Cheap landscaping

[menty]

I have been trying to think of the cheapest way to do some landscaping on the investment property. I need a walkway path and also a small ish driveway to a carport area.

My inital plans included large amounts of concrete, but that is actually quite expensive, and looks ugly (IMO)

What other alternatives would you consider using?

I had a quick search through google and this looks like an idea (paved concrete blocks on crushed granite?) as a walkway path. I could also use it to surround the granny flat that I am building if it is not too expensive.

Some other options I thought of were (to save concrete costs).
- running tracks down the side of the house to the carport (at the side).
- just grass the whole area. (it would be cheaper?)

 

[wylie]

That photo looks pretty good, not too much like a driveway. Nice.

But wouldn't you have to have it prepared properly to take the weight of a vehicle. Maybe you need it compacted or tracks laid where the car will sit and then place the blocks and gravel. You could get tracks laid, gravel (and mondo grass to green it up a bit) in between and continuing just as per the photo for the parts where a car will not be sitting.

 

[menty]

That would be for a walkway path, not the driveway.

 

[Corey Batt]

That's a reasonably attractive cheap alternative. I like it.

 

[menty]

Anyone know how much this would cost roughly (in comparison to concrete) for a 3x3m rear patio area?

Would grass start to grow in between the gravel?

 

[Munchkin]

For that size area I think it would be cheaper to concrete it, but as you said, it would be ugly.

Last time we bought pavers that size I think they were about 15-20 dollars each, but that was for coloured. We only had one place in town that sold pavers so no idea if they were average prices or a bit inflated.

 

[devank]

Would grass start to grow in between the gravel?

Weed would grow anywhere

I think simple grass is the cheapest and easiest way.

 

[Rolf Latham]

Weed would grow anywhere

I think simple grass is the cheapest and easiest way.

italian garden

pebblecrete

ta
rolf

 

[menty]

I also have this area (slab) that used to have a shed and pergola on it. It's now all cracked up and unsightly. Also, when my builder runs his bobcat over it it would break into more bits.

Im thinking of a few ideas for this:
- simply break it all up and re concrete it
- pour gravel all over it
- can i do anything on the cheap and lay something OVER the cracked concrete? This would save me having to destroy and dispose of the slab. (its about 3x6m). I could turn it into a deck?

 

[willair]

- can i do anything on the cheap and lay something OVER the cracked concrete? This would save me having to destroy and dispose of the slab. (its about 3x6m). I could turn it into a deck?

You could look into painting the entire slab after you fill in the cracks with a epoxy filler...once you price something like this the cost time factor is very low..imho..

 

[menty]

Looks like we can pour sand over it and pave/artificial grass over the slab

Any idea which is cheaper?

 

[willair]

I'm more interested in the footprint plan of the building..did you build that yourself or is that a factory pre-built skid in?..it looks good..

 

[menty]

That's just an image I found on the net

 

[M.Investigator]

Would you like it Zen or Contemporary? There are really so many cheap and creative landscaping ideas you can surf. Use gravel and land stones which you can get from quarries. It is often cheaper there than buying them from retailers.

 

[beachside]

Menty, I was passing a new development the other day, the large driveway had a rough concrete pour finish - not a surface finish (probably all the left overs). They had layed large pavers on a thick cement/mortar base onto the rough concrete and were in the process of having gravel pored over the lot to fill the gaps between - the end result being somewhere in between the two photos .....looked great!! Strength of the concrete underneath and a cheaper surface finish. You could do the same thing over your cracked concrete - and a nicer finish than just throwing gravel over it, and the pavers would help hold the gravel in place, particularly if only a thin layer.

 

[menty]

Okay guys, I went over to the property and took a few photographs so I can explain a little better.

I present you the following.

This is the entrance to the granny flat, and rear of the main house. The carport is located towards the front

Here is the cracked concrete area. As you can see, it is raised like a slab as my block slopes slightly. I believe it is not thick though.

 

[menty]

And my proposed solutions, for which I CANNOT make up my mind as to which would be a better option

Option 1

The carport is moved backwards to where the cracked slab is. A walkway to the granny flat is made on the left, with the side of the carport as a "wall/fence". The walkway would be made of pavers/concrete.

Pros:
- I can choose to give the carport to the granny flat or the main house.
- There is more "privacy " between the 2 houses as there is separate access and you do not have to walk past the other house's car.
- There is a possibility of parking another car next to the carport on the right

Cons:
- I would have to break the concrete and reconcrete all the cracked area (unless someone knows of a cheaper option)


Option 2

The carport is left where it is. Fence is extended down towards the front house. A walk way is made to the granny flat on the left. Over the cracked slab, I put pavers or artificial grass as part of landscaping.

Pros: Potentially cheaper?

Cons: Tenant for granny flat has to walk past parked car in driveway to access their walkway. I have to extend the fence,which may be aesthetically unpleasant.



What would be the most cost effective way to solve this problem. I dont know much about how much this would all cost. If someone could give me a rough idea it would be great
Also, what should I use for the fence? Im thinking a normal height fence across horizontally, but I might be able to pick up a cheap picket fence for $500 or so to put down vertically. Maybe a brushwood fence for the horizontal? It would be cheaper no?

I may only get an extra $10 a week giving the granny flat tenant a parking spot

Im open to all other ideas too!

 

[westminster]

My one advice is to have something as level/solid as possible for the footpath to granny flat. One trip over pebbles and large pavers and its bad.

Choose something perhaps narrow but solid so you can put some landscaping next to it to soften it. How wide is the granny flat path area? So perhaps footpath 800mm wide and then 400mm landscaping for shrubby hard wearing plants with pebbles/gravel around it.

Either use pavers or you could do a concrete path but colour the concrete with an oxide. No need to go wogboy with green concrete but perhaps something coloured but not too dark so it gets too hot.

I'm trying to decipher the garage section. If you did coloured concrete for the granny flat path I would do the same here - cheaper to use same material.

 

[westminster]

I did a quick google and found plenty of places is Sydney that do it. Some are more decorative than others

http://www.sydneyconcreteresurfacing.com.au/designs-and-colours/

 

[menty]

In option 1 , the granny flat walkway is only about 1m wide
In option 2, Iv given it about 2m

Why do you suggest colouring the concrete?