Uneven concrete back yard - cheap fix?

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I have a very uneven concrete back yard (quite small, just concrete all over, not slabs). When it rains, it pools in areas.

Just wondering if there is anything I can do about this on a very low budget to make it look nicer? I was thinking I could gravel over the concrete and perhaps lay some cheap decking pieces or tiles of some kind as like "stepping stones" throughout the gravel

Or will this not work?

I can't have the yard professionally done for a couple of years and was hoping for a cheap/easy fix!

Please help?

Can you post pictures? It would be easier to make suggestions then.

Please ignore the mess of boxes in my dining room, we were unpacking when I took this!

Stencil it? See Pinterest. Easy cheap and effective.

@soundsgreektome

Stencil it? See Pinterest. Easy cheap and effective.

The problem is that it's uneven too

Like this?

You could create a pebbled seating area, but be warned it will feel hard under foot and you may need to have some kind of drainage in place if there are flooding issues.

Another option, build a large wooden planter on either side and fill them with lots of colourful plants.

Or paint the concrete for now and find some furniture to obscure the uneven bits on each side

Whatever you do, don’t breach the damp proof course.

Can you buy a small bag of cement and fill in the uneven bits to make it smoother. Then paint as pp suggested - which looks fab. A few nice bedding plants in some containers and a table and chairs. Job done.
Containers could be anything. I used old kitchen pots, pans, colander and kettles which came from skips in one patio garden.

Can I cement the lower areas myself? I thought this might be difficult. I get 3 puddles in the middle of the yard, just a bit uneven for any furniture!

I love the stencils

I bought some patio rugs, they can't actually be left out, and no good in rain, but I put them down if I'm sitting out there or if people are coming, makes it looks loads nicer.

IKEA do those decking tiles? It's a small area so wouldn't be expensive. I'd fill it with containers and lots of colour. You won't notice the concrete then

The problem with putting gravel down is that you'll still get pooling water, and possibly worse as it won't be able to evaporate as easily.

I would get rid of those loose bricks and plant up that border, put some big pots and a small table and chairs and you'll be amazed at how different it feels out there.

If you're changing it in a couple of years I really would just live with it as best you can for now, it could still look lovely.

I would add decking to sort out the problem of it been uneven, make the base so it'll sit level and attach to wall. You could put some nice furniture out there for a nice seating area.

Alternatively a nice outdoor rug and some outdoor beam bags.

Our ‘garden’ was similar, we borrowed a breaker and removed the concrete - did it all ourselves and plan to them gravel/flower beds. Gravel without concrete underneath will allow water to drain/soak away. The only real cost was removing the concrete but I wonder if you could slowly take it to dump?

I personally quite like slate, you could have stepping stones and occasional pot plants/ small trees/water feature. It might be a little more than gravel but doesn't attract cats quite as much.

I'd like to know if there's a fix to be done too.

I’d be more worried about the guttering! But don’t cover the air bricks. I’d leave it until you could afford to do it how you want it, a few planters would cheer it up.

I was thinking of filling in any holes with some cement. Patching/ Pot hole filling rather than levelling the entire area. Iyswim.
It won’t last long, but I got the impression you wanted to buy some time?
I wouldn’t cover it in gravel as you will have to move it when you so whatever your future plans are and it won’t help with drainage/evaporation.

Have you cleared the ivy out of the guttering? Rain will be running down the plant, rather than the drain, so that will be contributing to the volume of water.

Oh dear, another drain broken and leaking in the ground. You're the third this week.

I strongly advise against laying any more concrete, because when the repair is done, it will have to be dug out again.

You could put down a few paving slabs as stepping stones, I suppose.

Please take some more photos of those pipes, and the concrete around them.

At my old house a long previous owner had concreted the front yard & the person who sold it to us had broken it all up as much as possible and then put topsoil over it. Is that an option? If you are prepared for a bit of graft it won’t cost much.

Take PigletJohn's advice on any repairs.

Paint the walls white and brighten up the whole area. Maybe up to the window if you don't want to paint the whole of the house. Make it much more welcoming. Lots of tall growing plants in pots?

@PigletJohn

Oh dear, another drain broken and leaking in the ground. You're the third this week.

I strongly advise against laying any more concrete, because when the repair is done, it will have to be dug out again.

You could put down a few paving slabs as stepping stones, I suppose.

Please take some more photos of those pipes, and the concrete around them.

Thank you for this advice, I will take a picture tomorrow, just in bed with my little one for the night now & have only just seen this!

New old house, so many issues haha!

Thank you all for your advice, I am so grateful!

@Igetknockeddown

Have you cleared the ivy out of the guttering? Rain will be running down the plant, rather than the drain, so that will be contributing to the volume of water.

This will be done soon, I didn't even think of it causing more water, but I wanted rid of it anyway as it grows like crazy!