which could work 2 ways. I just think compared to what he charged for my 2 gardens, it sounds more than I was hoping. The again I did expect to pay 3/400 and he's doing a bit more than I originally thought

[DelGirl]

bump already

[Feistybird]

How long will it take him?

[DelGirl]

not sure tbh, he didn't say but I guess with concreting in edges, levelling paving etc etc a day, day and a half and he can start tomorrow

[DelGirl]

he'll also be dumping the turf. I think a day is enough as when he's laid the membrane he's only got to put on the gravel and sweep it about a bit .

[booge]

Sounds very reasonable to me. DH is a landscape gardener and I type up his quotes.

[DelGirl]

oh that's good. Where abouts are you booge, we're in the south I don't know if that makes any difference?

[Feistybird]

so £520 covers 2 days work plus materials? Yes, v.reasonable.

[DelGirl]

well a days work I think, so still reasonable? he's very good looking as well, does that help lol

[Feistybird]

deal done then!

[DelGirl]

lol, yeah thought so. Oh, except i'll be at work tomorrow so won't see the muscles flexing I'll ring him later and say yes then. ooh, no more mowing (out the front at least)

[Kittypickle]

Think I'm too late but if you need anything else done you need the guy who does my garden. He is a retired policeman, charges £8 an hour and works really really hard. Lovely guy and really good with DS who refused point blank to come into the house because he wanted to help him with the digging. Come over soon and have a cup of tea on my new deck he built!

[booge]

We are near Bristol if that helps.

[throckenholt]

work out how many hours you think it would take one person to do - work that out at say £10 per hour - how close does that come to the price ?

Guestimate the cost of materials and plants.

sounds reasonable to me.

[DelGirl]

I've booked it, he's starting tomorrow . Rang a friend of mine who had hers done recently, similar size but all he did was take up the turf, lay membrane and gravel. No edging or plants or anything and that was £350 so I think it's ok.

Booge, Bristol & Dorset prices must be pretty similar I imagine.

Kittypickle, would love to see what you've done to your place. Sounds fantastic. Also I must apologise for not replying to your email . Sorry.

btw, I looked in B&Q this afternoon at prices and although i'm sure he'll get it cheaper, it does seem fine.

Thanks. I'll post a pic when it's done