A WOMAN who was quoted a whopping £4k for a patio has been flooded with praise after revealing how she did it herself on a budget.
Hannah Chapman explained that after being quoted a whopping £4k by patio professionals, she decided to take matters into her own hands and transform her garden patio herself – with the help of her partner.
And it cost her just £95 in total – meaning a very impressive saving of £3,905.
In a post shared took to Facebook group Gardening On A Budget Official, she shared a before and after photo of her garden transformation – and it’s little wonder social media users were quick to brand it “brilliant.”
The savvy homeowner explained how she’d never laid a patio before, but after getting quoted a small fortune to have a patio extension done, she decided to do it herself.
Speaking to Fabulous Digital, she said: “We were quoted £2k for the materials and £2k for labour.
Good on you and you’ll get pleasure from saying you have done it. You should be proud of yourself and saved quite a bit of money!
Social media user
“We got several quotes and the average was coming in at £3.5k to 4k.”
In the initial post, she shared an explanation of the process involved and explained: “Other half dug it out, I levelled and laid the slabs and my 6-week-old done the crying.”
As for the materials, Hannah revealed she got the slabs for free on Facebook Marketplace, paid £35 for a tonne of stones, £35 for a tonne of sharp sand and £25 for 5 bags of cement.”
She added: “Total cost £95 and a bad back.”
The post quickly garnered several likes and comments, with many eager to praise Hannah’s hard work.
“Looks amazing! Well done,” enthused one.
A second penned: “Looks absolutely brilliant, hard graft but worth it!”
A third commented: “Good on you and you’ll get pleasure from saying you have done it.
“You should be proud of yourself and saved quite a bit of money!”
A gardening pro, or just starting your planting journey? Nigel Lawton, a gardening expert at Dobbies Garden Centres has shared the six jobs you can do to transform your garden in under an hour.
1. Tidy up
Remove dead leaves, neaten beds and borders, remove any seeds and apply a good layer of mulch over the surface with organic peat-free compost. TIME: 60 mins
2. Design beds and borders
Trim back winter flowering plants where blooms have started to fade. Start by removing any dead, diseased or damaged branches, and get rid of any branches that cross over, Nigel says.
Then prune summer flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuschias to allow room for new growth. As well as encouraging new growth in the plant by removing dead material, pruning will also allow you to control the height and shape of your plants. TIME: 50 mins
3. Create a cosy patio
If you have a patio, transform it into a cosy socialising spot.
Start by giving that a good clean with a jet wash to quickly complete the job in under an hour. You can further liven up the area by adding some garden furniture paired with some cushions, some throws, and an outdoor rug. TIME: 30 mins
4. Refresh pots
To enjoy instant colour in your garden this spring, Nigel recommends refreshing your pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes with early season flowers for a country garden effect.
Plant in threes or fives to create a impactful display with small, medium, and large plants of different heights beside your door. TIME: 15 mins
5. Lawncare
Another beginner-friendly task you can do to spruce up your garden is taking care of the lawn by cultivating the soil and making sure the area is level and firm.
Rake out any moss or dead grass, and apply lawn treatement in late spring. TIME: 15-30 mins
6. Welcome wildlife
Spring is the perfect time to welcome wildlife into your garden as small animals come out of hibernation and new birds hatch into life.
To ensure your garden is a safe space for wildlife, Nigel suggests dedicating a small section of your garden to creating a wildlife-friendly habitat with pollinating plants and places for small animals and insects to shelter.
You can create a safe space for them by stacking branches in a shaded spot to help protect them from the elements. All of this can be done in under an hour. TIME: 40 mins
Meanwhile, a fourth noted: “Well done to you both!
“You’ve done a fab job!”
And a further congratulated: “Brilliant job and I bet a great sense of achievement!
“Hope the backs are better soon!”
