Dig it up, start again

Hi everyone.
I've been considering for a couple of years now digging up my lawn and starting again and thought I'd ask here for advice first.
Basically its about 10m x 20m and while standing from the kitchen window it looks fine, it is incredibly bumpy and is getting more and more weeds in it, the most recent a viney type plant not to dissimilar looking to strawberry plants. Its also got an indestructable amount of ant nests in it.
My idea is to dig the whole lot up and resow the garden with seeds but can anyone forewarn me about what I will need to do/buy/rent and how much work its going to be.
For example I'm interested in knowing:
* when best to do it
* what tools will I need
* how much its likely to cost
* how long it would likely take to do
* what common pitfalls to expect/avoid

Thanks for any help

 

Best time is actualy around now, otherwise early spring.

Spray off the old lawn with roundup and leave for 2 weeks for it to work.

Next hire a large cultivator driven through the wheels like:
http://www.hss.com/g/62526/Cultivator-8hp-Petrol.html.

You should be able tohire one a bit cheaper locally or at HSS if you haggle.

Run the cultivator over then rake the area to get level and get rid of stones, use a spring tined leaf rake, leave the ground for a week to settle or roll it then rake again and seed, lightly rake the seed in. personally I often hand broadcast.

Keep the soil damp with a sprinkiler until the seed germinates.

Cost, grass seed and the hire of the cultivater say £150 max.

 

That sounds like expert advice :thumb:

 

Thanks very much. Any particular time in spring? An impending baby means nows not a good time to start a job like this

 

Begining, (roughly after the worst of the frosts when the weather is starting to warm)