Replacing a patio with a lawn...

Hi everyone

I'm looking to start a small project with my back garden and need some advice around whether this is something I can do myself or if i need a professional landscaper. After seeing a quote I'm sort of leaning towards doing it myself but as gardening is not really my thing I thought i'd ask for some advice!

Basically i want to replace a load of paving slabs with some lawn. This is how it currently looks.

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The patio beneath the grapevine (inherited when we move in - love it!) would stay but most of the rest would be turfed. I''ve lifted a couple of slabs with a crowbar and know that there's no concrete base beneath the patio, just compacted sand/rubble. Part of me thinks that most of the project is just hard work - lift the slabs, dig down, fill with topsoil, lay turf.

I know i've simplified it a bit and it'll be hard graft but is this something I can realistically do myself? Or am i kidding myself that i can take a week off work at the end October, hire a couple of skips and tools, get a mate round and start digging!

Thanks for your advice

 

If you're turfing, it might be better to wait until Spring before doing this - I've read (on here!) that turf is better laid in Spring than autumn. Can't help with the logistics or possibilities of your project, but someone else will be along to assist I'm sure.

 

I cant help much either but one thought I did have was you could advertise the slabs on your local freecycle site. I have seen plenty on there before with the condition of they must lift them, if they want them .... that way you get them lifted up and taken away with no effort or expense and someone else gets the slabs for whatever they want them for.

I offered some slabs on our local site (although already taken up) and I have tons of people all wanting them, so would seem slabs are a very popular thing if going for free!

 

One thing that you should perhaps bear in mind is this: at the moment, your patio is fairly easy to look after with perhaps the odd scrub now and then to keep it fresh. A lawn needs constant care in summer, and this means cutting it weekly. Then during Autumn you'll have to rake it free of thatch, aerate it and feed it. Oh! And you'll have to deal with weeds, bald patches and all the other gremlins that come with having a lawn. I only say this, because you do say that gardening is not your thing. Your patio would suit container planting, where at the most you'll have to water and feed the plants in them. You can also swop then around when the mood suits too. Just a suggestion.