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Is your driveway damaged or starting to show some signs of cracks and gaps? If yes, then you’d probably be thinking of repairing it before it gets even worse. Repairing a driveway is largely an unknown process but also a very tedious task as well. So if you’re looking to hire a professional for help, just how much is the repair going to cost? In this article, we’re going to look at the various factors that can determine the cost of a driveway repair.

In the UK, the average price of repairing a driveway is usually within the range of £1,400 to £1,800, where as the normal price of a driveway repair will range between £700 to £2,400. although some small repairs tasks can be as low as £250, while huge driveway repairs can skyrocket to about £4,200.

However, in general, the overall cost of repair a driveway can not be determined as each driveway is unique with their special repair needs. The factors that can influence the price of a driveway repair includes the material used, the perimeter of the driveway as well as the condition of the foundation. The only factor that’s not unique to any one driveway is the materials used, so let’s take a look at the differences in price using the based on the various types of materials available.

✓ Concrete. The average cost of repairing a concrete driveway is usually between £250 to £3,200. Have it in mind at most times the price of fixing an overly damaged driveway can be more than the cost of buying a new one.

✓ Asphalt. The average cost of repairing an asphalt driveway is usually between £750 to £2,800.

✓ Brick. The average cost of repairing a brick driveway is usually between £700 to £1,700.

✓ Cobblestone. The average cost of repairing a cobblestone driveway is usually between £500 to £1,600.

Everyone wants a good-looking lawn! If you’re wondering the best time to scarify your lawn, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’re going to consider this in order to help you make the best-informed decision possible. Let’s take a look!

The short and simple answer to this question is when your grass is actively growing. This is the best time to scarify a lawn as it enables it to recover faster once it has been scarified. What’s more? The conditions also have to be appropriate as extreme weather condition, be it too cold, too warm, too dry or too hot, will hinder the quick and proper recovery of your lawn. It’s also important to take note that scarifying of a lawn is going to leave the soil exposed which makes way for weed and other unwanted plants to grow.

During the year, there are two different times which tends to provide the most ideal conditions to scarify a lawn. The first of these periods is late March or April when the spring is in the air and your grass receives all the warmth and moisture it needs to thrive. It’s also advisable not to wait till too late in the spring as right after this period comes the heat and dryness of summer. Furthermore, the lawn shouldn’t be scarified too heavily during the spring as summer usually comes with weed seeds which means your grass won’t recover fast enough and weeds will quickly make way for themselves.

If you wish to scarify your lawn heavily, then the perfect time to do this would be in September or October – during autumn. During this period, the summer weed seeds would be gone and the grass will grow properly.

How To Repair A Pothole In Gravel Driveways

When the integrity of your gravel driveway is impaired not only does it have a negative impact on the curb appeal of your property, but also makes your driveway a danger zone. If your driveway needs to be repaired, you’d simply have to grab the bull by the horn and get it done - the sooner, the better to avoid the problem getting worse and to have your beautiful gravel driveway back as soon as possible.

The major cause of potholes in driveways is usually water, when it gets trapped beneath the surface of the driveway. Therefore, you may also want to enhance the drainage in the area as part of your repair. The repair process is quite simple for confident do-it-yourselfers, but if otherwise, then calling in a reliable professional will save you some time and extra money that can result from possible errors. So how do you repair gravel driveway potholes?

✓ Prepare the area. This involves removing all forms of debris from the pothole. To achieve this, you can rake, shovel or brush the loose stones, soil and other debris from the pothole.

✓ Fill the pot hole. Make use of a coarse gravel to fill up the pothole to a depth of about 3 inches beneath the driveway’s level. Upon the filling, simply tamp down the coarse gravel using a commercial tamper or any available homemade option. Once done, the final 3 inches to the surface of the gravel driveway should then be filled up with gravel which perfectly matches the colour and texture of the remaining driveway.

✓ Compact the patch. To achieve this in an easy and fast way, simply run your car’s wheel up and down over the repaired spot gently a couple of times. This will be enough to compact the patch and seal the pothole.

How To Plan A Landscape Garden

If you’ve decided to go for a landscape garden, this might imply putting in new gardens entirely or probably just coming up with a planting plan for the current year. However, because you want a beautiful landscape garden doesn’t mean you can just go out, get a couple of plants and decide to plant them anywhere that looks good to you once you get home.

For a much better landscape garden, doing some proper landscape garden planning can go a long way to help you get the results you desire. So how do you plan a landscape garden?

• Set Goals

The first step is to determine how you want the garden to feel and look, how it’s going to be used or what’s going to be used for as well as how you’ll work to boost the small ecosystem.

• Site Plan

Identify what you already have on the site like the plants, paths, gardens etc, and draw them out perhaps on a graph paper. Once done, you can make some photocopies and start playing with different ideas.

• Site Analysis

Carry out an in depth site analysis to identify the areas that’s sunny and shady areas as well as the ones in between. This way, you can figure out the best place to put the plants and other items.

• Functional Diagrams

This is stage at which you go through both the site plan as well as site analysis and start to identify the right spots to position the landscape garden’s items.

• Planting Plan

Here, you’ll decide which plants you’ll like to use on your landscape garden while also identifying what plant goes where. You’ll have to draw them at size close to what they’ll grow to become, so as to ensure there’s sufficient space for them once they grow big and tall.

The best way to build a fence depends on what style it is, as different types have different components. However, fencing made up of posts and panels is pretty common. To put this up, you’ll need to start by measuring out and digging holes for your fence posts. Then you’ll need to fit the panels between them and use concrete to secure the posts in the ground.

Laying artificial grass on concrete needs a slightly different approach to if you’re installing it over soil. The good news is that it’s much less labour intensive, as you don’t need to do any digging or levelling.

Ideally, your concrete base should be in good condition, and have an adequate fall on it to provide efficient drainage. If it doesn’t, you might have to do some repair work or drill some drainage holes first.

When you’re ready to start, begin by cleaning your concrete base. Use a jet wash or a hose and brush to dislodge and disperse any dirt or plant growth. Once it’s clean, leave it to dry completely.

Then, you need to fit an underlay - usually it’s made of foam. This will provide padding to make your artificial grass softer and more comfortable to walk on. It will also help to level out any slopes on uneven parts on the concrete. Make sure it’s a good-quality underlay that’s permeable – if it’s not, you could end up with damp artificial grass and nasty smells as it will hold moisture. Roll out the underlay and cut it to shape, taping any separate sections together.

Next, use an adhesive to secure the underlay to your concrete. Make sure you leave gaps in the adhesive to allow water to drain off easily. Leave the glue to dry, then you can start laying your grass.

Roll out your grass like you did with your underlay, cutting it to shape and joining any separate sections together with artificial grass tape. Then glue the grass to the underlay. Leave it dry, give the grass a brush, and it’ll be ready to use!

Most responsible contractors will dispose of the old fencing via an approved commercial waste site. Do check that the cost of taking rubbish away is included in the quotes you receive, otherwise you might find you get stung when it comes to paying for the work.

1. How to build a shed base out of paving slabs
   • Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one
   • Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs
   • Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along
   • Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row
   • Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout
2. Building a shed base from concrete
   • Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading
   • Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast
   • Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end
   • Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner
   • Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles
   • Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m²
   • Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged
   • Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even
   • Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping
   • Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks
   • Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar