ᐅ Affordable landscaping for a new build – what is the best approach?
Created on: 9 Apr 2022 11:16
M
MarkoW.
Good morning everyone,
As some of you may have heard, we are building a semi-detached house as a prefabricated home. As is common with most suppliers, the exterior landscaping is not included in the price. So, we have to take care of that ourselves.
I have read up extensively on the topic but unfortunately keep finding very conflicting prices and cost estimates.
Just a few days ago, there was a thread where someone wanted to spend six figures on their garden—I nearly fell off my chair.
So, about our garden: The area behind the house is roughly 230 square meters (2,476 square feet), a bit over 10 meters (33 feet) wide and just over 20 meters (66 feet) long. We plan to build a simple paved terrace, which will probably be slightly higher than the rest of the garden later on. The house (being timber frame construction) has to be elevated 30cm (12 inches) above ground level. Since we want level access to the terrace from the house, it will be built flush with the door, and the lawn will then be slightly lower. We will also need to install drainage between the terrace and the house to prevent water from running into the building. That shouldn’t be a problem because the rainwater downpipes’ drainage also runs in that area. According to online sources, paving the terrace costs around 100 euros per square meter (approximately $100 per 10.8 square feet).
Regarding the fence, we will of course coordinate with our future neighbors. We’re considering separating the terrace from the neighbor with gabion walls (about 4 meters / 13 feet long). The rest of the garden will be enclosed with a welded wire fence (please no debate about the fence type—the development plan requires hedges, chain-link fencing, or welded wire fencing). On various websites, I calculated prices for this. About 50 meters (164 feet) of fencing (1.8 meters / 6 feet high and 2 meters / 6.5 feet wide per panel), including posts, costs around 4,000 euros. Privacy screening strips might be added, but they can be easily installed by ourselves, so I am leaving those out for now (around 700 euros).
We also want a lawn. I think rolled turf looks best, though I’ve also read about very different prices here. When searching for prices, about 10 euros per square meter (approximately $10 per 10.8 square feet) is displayed. Alternatively, we could sow grass seed ourselves, but then there is the risk that birds will eat it.
No flowers, trees, or shrubs are initially planned. To the right of the house, we want a garage (we have quotes starting at 15,000 euros for an 8 x 3 meter (26 x 10 feet) prefabricated garage with electricity, foundation, and installation).
The driveway / front garden can only be done once the construction access road is removed.
So what makes the garden so expensive? I’ve estimated my calculated costs:
Terrace: 40 sqm x 100 euros = 4,000 euros (possibly a bit more if more base material is needed)
Rolled turf: 200 sqm x 10 euros = 2,000 euros
Fence: 4,000 euros
That brings the total to about 10,000 euros (with the terrace costs including labor).
Then there is additional labor for the fence and lawn installation (unfortunately, I don’t feel confident doing this myself, and none of my acquaintances can either). Is labor really the main factor driving the cost so high? What labor costs would you estimate for these jobs?
Also, does it make sense to install the garage only after completing the garden work? Otherwise, it would be difficult to bring in excavators and other machinery.
What other tips would you have for keeping the garden as affordable as possible?
By the way, the plot used to be farmland, so it’s flat and the soil should be good for this kind of work.
As some of you may have heard, we are building a semi-detached house as a prefabricated home. As is common with most suppliers, the exterior landscaping is not included in the price. So, we have to take care of that ourselves.
I have read up extensively on the topic but unfortunately keep finding very conflicting prices and cost estimates.
Just a few days ago, there was a thread where someone wanted to spend six figures on their garden—I nearly fell off my chair.
So, about our garden: The area behind the house is roughly 230 square meters (2,476 square feet), a bit over 10 meters (33 feet) wide and just over 20 meters (66 feet) long. We plan to build a simple paved terrace, which will probably be slightly higher than the rest of the garden later on. The house (being timber frame construction) has to be elevated 30cm (12 inches) above ground level. Since we want level access to the terrace from the house, it will be built flush with the door, and the lawn will then be slightly lower. We will also need to install drainage between the terrace and the house to prevent water from running into the building. That shouldn’t be a problem because the rainwater downpipes’ drainage also runs in that area. According to online sources, paving the terrace costs around 100 euros per square meter (approximately $100 per 10.8 square feet).
Regarding the fence, we will of course coordinate with our future neighbors. We’re considering separating the terrace from the neighbor with gabion walls (about 4 meters / 13 feet long). The rest of the garden will be enclosed with a welded wire fence (please no debate about the fence type—the development plan requires hedges, chain-link fencing, or welded wire fencing). On various websites, I calculated prices for this. About 50 meters (164 feet) of fencing (1.8 meters / 6 feet high and 2 meters / 6.5 feet wide per panel), including posts, costs around 4,000 euros. Privacy screening strips might be added, but they can be easily installed by ourselves, so I am leaving those out for now (around 700 euros).
We also want a lawn. I think rolled turf looks best, though I’ve also read about very different prices here. When searching for prices, about 10 euros per square meter (approximately $10 per 10.8 square feet) is displayed. Alternatively, we could sow grass seed ourselves, but then there is the risk that birds will eat it.
No flowers, trees, or shrubs are initially planned. To the right of the house, we want a garage (we have quotes starting at 15,000 euros for an 8 x 3 meter (26 x 10 feet) prefabricated garage with electricity, foundation, and installation).
The driveway / front garden can only be done once the construction access road is removed.
So what makes the garden so expensive? I’ve estimated my calculated costs:
Terrace: 40 sqm x 100 euros = 4,000 euros (possibly a bit more if more base material is needed)
Rolled turf: 200 sqm x 10 euros = 2,000 euros
Fence: 4,000 euros
That brings the total to about 10,000 euros (with the terrace costs including labor).
Then there is additional labor for the fence and lawn installation (unfortunately, I don’t feel confident doing this myself, and none of my acquaintances can either). Is labor really the main factor driving the cost so high? What labor costs would you estimate for these jobs?
Also, does it make sense to install the garage only after completing the garden work? Otherwise, it would be difficult to bring in excavators and other machinery.
What other tips would you have for keeping the garden as affordable as possible?
By the way, the plot used to be farmland, so it’s flat and the soil should be good for this kind of work.
C
chand198610 Apr 2022 12:12haydee schrieb:
Low-maintenance means natural. Carefully chosen plants that thrive in the given natural conditions and suit the location. No exposed soil.
When done well, it enhances the microclimate on the terrace.
What you see in 90% of new housing developments is uninspired, often cheap-looking, and creates problems. I agree.
The idea of a low-maintenance garden is definitely NOT achieved by lawn, paving, and fences. There is a lot of misinformation at work here, and honestly, taste aside: this trend is the fashion disaster of outdoor landscaping. Cheap-looking but still has its fans… ;-)
(I’ve probably offended some people now)
chand1986 schrieb:
The first obligation would therefore be to build a multi-family house instead of a single-family house. Now remember your inheritance thread regarding your single-family house. Notice anything?
Unfortunately not. This property is an existing building with a garden, where many trees and shrubs have been planted and maintained in an environmentally friendly way and continue to be. I don’t see the connection to the sod lawn mentioned by the OP.
W
WilderSueden10 Apr 2022 12:41driver55 schrieb:
Sorry, but these tips don’t really work here…That may be true. However, anyone who outsources everything should definitely forget the idea of making a garden inexpensive. I spent €12,000 (about $13,000) on materials and rental equipment alone, and I didn’t even plan for expensive paving (driveway €20/m² (about $2/ft²), terrace €35/m² (about $3.25/ft²), which is probably no longer realistic given energy prices). The retaining wall wasn’t even included in the calculation. On top of that, the garden shed and carport come extra, so the total budget ends up roughly twice that amount—just for materials. If you factor in labor, you certainly shouldn’t expect to start below €40,000 (about $43,000). I also don’t understand how anyone could think that a 2% slope is difficult to achieve.
C
chand198610 Apr 2022 13:01K a t j a schrieb:
Unfortunately not. This property is an existing building with a garden where many trees and shrubs have been and continue to be planted and maintained in an environmentally responsible way. I don’t see the connection to the TE’s turf lawn. It wasn’t about the trees and shrubs, but the statement about the moral obligation tied to land ownership. How far should that be taken? Logically, all landowners should develop their land to the maximum with as many residential units as possible so that the space used for living is minimal. Then more nature would remain—just somewhere else.
That would be the logical moral duty if you think it through fully. You own land and a house in a good location, used inefficiently, and therefore have not reduced land consumption. What you advise the OP doesn’t seem to apply to yourself?
Of course, this is a polemical provocation. It’s nonsense to take it that far. But because of that, your comment about moral obligation is inappropriate. If such an obligation existed, every single-family homeowner would have already given it up long before thinking about their garden. A single-family house simply doesn’t fit with that, no matter the garden.
The most helpful thing for the OP and for nature is to show low-maintenance alternatives that give nature much more space than plastic-covered lawn. Because that it’s nonsense, we all agree on here.
askforafriend10 Apr 2022 13:08K a t j a schrieb:
-> Ownership comes with responsibility. As a landowner, it is your moral duty to contribute to preserving the environment for future generations.I thought today was April 1st, but it’s already the 10th. Some opinions people have, wow.
chand1986 schrieb:
It wasn’t about the trees and shrubs, but the saying about the moral obligation that comes with land ownership. How far should that be taken, please? As I said before, check the development plan or the environmental authority. They can help you.
Many would probably be surprised at how detailed the descriptions in the plans for their gardens are. And if nothing is specified, there is almost always a general objective or regulation set by the environmental agency regarding landscape management.
chand1986 schrieb:
That would be the logical moral duty if you think it through completely. You own land and a house in a good location, use it inefficiently, and therefore have done nothing to prevent land consumption. I see it quite differently. From an environmental protection perspective, land is best used if the surfaces are not sealed. Cities complain about overheating and appreciate every green leaf. Your argument, in my opinion, contradicts reality.
Similar topics