A bit of a weird picture on this one, but it is from a laser level I bought today from the hardware store, so that I can geta bit further with the plans for the yard. The ground is sloping in all sorts of directions and we would have to fill it up with gravel to stop the swamp-like springs and autumns. It is going to take a fair bit of fill, and it is still going to require some extra drains to be put in, but hopefully we can get something done this year, or at least start on getting something done.
So far, I have been underwhelmed by the laser.
The guy at the hardware store said that if using it outdoors, I would need a green laser, which was more expensive. However, while it is still light outside, the sun is mostly down but I still can't see the line it is creating. Inside, it works like a charm, and will easily run the length of the house. At 10 meters, it will be withing 3mm accuracy.
Not that I need it that accurate.
But, I want to be able to guesstimate how many cubic meters of fill I will need, and where I will have to scrape away or fill more. To stop the winter thaw rippling it, it is going to need at least 40 centimeters of gravel as a base, as well as special insulation, and a couple layers of sand, before the final layer of gravel can go on top. I want the back part of the yard to be flat, so that we can put in gravel and build a terrace that doesn't have to sit too much higher than the yard. The grass can be at the front and sides, but the back can be filled with planter boxes and space to entertain, without having too much maintenance work.
It is a bit ghetto at the moment.
But, the costs to get all of this done is going to be quite high, so I am trying to work out what bits to do first. At the moment, the driveway is a mess to the point that in the spring the grooves from the wheels of the car are so high they scrape the bottom. I have to keep shoveling the gravel around to fill holes, but it is an exercise in futility. We have to get it paved, but again, it takes a lot more than just throw some bricks down, and heavy machinery is required to first remove the old and then compress the new materials into place, before the pavers.
A friend of mine from work has a brother-in-law who has a gravel business, as well as having all the machinery and skills. So, I am going to see if I can get him to have a look at it and give some advice. It would be awesome if he was keen do give some friends rates on material and work too of course, but maybe at least because of the close degrees of separation, there would be a bit more trust and accountability with the work. One of the challenges we have had with these things over the years, is find people who are able to provide decent work.
If the crypto I hold actually went up significantly, I would use some of it to get the basics of the yard done. I reckon I would quite enjoy looking after the yard once it was in shape worthy of looking after, but right now, it just annoys me a bit. Baby steps though, because we have "only" been here four years and we have done a huge amount of work in that time frame, and much more than people thought we'd be able to do. Especially considering what has been happening health-wise in that time.
But hey, now I think it is getting dark enough (it is almost 10pm) that I might be able to see the laser and make some early measurements. I don't actually know how to work out the volume yet, but I can learn that from Youtube later I guess.
The only thing I use Youtube for is for DIY things.
But yeah - before it gets too late, I will head out into the world owned by the mosquitos, and use the green line to align my red string.
As you can probably tell - I have no idea what I am doing.
But that is part of the fun.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
Mr. Taraz, thinking loud here, isn't it less expensive? hiring a person to design the landscaping for you and then you take care of it step by step with the mock-up plan as a weekend experience, estiy sure it will be fun. This is how we did it on our terrace and every time we can we do something new or change something that we don't like anymore. Happy dreams
It is less expensive to do the planning myself - but it is still very expensive to get the equipment and materials here.
I wish that every stage of your garden is one of enjoyment and fun, for sure Smallsteps will participate and have fun taking care of the planting, the pruning, and so your emotional life will grow, as grows what you can harvest later with your parents. I will be watching for progress, on your project.
I know the feeling of wanting to improve the conditions of the place where we live. I'm currently looking for a responsible person in the area of construction and interior remodeling, so that I can ask for a quote to replace the water pipes and remodel the kitchen and bathroom.
As I live alone, I wouldn't have much trouble taking a shower at the gym (where I go every day) and being able to cook food that doesn't require a stove. But it's all still very much up in the air... I know that I'll surely spend upwards of 10k euros... maybe double that, but the great tragedy of what's happening in Portugal today is that you want to hire someone in the construction industry and you don't know if you'll be well served. And I'm not talking about having a more friendly budget. I really wanted the job to be done well.
A few years ago, I was responsible for the condominium in my building when it was decided to repair the roof. Of course, the budget was overblown and the final work, although not bad at all, could have been done much better.
Nowadays, if you want a bricklayer or a tiler, you pay through the nose. These professions, which a few years ago were not the most sought-after, due to the demand and emigration at the time of Covid, have seen a big drop in the quality and quantity of professionals.
I wish you the best of luck with the restoration of your terrace and driveway. Keep sharing the progress here!
Stay safe and well!
This is a big job and requires a decent plumber to ensure the water sealing is done properly. I have lost a lot of trust in trades people here. There are some I trust and recommend them to others, but it means that they are very busy when needed!
At some point, there will have to be some more formal kind of "quality control", because education doesn't seem to be enough of an indicator. We have had so many issues with people who should have been good.
Hope you find someone decent :)
Exactly the "drama" in these parts. And, of course, the most capable and highly "rated" professionals don't want to miss out on "bigger" jobs to the detriment of earning a higher income. They prefer a complete renovation of a whole apartment, or even just one apartment, rather than just part of it.
It's truly a feeling and a mutual desire. Believe me.
Finger crossed!
You seem to have a lot of work ahead of you. Doing things and finding out by yourself can be fun, but if there's a lot of work done and fixing it again will be hard, I would go with a professional. I'm not looking forward to a lot of digging.
Neither am I!
We had a lumberjack friend (what a weird friend to have) come and look at taking down some old birch trees that are in bad condition. It is going to be a bit of a job... but definitely one for a pro.
Definitely! I've seen a lot of videos where they tried cutting backyard trees down on their own and they ended up hitting their house or car.
Would you actually though XD
Volume for a rectangular prism or a cube is pretty easy (
length x width x height), slightly more "fun" if it's not XDHow did the measuring go?
I think I would. If it was high enough :)
It is not. I can't do the math - but I will be able to guesstimate. At the moment after measuring, I have guessed a crapload.
Do you have a magic number for "high enough"? I remember posts where your wife asks "wen" and you keep saying "soon" but refusing to actually do it because it's not yet high enough XD
Hopefully you've violently overestimated and when you get someone in that knows what they're doing they'll be like oh it's only half what you thought it was XD
I'm all about the lasers, and so are the EDM artists who play at my favorite clubs and festivals!
I have always liked the lasers. My favourites are the "sheets" that move slowly down until the hit people's hands - then the bass drops.
You are more likely to finish the garden and make a good profit with your cryptocurrencies in the coming months. To a person who hits the lottery, it's all a matter of knowing when to sell, because many people out of greed don't know when to sell and end up losing
Greed and fear! It isn't only if it will go up further, but I also want to be able to hold a stake :)
That's a very personal choice, but we are just a few months away from the big climb, I hope you get everything you set your mind to, blessings.
seems like you've got quite the project on your hands with this yard! From leveling the ground to planning drainage and gravel installation, there's a lot to do. Have you thought about consulting with a landscape architect to ensure everything or you are doing it yourself though?
That's a super awesome looking laser..
Good color choice too
Everyone wants to make profit from cryptocurrency including me too. You’ve got a lot to do with the garden. I wish you goodluck
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