Putting some time and effort into improving your garden space can be really transformative for your home, so this is an exciting time! When it comes to DIY, unless you’re very experienced then there are some important things to consider. We’re here with some tips to help you get your project off to the right start and also to make sure that you complete it well!
Start By Cleaning Up The Garden
The first thing you should do when starting your DIY garden project is to clean up your garden. You might think to begin with that your garden needs loads of work if it’s generally quite messy, mossy and overgrown. So, start by mowing the lawns, cutting back any overgrown plants and bushes, then get a pressure washer and wash down all of the patio, tiles and fences. Giving everything a good clear up will help you to see what really needs doing.
Plan The Full Project Before You Begin
The very first step to do is to plan your project in full before you begin. Decide on everything you want to do from the very start to the finish, work out how much everything will cost and then make sure to include additional budget in case unexpected costs crop up. The last thing you want is an incomplete project because you didn’t plan properly and ran out of budget, so planning everything at the very beginning (with the help of someone who has done a similar project before if needed) is such an important step to ensure everything will go smoothly moving forwards.
Get Your Timing For The Project Right
Something else you need to consider is when you’re going to complete the project. You’ll likely want the garden ready to go for the summer, so completing it between March and May depending on the weather is usually the best direction to go. If you try to do it over the winter, the weather will likely disrupt some of the projects, so the spring is the best choice. There are still other things to consider, like not laying concrete in the rain for best results, so you should also consider day-to-day weather for your project. If you have the time available, it might be worth booking a week off work when you know the weather is going to be good and get it all done in one go!
Don’t Rush
Another really important thing is not to rush when you’re completing your DIY garden project. You want to get this right, and the last thing you want is to start a project, rush it and then have to end up redoing it because the results weren’t great. So, either assign enough time when you have free weekends to get it sorted, or as we already mentioned, booking time off when you know the weather is going to be good is a great idea, so you can really take your time to focus on the project without trying to fit it around work and other activities.
Be Realistic About What You Can Do
During the planning phase, it’s absolutely key that you are realistic about what you can do. As with the rushing element, the last thing you want is to give something a go and realise that you can’t do it, then have to spend time and money on getting it done professionally. So, from the beginning, make a list of the tasks you’ll be able to do and what you’ll need help with (whether it’s a friend who is experienced in DIY or a professional) then put that into your plan. There will be so much you can do yourself, but it’s worth investing properly in a few key projects to get the results that you’re looking for.
Use Material Comparison Sites
A great tip to help you save money is to use material comparison sites. It can be tempting to go into one shop and get everything you need, however it’s unlikely that you’ll get the most competitive prices. So, get together the list of everything you need, then head to a price comparison website. You can type in either generally what you need, or specific branded products, then find the best prices. For example, if you’re looking for artificial grass Melbourne based, you could find 10 different suppliers and then order that by the best price. You can save a significant amount of money doing this, even if it does require slightly more effort of ordering from different places or driving around a bit to different stores.
Which Equipment To Buy and Which To Hire
You should also consider which equipment to buy and what you should hire. Compile a list of everything you’ll need for your project, then decide what you will use again and what you will only need as a one off. For the items you’ll use again, for example a chainsaw if you live on a large plot of land, then investing in one might be more cost effective overall. On the list of things you won’t use again, ask around friends and family to see if anyone has something you could borrow, then everything else you should rent. Renting machinery is a great way to access great quality tools that are safe and reliable, without the price tag of having to buy everything, then potentially worry about storing or selling it on. Borrow whatever you can, buy what you’ll use again and then rent anything else for the most cost effective solution.
Don’t Underestimate The Finishing Touches
When you’re planning out your project, don’t underestimate the finishing touches. Things like lighting, evergreen plants, painting furniture, adding comfy cushions and flowers make a huge difference when it comes to how your garden looks, so leave some budget aside to bring your garden to life at the very end of your project! You could also work on some DIY decorations with your friends and family to add something meaningful to the space, like building raised garden beds to grow vegetables with your family, using leftover concrete to create a DIY bird bath, painting pictures on the bench with your children or painting and hanging palettes for your hanging baskets. Taking the time to finalise your work and bring it to life with meaningful things like we’ve discussed here will make all the difference to your garden and add those extra special touches for you to enjoy it with your family and it will really make your garden beautiful. This may take a bit of time and budget but will be so, so worth it in the long run, plus it can be fun for you to put time and care into these things with your friends and family.