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GardensDesign Dilemma
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Garden Overhaul Help

Cece
5 years ago
Hey Houzzers,

I've been overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge and friendliness on here, so thought I'd ask a garden question!

Ok, so we are in the process of buying our first grown up house. Not exchanged yet and the survey was horrendous but that's one for another day. Looking to focus on outside for a bit of escapism.

Garden has a South Westerly aspect, the double garage at the end will be staying for the time being as it makes for much needed storage. Just needs new doors as they are broken (hopefully find some more attractive ones?) And a new roof as it's an asbestos one.

My main question though is what do I do with the rest of it? Budget will be limited initially, as the house needs gutting.

I believe it needs to be dug down anyway before anything is started inside due to the ground levels causing damp issues. Don't know how far back they need to go though or what will be rescuable when doing that.

It would be good to incorporate all the pots I already have because I love them and I don't particularly like the maintenance of beds.

Would like some grass just for a bit of greenery but it needn't be real or a vast amount. I also have a nice patio set that we will finally get more use of hopefully in the evening after work?

Any ideas even to just get me started planning would be hugely appreciated, Thank you in advance!
Featured Answer
  • Jonathan
    5 years ago
    I would investigate the cost of repairing the garage as I suspect it would be cheaper to demolish it and buy a shed. Try to get the present owners to pay for the asbestos removal.
    Then I would leave some drive, escavate a little along the edge of the house so that damp issues can be sorted. Then I would replace most of the patio with grass reusing the slabs just in the sunniest part of the garden.

    Comments (14)

    • Anthony (Beano)
      5 years ago
      Are you looking to keep 2 cars in the garage eventually or is it just going to be for storage?

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    • Anthony (Beano)
      5 years ago
      Tbh, if you keep those as garages you are not going to have a lot of room for much else that driveway!
    • Cece
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      @Beano There will be a drive at the front of the house and we currently have one car, so that isn't much of a concern. We had thought storage and potentially space for some gym equipment (in an ideal world!)

      @Jonathan I too thought the same but our builder said it was solidly built which swayed me, well more the other half. I don't particularly like it Tbh. Renegotiations on price will hopefully be happening next week. Although, I'm not sure how that will go, with all the more important aspects that need fixing! That's a good idea though about reusing them and I can have my little lawn back :)
    • Sonia
      5 years ago
      last modified: 5 years ago

      Rather strange that the garage doors face into the garden, so you would have to drive over the garden to get to them! I have a garage at the end of my garden but the garage door is facing out the back where there is a road. I think, eventually you could update the garages by removing the old doors, bricking up the wide doorways and just put in normal doors, get a new roof and then turn it into a gym, office or whatever you like. But this will come at a cost and it may well be cheaper to knock it all down and put up a shed, or a cabin. Our electric garage door cost just under £1500, just to give you a guide price.

      This is my garden/garage - a narrower but similar style.

      It is also surprising how much creating a garden can cost. You could take up the paving and create a sitting area nearer the house, then grass the rest until you decide on your final design?


    • A Babbsy
      5 years ago
      If you only want the garage for storage rather than replace the doors I’d think I’d give it a new facade (cladding) and maybe just a single pair of french doors or something similar.

      If the asbestos is not leaking or damaged, there is no harm in leaving it up for the time being. Particularly if your long term plan is to get rid of it completely in the future.
    • Cece
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      forzaitalia - your garden is beautiful!! Yes, you have definitely given me some food for thought there. I've been looking at garage doors and the price just doesn't make me want to keep it. Just seen a possible alternative that is like a summerhouse/ shed combo which could be nice.
    • Cece
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      This is more my idea of garden storage, something discreet and multifunctional. The more I look at it, the more I see how ugly that garage is! Could just pay to get the loft boarded instead.
    • J C
      5 years ago
      last modified: 5 years ago

      look on Tuin.com for inspiration for summer houses, they are fantastic and really good prices, but if the structure is strong, I'd be tempted to just lose the doors and the join in the middle and have it all as glass bifold doors so it looks more like a summer house, than a garage.

      As for the garden, I'd definitely dig up the middle and have some grass, and lovely plants around the edges, which are easy to keep and take less work, but you might be able to re-use some of the paving. The side of the house, I'd put the table, chairs, BBQ or something, entirely up to you and where the sun lies and stays for the day, but equally as its near the kitchen/fridge house etc, table near the house may work well.



    • J C
      5 years ago

      You could also contact someone like DG glass, or get a glass company just to quote for the doors too, but if it's solid and watertight it may work out cheaper to renovate, we just did a cabin, which was lovely and very reasonable, which was from Tuin great quality, but its the extras which add up on any summer house/cabin, the electrics, the drainage, etc.. so take that into account when costing up and if it already has some and is strong, you could turn it around with paint, a relatively cheap roof, fibreglass, or rubber even so it will last, and then make use of it.

    • mattweeksdj
      5 years ago
      May be cheaper to just take the garages down, you can then replace with a shed or even a summer house. Personally I would keep the paving up until the end of the extension, then turf. Also build in some raised beds along the side
    • Sonia
      5 years ago

      Cece I would live with it for a bit, it’s amazing how many ideas you can come up with in that time, as well as all the Houzzers ideas. As you say, you have a lot to do inside the house first. Wish you lots of luck, we’ve all been there! :-)


    • Cece
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      JC - Some wonderful ideas there, I'm going to have alot to think about. Although I did take a sneaky look at Tuin, so much to ogle at!

      forzaitalia- as much as it pains me you are totally right and I will undoubtedly have to live with it for a little while. I tend to get giddy about these things. I have to say it has been nice focussing on something less worrisome though thank you for all your advice.

      And thank you to everyone else. I will be sure to update you all further down the line...
    • PRO
      Primethorpe Paving Ltd
      5 years ago

      Nothing makes a garden pop or transform like a new choice of paving slabs. It's a bigger job so may be worth waiting to get exactly what you want - but people are often surprised at all the options.


      Why not have a look at all the options available here!


      Feel free to give us a call as well. We'd be happy to help with any advice.

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