how much would it cost?

[WildCats]

we have a really tiny back yard. it is concreted over and all higgledy piggledy iyswim.

im wanting to make it into a little garden for dd but it has a shared walkway, like right through the middle.

id love to get it all turfed over but have no idea how much it would cost, or how to go about getting all the concrete taken up???

can someone please enlighten me

thank you in advance

[discoverlife]

All I can say is to get some quotes, and listen to what they are saying, then figure out if you could do some of it yourself.

[pankhurst]

hire a kango from local DIY shop? I did this and they are quite heavy but not as expensive as MAN and DODGY PRICING STRUCTURE...otherwise depends on size of plot. Maybe a day to do a small yard and traise it through house in wheelbarrow? would need to consider removal - either skip hire ?£100 - or bag it and then get a rubbish removal lorry (usually traveller company from yello pages) to turn up and take it away for 40 quid ish

so can be cheapish, or more expensive...

replacement needs thinking about too. lawn i did was NOT an experience I woudl repeat.
turfing is a pain cos needs to be flat, I think. problem with grass in general - plus you can't play on it when it;'s damp.

so I would now recommend half half or even replace with better concrete/slabs/gravel and border areas for plants

[pankhurst]

ps just read your 'eacuse i'm a man' thread...funny!

[WildCats]

thank you for that. im wanting grass for dd really. i was planning on getting it all paved and having a border for plants but the i found out i was pg and that went out of the window

[pankhurst]

grass is the bit i would genuinely say is the expert bit where your money would pay off. like plastering. and wiring. and gas.

woudl plan budget from that end of the spectrum and then se if there's money enough to save you drilling round the yeard like a crazy thing.

(or your hubby) though sometimes they like doing that sort of thing and it makes them sleep better!

[discoverlife]

The first step is going to be getting the concrete up. As you have a shared path you won't be lugging it all through the house. Get your other half and some of his mate over, promise them beer, and a chance to play on a man toy (the Kango) and leave them to it. You will also need a few pairs of strong gloves, safty goggles and on of those 6foot long pry bars (giant crow bar) a sledge hammer is usefull as well. Hire a skip for 1 day and get it done in one day.
The garden will look worse for done this way until you can get to the next stage. Once you have cleared all the crud out you will be amazed at how much space you actually have.
The next weekend with the promise of more beer, get the motley crew in to either dig over level what you have, or to bring in top soil that you have bought. Tools need would be shovels, wheel barrow and a rake.
For cheapness you can seed your self but it will take time to show results, but your LO wont be needing it for a while.
Other alternatives is to turn one end into a kids play area (closest to the house maybe) and the other side into a decking area for tipples of an evening.