New build: Grass

[Delvis]

Possibly buried in a other thread but wanted to ask here.

What's the best thing to do with a new build lawn? Obviously at the moment it's wet, so can't do much right now....

My only concern right now is it's rather water logged, hopefully that will die down. Only been in the property since December.

 

[NoobCannon]

Prey that its not just turf rolled over 3 foot of rubble like mine was.

and then if it is force them to come back and sort it out, dont take no for an answer.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

If your lucky you’ll have a decent amount of top soil, in reality a couple of inches down will just be a load of clay and building rubble. The fact it’s water logged points to the latter.

All you can really do is dig a few pilot holes to see what’s under the turf. If it looks alright the changes are it will be. If it’s a load of clay, it will all need digging out and the soil improving if you have any hope of having a decent garden.

 

[pp111]

A lot of new builds are on poor quality land, so a proper lawn is pretty much out of the question. Even turf will look good for a but but eventually will not do well. Truth is that many gardens are doomed by that thick layer of clay they have in them and need proper topsoil and drainage. I found that out to my cost once when I planted a small fortune in plants, which did well during a drought but then all ( literally all ) died when the rain started up again, lol. Not that I was ever much of a gardener, but I found out the very hard way that soil is critical and clay is a real killer for most plants including grass. The best way to find out is to get out in the car around your area and see what people have in their gardens. As for lawns, no, not on clay or poorly drained soil.

 

[psd99]

them new build gardens are probably full of rubble and building waste underneath where do you think all of that mess from building the property went?

perhaps dig an area up and see what you find underneath then you can plan what to do next.

 

[Bounce]

You need minimum of about 150mm of topsoil, underneath the turf the more the better though.

As mentioned dig some grass out see what's underneath.

How big is the garden? - if its big you'll be better off getting a mini digger rather than digging it all out by spade as it will be back breaking work.

I laid turf down in my back yard, it had clay, rocks in it before it was about 7m2 which is fairly small did it with a spade, took about a week to do, 5 hours a day was lots of hard graft.

 

[SPG]

Moss is the new grass.

 

[iv-tecman]

Prey that its not just turf rolled over 3 foot of rubble like mine was.

and then if it is force them to come back and sort it out, dont take no for an answer.

This, I lived in a new build once, its now being rented out, as I moved out into a ex 1950s council house. The turf just never seemed to look healthy, and when I dug down, I had at most 100mm of soil, the rest was a mix of sand and whatever rubbish the builders could cram into the "tiny" back yard I had anyhow. persimmon homes, OMG what an awful builders they are, anyhow, in the end, called it quits on that place for me, and handed over to tenants and last I knew when I was there a few months back to do a quick inspection, most of that grass was just moss anyhow.

As said you need 150mm or more topsoil, I am no gardener but even I know you can't grow healthy grass on less and it won't be too healthy on a bed of builders rubbish .

 

[Delvis]

Its something I'll need to watch, I've been told its because its new (was literally put in a week before we moved in), that and we had heavy downpour here it flooded down the road for instance due to the river bursting its banks...So ill see how it goes.

 

[something daft already!!]

Sounds like you have some right old wet sods there.

 

[Kaka]

Newly laid turf will not be able to soak up as much water compared to an established lawn, hence why you hear a lot of owners of new builds complain about water logged gardens. Particularly with clay based soil as it will only worsen the situation during this period.

Winter is about the worse season to be laying turf or trying to grow grass from seed anyway. Lack of sunlight, low temps and excess water makes it a pretty no go environment.

 

[-Ad-]

Its something I'll need to watch, I've been told its because its new (was literally put in a week before we moved in), that and we had heavy downpour here it flooded down the road for instance due to the river bursting its banks...So ill see how it goes.

You've been sold a fob story.

It'll be a mix of rubble, crap, and anything else they could cram in there with some turf over the top.

Many new builds are just horrible things to avoid.

 

[DanTheMan]

Our last house was a new build and it was about 100mm of turf / topsoil and then underneath was whatever rubble needed dumping from the building site on that day.

The neighbours completely dug out their garden and refilled it with decent soil. We just paved over it as it was a tiny garden.

 

[Delvis]

You've been sold a fob story.

It'll be a mix of rubble, crap, and anything else they could cram in there with some turf over the top.

Many new builds are just horrible things to avoid.

Sadly some of us aren't in the fortunate situation where we can buy our dream home mate, so it is what it is

 

[Delvis]

I do have A pic of it before or was laid, will try post it up at some point

 

[tom_e]

I vaguely remember @kai posting a thread about something very similar.

 

[kai]

@tom_e Yes, the pictures have since gone from the post. However, i have done a fair few threads on what i ended up doing.

In summary: i had 50% of it covered in concrete then laid artificial grass on that for a flat surface in the shape i wanted and slopped away from an extension. I had aco drains put around the extension Then the other half, is made up of gravel and raised sleepers with pergola and different seating areas, whereby i could fill with topsoil.

Digging down, on new builds is a big old job and can be costly.

FYI new grass etc will be pointless. You need to sort the cause of the issue, otherwise its always going be the same.

 

[Delvis]

@tom_e Yes, the pictures have since gone from the post. However, i have done a fair few threads on what i ended up doing.

In summary: i had 50% of it covered in concrete then laid artificial grass on that for a flat surface in the shape i wanted and slopped away from an extension. I had aco drains put around the extension Then the other half, is made up of gravel and raised sleepers with pergola and different seating areas, whereby i could fill with topsoil.

Digging down, on new builds is a big old job and can be costly.

FYI new grass etc will be pointless. You need to sort the cause of the issue, otherwise its always going be the same.

True enough, I'll let you know in spring or so

We'd avoid astro personally but I'm envisioning grass out the back door (small bit of patio) then patio at the back with pergola also and the shed, then some raised beds no doubt.

 

[koooowweeee]

Best thing to do is dig it all up and put your own down. It's total crap what they lay.

I'm a landscaper and I went for a contract on a new build estate. I got told the going rate was £2 per square meter layed. At the time I was buying turf for £2.10 per square meter.

Every garden that I've ever been to on a new build has crap grass.

 

[Delvis]

Best thing to do is dig it all up and put your own down. It's total crap what they lay.

I'm a landscaper and I went for a contract on a new build estate. I got told the going rate was £2 per square meter layed. At the time I was buying turf for £2.10 per square meter.

Every garden that I've ever been to on a new build has crap grass.

Cool, probably will at later date Letting winter do it's thing