Teresa1

Looking for ideas. New patio coming along. Need some sort of wood to keep stones at back of retaining wall in each section height. Builder said would need to be 300 mm high. Attached picture. Would be placed against each section so stones can be flat. Decorative sones obviously going in.

Thank you. We are in Wales. We have gone with the bricks from a local firm. They actually look quite good. The brick layer is doing a fabulous job. They work so hard. Wish I had picked this Company in the beginning. They involve us at every stage. The garden is starting to take shape now.

Oh. Now having brick issues for walls. Cannot get ours. The closest have black marking on half of the pack of bricks. Builder going to Bristol to look tomorrow. Any tips would be helpful.

Considering this. Porcelain again. They are expensive but what we like. Thank you for all replies.

We have had porcelain. You can see slab on wall. They do easily crack. Everyone says they are slippery but we did not find this. Don’t like ridges in sandstone. There are pictures of my garden on previous post. Major drainage problems.

Any advice regarding choice of slabs. Huge progress has been made digging out my garden. Drainage priority this time. Need to get it right this time. Any thoughts please.

Thank you Andehh. I will have a look. The area is all being gutted so I can go for anything. Been taking into consideration all suggestions given.

Hi all. Happy New Year. Thought I would update on my garden. Basically we need to start again! Drainage a big issue as you have mentioned. Not sure if I will even have porcelain slabs as I have no looks on them now. Builder going to look at getting rid of slope areas. Doesn’t look like foundations right throughout. What slabs are others in favour of? Hope to be able to show you something useful within next few months!

Ok. Will mention.

Hi all, update on garden. Our builder lifted slabs on top patio and base under two slabs lifted is soft and cracking. He has done layers of base wrong order apparently. Will have to have it all dug up and relaid correctly. Now considering what to do. Think going to give up on porcelain on top patio. Anyone help with ideas. ? Change to different grey slab type with stones/gravel? Have all new slabs laid in different material. Only go up there to clothes line. I bought three slabs which we thought we were going to replace in the porcelain and they cost nearly £50! My back garden has more value in tiles than is in my bank account. Would soooo appreciate any suggestions. I have put the pause button on doing anything until really sure. Thank you.😊

That is fake grass. Not sure what he put there. But a lot of work went on. Obviously earth was removed and more digging out. We will have to learn to live with movement. But drainage obviously needs to be sorted if possible. I feel so lucky to have all your advice. It is so difficult when you have been ripped off x 2 and still not going to be able to totally sort issues. But I would like to thank all who are helping. X

Thank you. I will show these posts to the builder who is coming. My last builder had worked out the problem but no confidence to drill. This is refashioned garden no. 2. First version was very smart but we had a cracked wall and sinking patio with pooling water on bottom patio. Seem to get one thing right then another goes wrong. Added picture of original version.