how difficult is it to repair a verge?

My inaugural post! My removal company has damaged a verge in the communal grounds where I have moved to and are refusing to pay due to poor lighting and no notice of the tight turn (other removal companies have had similar issues it turns out).

The grounds maintenance company has quoted £400 to supplying topsoil and turf + repair to the damaged verge (about 3m in length, 1m high). The quote seems excessive to me as would have thought the repair shouldn’t take longer than a couple of hours for someone experienced and the materials themselves shouldn’t be that expensive. Photo below.

Can do it myself but my newly acquired garden needs a lot of work so would rather dedicate my time there. How realistic do you think the quote is? Is my estimation of the time it would take grossly underestimating the work involved?

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated!

 

Seems to me like a clear cut case of somebody's inept driving skill.

If the vehicle could get round, surely it should have. If it physically couldn't, surely the driver, who is ultimately responsible for anything that happens with the vehicle, should have made a judgement call that itwon't fit.

But yes, 400 quid does seem insanely expensive for materials. I reckon 20 quid should do it.

 

Yup, will try get them to pay up but the lower the price the easier it will be to convince them!

400£ for materials AND labour. So not completely mad. I would have expected more like £150-200 max

If was to do it myself, anything in particular to consider? Best time of year for the turf to take root, or should I use seed? Where can source basic topsoil from, how much to compress the solid against the mound? Etc..

 

The soil is just compacted, as Shiney says dig over and make the slop look nice and some grass seed, as for lorry drivers go, there are some good ones and many bad ones, some times if you can't get in forwards then you go in backwards, looking at the damage it looks like he went in forwards, bottom mark is wheel and top mark is bumper he/she may also get a ticking off for damage to the lorry

 

You are underestimating it I'm afraid. It is a commercial transaction, not a charitable agreement and as such the repair will need to be far more solid than scattering some topsoil and seed on because if someone were to slip on a soft repair that could lead to compensation claims (sad but true). It will need to be returned to as near its previous firmness and profile as possible. Materials and equipment need to be collected, transported and then the job done.

Not really. Look at the far side of the approach road and you'll see trees right at the edge of the road and I presume that it is a similar situation in the direction that the lorry approached the turning.

As far as liability goes the previous issues with access that others have had strengthen the removal companies case. When you entered into an agreement with them in the small print it will say that it is your responsibility to advise on access issues. Personally I would talk to the site management company about the access situation (previous history is now on your side) and see if an agreement can be found there.

 

Bin lorrys are small in lengh an removel lorries

 

Plus it might require some temporary fencing around it until the roots from new turf have extended into the bank, then removal of that fencing (plus any turf pegs?), and watering/maintaining until the turf has taken, etc.

 

Seems like a complete over reaction to me. This happens all the time around me with tractors tyremarks .
But to keep evryone from getting their knickers in a twist I`d get a tonne bag of topsoil delivered , a bag of good quality grass seed,a spade,a rake,and finally a little sign saying causion ground under repair to keep the vulture(lawyers) at bay.