Home D.I.Y.

[CXRAndy]

Can you take down the soil near the wall too?

Are you planning to add some drainage behind the timbers which hold back the lawn?

 

[Electric_Andy]

Yes I've taken the corner out as well, so the step is a parallel face all the way to the wall

 

[Electric_Andy]

Yes I've taken the corner out as well, so the step is a parallel face all the way to the wall

This is turning into a right headache. The lower garden is now roughly level and the retaining walls are complete.
But, in order for me to have the appropriate (12mm/metre) slope for water run-off, I have to move 4 inches off the top half of the would-be-patio area. Luckily we have another patch where I can shovel the excess soil.

I'll then have to compact the soil prior to me laying the sub-base. The sub-base is arriving in the next few days (2 x 800kg bags) and we have no side access. So I'll have to wheelbarrow it all through the house, take a panel off the decking so I can tip it 5ft onto the garden below, then transport it down to the lower patch. Luckily our decking is being replaced on the 28th anyway.

Then I'll have to lay the sub-base and re-hire a whacker plate. I think this is going to kill me. But we might have a patio at the end of it

 

[Fastpedaller]

This is turning into a right headache. The lower garden is now roughly level and the retaining walls are complete.
But, in order for me to have the appropriate (12mm/metre) slope for water run-off, I have to move 4 inches off the top half of the would-be-patio area. Luckily we have another patch where I can shovel the excess soil.

I'll then have to compact the soil prior to me laying the sub-base. The sub-base is arriving in the next few days (2 x 800kg bags) and we have no side access. So I'll have to wheelbarrow it all through the house, take a panel off the decking so I can tip it 5ft onto the garden below, then transport it down to the lower patch. Luckily our decking is being replaced on the 28th anyway.

Then I'll have to lay the sub-base and re-hire a whacker plate. I think this is going to kill me. But we might have a patio at the end of it

If it kills you the Family can put you under the patio!

 

[Electric_Andy]

If it kills you the Family can put you under the patio!

very true!

 

[Electric_Andy]

What a catastrophe. Trying to remove a glass decking panel and it exploded. Only cut me once but showered my partner in glass and she has about 5 cuts on her hand and chest. She was underneath holding it. Took me all afternoon clearing it up. Now I've got to shovel a ton of earth before I can start barrowing sub base in through the house 😭

 

[Fastpedaller]

What a catastrophe. Trying to remove a glass decking panel and it exploded. Only cut me once but showered my partner in glass and she has about 5 cuts on her hand and chest. She was underneath holding it. Took me all afternoon clearing it up. Now I've got to shovel a ton of earth before I can start barrowing sub base in through the house 😭

Crikey - hope you are both ok. Take care and take your time. I always find these sort of things happen if I rush at things (YMMV)

 

[CXRAndy]

So I'll have to wheelbarrow it all through the house

😲

That must be horrific, even if you get 50kg in each wheelbarrow that's 32 trips (64 inc return )through the house !!!

I hope you're young and strong

 

[Electric_Andy]

😲

That must be horrific, even if you get 50kg in each wheelbarrow that's 32 trips (64 inc return )through the house !!!

I hope you're young and strong

No. No I am not

 

[Electric_Andy]

I've leveled the patch as best I can. Off to hire a compactor now. I'm a bit worried that some areas of soil will compact more than others so I'll have to level it again. Or should I just spread the hardcore and compact that?

 

[newts]

I've leveled the patch as best I can. Off to hire a compactor now. I'm a bit worried that some areas of soil will compact more than others so I'll have to level it again. Or should I just spread the hardcore and compact that?

If the ground is still soft, you'll need to dig it out or it'll keep sinking. It'll be like putting hardcore on top of a mattress otherwise.

 

[rockyroller]

got the basement vent back in, now that it has warmed up

 

[fossyant]

Been doing a bit of a refresh on the kitchen - well MrsF has. The kitchen units went in when we bought the house and were originally dark wood. We refreshed these 5-6 years ago with furniture paint to a pale grey. Lasts well and just needs the occasional touch up if the doors get caught, so daughter did that, whilst MrsF re-tiled the floor.

Our biggest issue is storage.

Next has been to modernise a bit, so we've ordered plinth drawers so we can move baking trays etc below the units in the void where the plinth is. This will need me to move some legs about and fit a new 'plinth'. Our kitchen came without any of those fancy corner shelving units that pull out of the lower cabinets (they are on an arm mechanism), so we've ordered a small one for an end cupboard and one for the corner unit as we just can't access the back. We'd been looking for ages for some that would fit our units, and B&Q just so happen to have some - we went in and looked at them (on-line order only) and then double checked the measurements. They will fit, but I will need to move a double socket at the back of one unit as that's where the oven 'clock' and hob ignition are plugged in (the oven has a main circuit connection and plug). Hoping this will be relatively easy as it's only fixed to the unit back board - I just need to move it up 10cm, so 'should' have enough slack cable to do this, otherwise it's going to be a pain.

I can see lots of swearing ahead as I'll need to be on the floor to fit these.

 

[DCLane]

SWMBO bought a new kitchen a couple of months ago, paying cash to get a big discount after having the design done. It's currently boxed, sat in the guest bedroom where I had been trying to hide several bikes.

Later this week a plasterer arrives to start removing tiles and re-plastering walls and the ceiling, so today we began cleaning and clearing out some cupboards. One at least needs dismantling since there's a bit of a move round.

Lots of items we've collected / been given over the years and just don't use are now boxed and off to the charity recycling container at the tip later this week.

 

[CXRAndy]

My lad is starting some extra patio works in his garden. His garden slopes away a bit at the back, so will need a fair bit of soil and hard-core to bring up the levels. He wants a flat paving, not following the slope.
I'd suggested he will need to compact down this new material, so I've just received a petrol wacker plate. Not just for him, we have some need to use one, this year and next.