Replacing garden stones with paving and grass - help

[Doggydoodlez]

Our small front garden is covered in gravel stones which I hate, ideally I'd like to replace them with paving stones and lay some grass too. I've been quoted by one company £1500 - 1800 which I just can't afford. So I'm thinking we try it ourselves only my husband and I have no flipping experience and no clue where to start. Does anyone have any hints or tips or even an idiots guide I can look up!

Only the obvious try googling laying grass and/or laying paving slabs on YouTube. Get some idea of paving prices from online builders merchants and/or places like Wickes/B&Q. And even if you don't fancy doing it it will help you be aware of what the person quoting you should be doing/buying.

Thanks I'll check them out, I did start googling but why I found seemed a bit complicated 🙈 my husband seems to think he'll be able to do it but he's hot a history of thinking he can do things and cutting corners 🙄

Well you probably can 'cut' some corners - if you were to want to park a car on the slabs you'd prefer to have them laid on a good solid base. But if they were just for you to put a table and chairs on you could 'probably' get away with putting weed fabric/sand down on the gravel?
The more videos you watch and the research you do the clearer things become. :) You could do the planning and laying the slabs get your hubby to do the heavy labouring?! :D

ps I've only ever done the 'lazy' sand slab laying, it looks okay for a short time!

Oh and I'm not sure whether the Gov regs about paving front gardens would come into play for you?

www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/45/paving_your_front_garden

And don't do what I did and google how deep the solid base needs to be that sbplanet is referring to.. yes I really am stupid enough to google hard core

@goodbyehi Lol! ROFL! As a veggie grower I once googled the name of a melon for more growing info. Always tricky with melons, especially one known as Minnesota Midget! :D

Badly laid paving really is awful, and if you and dh aren't reasonable DIYers could you pay for the skilled bits but do the prep yourselves? Paving needs to be level but with a barely noticeable slope to make sure it drains in the best direction, this is especially important close to the house!

If you dig it all out to the necessary depth and get rid of all the waste yourself (Hippo bags are great) and then get someone in to lay the paving, then once that's done, you and dh can prep and lay the lawn (and save money using seed instead of turf).

I did wonder about getting someone to just do the paving, I've been wondering what those bags are called thanks