Builders, House Builders, Property Developers and Construction Companies “of all shapes and sizes” are plentiful in Hull, Beverley and East Yorkshire in general.

Some may be Limited Companies employing dozens of people, some may be medium sized family-owned business, while others may be 2+1 bricklaying gangs or “one-man-bands” doing general building and “handy-man work”.

The fact the Construction Industry is pretty much un-regulated and anyone can call themselves “A Builder” means that Tradesmen that where originally time-served Joiners, Brick-layers, Electricians, Plumbers and Plasterers class themselves as a Builder and are willing to take on varying kinds of construction work on your behalf.

Garden Constructed By David Beasley Including Raised Timber Deck, Hardwood Steps, Galvanised Balustrades And Concrete Sett Edged Tarmac Driveway.

Externally, this can include building garden walls, laying paving, installing driveways, erecting fencing, constructing timber decks and even planting / pruning shrubs. In fact, the only task they tend to shy away from is laying turf / grass-seed which they will either completely ommit or worse get the cheapest quote possible from others to install.

Garden Constructed By David Beasley Including Timber Fencing, Sunken Trampoline and Turfing

Of course not all builders are like this and many call on the services of specialist Landscape Professionals to implement both the “Hard-landscaping” (i.e. Paving and Fencing) and “Soft-landscaping” (i.e. Turfing and Planting) resulting in more aesthetic, longer-lasting Landscaping.

If your “Builder” is going to carry out the Landscaping at your property as a continuation of the main building contract, you as The Client should question him on the following Horticultural / Construction details:

• are they going to provide you with at least 450mm depth of good quality “loam” soil (in planting beds), where does it come from, does it conform to B.S. standards for fertility, is the ground to be de-compacted below, is the soil to be supplied “as-dug” (straight from the field) or “screened” (filtered at a re-cycling facility)?

when laying paving are they going to lay at least 100mm depth of well compacted hardcore over the excavated area, and are the pavers to be laid on a full 50mm deep bed of 5:1 bedding material rather than “spots”, are all joints to be fully pointed with 4:1 mortar mix rammed inbetween the pavers.

This Garden Was Designed By David Beasley And The "Hard" Landscaping Works Were Implemented By "The Builder" (Who Was Also The Client!). David Beasley Undertook The Turfing Works.

The above list of questions is by no means complete but represents good practice which is commonly either ignored by “Builders” or whose importance is not appreciated by them resulting in gardens that fail to flourish and paved areas that disintegrate due to frosty weather and heavy foot-traffic!

Professional Landscape Contactors and Garden Designers know the correct way to construct a gardens features because they have studied them at an Horticultural College and have been shown by their experienced peers working at established Landscaping Companies.

Of course, there are many advantages of using your Builder to implement the installation of your Garden Design on-site i.e. they are already on-site, you trust them, they know the site conditions, work and workmanship is continuous. Obviously, a Professional Garden Designer such as David Beasley would prefer / recommend that you used an Experienced Landscape Contractor to construct his Design Scheme’s “Hard-Landscaping” on-site. However, for the above advantages, Builders should be retained where possible and given guidance. “Soft Landscaping” work should definitely not be undertaken by Builders and should be given to experienced Landscape Contractors with suitable Horticultural Knowledge.

3D Google SketchUp "Artist's Impression" Produced By David Beasley Prior To Timber Deck Construction.

On top of the others already mentioned, the main dis-advantage of engaging your “Builder” to undertake your Landscaping work is the complete lack of DESIGN INPUT in to the Project.

Builders nominally elect to lay grey conctete “council flag” (or cheap “riven-effect” concrete) paving in a ring around your property with a “double row” to represent a “Patio” directly outside your “French Doors”, install “see-through” fences so that you can see in to all your neighbours gardens, grass areas (with drain covers in the middle!) right up to your boundary (so you have to strim the grass) or leave a “token” 600mm wide Plant Border that nothing grows in!

Typical Example Of What A House Builder Calls A Landscaped Garden!

No thought is put in to the Garden Creation Process, they simply do what they have always done in the past and the result is that a Landscape Professional is brought in at a later date, the garden is completely re-done with new materials (the old ones are generally given away!) and you have the pleasure of paying for all the upheaval twice.

Garden Constructed By David Beasley Including Timber Decking, Raised Sleeper Beds, Reed Screening And A Water Feature

There is however a simple solution to avoiding all of the above disruption to your life and having the garden that you have all ways wanted constructed by your Builder and / or Landscape Contractors – COMMISSION A GARDEN DESIGNER during the Main Building Contract stage to Design and Project Manage the construction of your property’s “Outside Room”.

For 10% (average) cost of your Garden Build Cost (i.e. £500 on a £5,000 Build), David Beasley (t/a a design and build company) can Design your Garden with you and for an Additional Fee (charged on a per visit rate) Project Manage the Implemention on-site with the option of having detailed Specifications produced that details what materials are to be used and how they are to be installed.

Several Years into the "landscaping project", the Client had plans drawn up by an architect for a major re-model of the property including a large extension. David Beasley was appointed to help the Client Project Manage these works including tasks such as "setting out" the extension/retaining wall, appointing tradesmen, procuring materials and installing structural steelwork.

The resultant Design Process will enable (amongst offer things) the production of “to-scale” 2D CAD Working Drawings with enough annotated information included that the Garden Builder can confidently construct the design on-site to the Clients wishes and 3D CAD Visualisation Images that enable discussion / understanding between the Designer, Client and Builder.

Not only will the finished garden be more aesthetic / functional it will also satisfy the Client’s “Needs” and “Wants” for their outside space and suit their “Personal Tastes” and Budget.

For clarification and to avoid confusion a design and build company no longer constructs the garden’s David Designs! David did construct Gardens up until 2012 with much success but has chosen to withdraw this Service to concentrate of his Garden Design And Visualisation Services.

The a design and build company name has remained however to simply reflect the fact that by appointing David to Design your garden, you are also getting access to all his previous “Build” knowledge, Sub-Contactors and Trade Material Suppliers. Priceless commodities that the average “Garden Designer” is not going to be able to offer you!

To further appreciate the many advantages of Commissioning David Beasley to Design / Project Manage your Garden / Landscape Project, please explore the wealth of information contained in the Pages at www.a-design-and-build.co.uk

Builders In Hull, Beverley And East Yorkshire:

Wheldon Homes Black Cat Homes Marsden Builders Dimmack Brothers Eric Bradley Construction Total Build Solutions