Mum Of 2 Saves Over £700 Turning Neglected Garden Into ‘Little Piece Of Heaven’
- Susan, 58, wasn’t happy with her small garden which was plain and neglected
- She got a professional quote of £1500 for her decking and fences which she didn’t want to pay
- By going DIY she saved over £700, picking up bargains from B&Q and B&M
Sometimes when we move into a new property we are faced with a garden that needs a fair bit of work, and it’s easy to put this job off as life gets in the way. However, one savvy DIYer decided to turn her plain and neglected garden into her very own ‘little piece of heaven’ - and she saved £100s along the way.
Susan Conway, 58 from Staffordshire who is a warehouse colleague with two daughters aged 41 and 35, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘I bought my house two years ago, and when I went to the viewing the garden had a double shed which was massive - it was more like a child’s playroom.
‘The previous owner took this shed down before I moved in, but I was left with a garden that I wasn’t happy with.
‘Overall, the space looked grey and lifeless. The stone floor looked worse for wear and just didn’t feel like a nice place to sit in. I knew that I needed to do more than add some plants and seating to really make it feel like an extension of my home.
‘My two main ideas were to add new fencing and build out some decking. I went to a local one-man landscaper for a quote, but he said it would cost £800 for the decking and £700 for the fences. This was much more than I wanted to spend.
‘I’ve always had a vision in my head of how I wanted my outside space to look. I had a clear colour palette of greys, blacks and light greys as I know they all go together well. I wanted to mix a boho style with more contemporary pieces to create a stylish yet interesting space to sit in during the warmer months.
‘Overall I wanted to create my little piece of heaven. The garden is small but I knew it would be possible to turn it into a relaxing sanctuary, and so I started researching on Pinterest for small garden designs. I was surprised that so many designs which came up were nearly identical to what I had in my head!
‘I shopped at B&Q for the fences and all of the supplies cost £300 in total. I saved £400 by putting them up myself. A local wood merchant was my next stop for the decking, which cost £450 - £350 cheaper than getting a professional in.
‘I already had the furniture ready, as I had spent time picking out pieces which were a good price over the last few years. I got the nest chair from B&M for £30, and I got the corner unit from Amazon for £399. It was a little cheaper buying it online three years ago before I moved house.
‘Apart from that I picked up bolts and screws from Amazon, and some further accessories from B&M, spending under £100 more. I was then ready to get started on the project.
‘First, all of the old fences had to come down, and the coving on top of the wall had to be chiselled for the new fences to fit flush. I used a hammer and a crowbar to take them down.
‘I needed to take up the paving slabs where the old shed had been, then level the floor before putting up the decking. I used wood to make a frame over the concrete so the decking would fit on top. I included spacers between the brackets to allow for movement.
‘The fencing took a day to put up, and the decking took two days to lay from start to finish. At this point I was ready to move the furniture and decor onto the decking, along with my accessories.
‘Now when I am finished with work I can go outside and sit down on my sofa with a drink, surrounded by colourful plants and fairy lights. It’s a great way to spend an evening. I’m really happy with the results and now my garden has become my little piece of heaven.’
Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘Susan has done an impressive job by laying down decking and replacing her fencing herself. It must have taken a lot of work but the results are amazing - what a colourful and relaxing space!'
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