the estimate we got today from a contractor to redo our front yard. he's a friend of a friend.
-fix a broken piece of our house above the front door -new front door -new stoop & steps down/over to the driveway -new driveway -new steps from stoop to street (we're on a big hill) -regrading the land & leveling it off -several (three??) retaining walls for the hill -new landscaping
it was twice as much as we thought it would be. which means we're only getting half of it done. but which half?!
its discouraging news, to say the least...
curly2003
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Re: $60,000
I'd get a second estimate. I re-did my WHOLE basement for WAY less.
curly2003
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Re: $60,000
Well, actually I just re-read you were leveling it. That's expensive but get another quote just to put your mind at ease.
Jenny5150
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Re: $60,000
it's those darn retaining walls that are bringing your estimate up!
(retaining walls cost a fortune in general.)
jennbaby
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Re: $60,000
whoa
spel
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Re: $60,000
we'll definitely get another estimate.
he said the reason it is so much is because of all the heavy machinery they'll need to bring in to regrade the land & retaining walls are super expensive & we need about three small ones. due to the giant hill we're on we need to tier the land with the retaining walls.
i just can't believe its that much.
oh and to redo the back (also on a hill) it would be over $20,000 just to push out our level land about 10 feet & put up a retaining wall the length of the property (pretty wide). it would also be tiered like the front. however, the backyard is about the last thing on my list for the house right now!!
i need to go on curb appeal or designer's challenge on HDTV (mom tried- only on the west coast!)
kptoys
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Re: $60,000
OMG He could add an addition to your house for that price!!!!
Get a second opinion!
chmlengr
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Re: $60,000
we also got a super huge estimate too to regrade our back yard, which the back half is a really steep hill. It's the retaining walls, and unfortunately iy's not something I would recommend doing yourself.
mishandgerard
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Re: $60,000
my mil got more then that done for less $$.
Kathy116
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Re: $60,000
If you have the time, I would do the landscaping yourself.
My family is involved in owning garden centers and landscaping...and whenever they do a job for someone, they AT LEAST TRIPLE THE RETAIL PRICE!!! There is a HUGE markup in landscaping.
Obviously, things like retaining walls need to be done by a professional, but all the planting, roto tilling, seeding, mulching, can be done by yourself. My father has been wonderful, he's given FI and I all the shrubs, trees and plants...and every weekend he's been over here, and we all plant or do something to fix up the yard. It takes time, but it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much cheaper to do yourself.
Kate
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Re: $60,000
Spel, we have been discussing doing very similiar work on our front and back yards as we are on a hill too. We haven't gotten quotes yet though at this point it looks like it'll at least be next year. At the very least we want to add landscaping at the bottom of the hill. Is your slope similiar to this? Its hard to tell from the pic but trust me its a workout and a half to mow...
ETA: how long/wide is your driveway? is it on a hill too? Ours was done last year. It was basically gravel so the whole thing had to be re-done. $6500 for 12ft x approx 150 ft. And due to the grade they had to use binder instead of regular blacktop.
LizD
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Re: $60,000
It is always good to get at least 3 estimates. It may not bee to off with the leveling and the retaining walls. Alos, remember to check anyone you hire on the BBB website and check to make sure they have the appropriate licenses and insurance
Niecey
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Re: $60,000
spel- good luck to you. It is all so confusing but definitely get at least three quotes - although if you read my siding and windows post - I have rec'd three and they are so different (price and service) that I am even more confused.
mlp924
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Re: $60,000
Spel...I just had a new bulkhead put in for 70 feet with a yard regrade of 4 feet in height difference and 2 boat lifts for 20k. 60 is wayyyyyyyyyy out of line!
Find someone else to do the work.
Good lUck
Sonicstef
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Re: $60,000
Is there anyway you can get the same use without doing those specific things? Maybe you can talk to the guy and explain your budget and see what he recommends. There may be cheaper alternatives.
spel
Posted:
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Re: $60,000
i know its crazy! you're right, we would leave the landscaping for last & do much of it ourselves. we've already done a lot in the back (we've rented a tiller before, mulched, planted, seeded, you name it!) so i figure we could do the front too.
as far as the major work, i'm just still in shock over the price!! next landscaper/landscape architect/contractor that comes over i will be telling him my budget & see what he can do. i can't believe how much retaining walls cost!!
as far as the slope of the hill, this should give you an idea, but its actually steeper than it looks in the pictures (hence the great price when we bought it!).
picture from our front door (when we bought the house in february): see how we have to have steps from the front door all the way down to the street... when it snows thats the easiest way to get up to the house before we shovel the driveway. and boy did it snow this year!
picture of the front of the house from the street (notice driveway is all cracked):
our house in the springtime (i used this pic as our moving announcement card!!): looks a bit nicer with grass & trees!
spel
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Re: $60,000
we have almost an acre. this is the view from the back of our property line (up the hill) looking down at the back of our house (can't really see the house):
calling other landscape companies today.
i really hope they can do what we need (definitely new front stoop/stairs/driveway at least) for a hell of a lot less!
Sonicstef
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Re: $60,000
Is there something wrong with your current steps and driveway? I actually think that with a little landscaping and few touches, it would look awesome. I really like the green patina on your steps and how they dont come straight up!
Wendy
Posted:
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Re: $60,000
Unfortunately that price doesn't sound too crazy to me. We recently had an estimate done to replace our driveway and a 75 foot concrete retaining wall and it was $30,000. I almost fell over in a dead faint. We also live on a hill and our driveway is right next to the retaining wall. So if the wall goes, so does the driveway ! The wall is leaning over (sort of like The Leaning Tower of Pisa) and last week when the tree company came to remove a dead tree in our backyard they backed into my driveway!!!! I kept waiting for the whole thing to go over, truck, wall, driveway and all. Since it didn't I think we may be safe for a while longer. At least I hope so.
Retaining walls are expensive!!!!
spel
Posted:
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Re: $60,000
oh that made me feel better, thanks stef!
driveway has a zillion cracks in it. so we can't just repave. which stinks.
steps are ok mostly, in one spot they sink a little (due to putting in a huge septic system a few months ago).
if i need to save money (which i do!), the steps will stay. the driveway, front walk, stoop will be replaced. at the bottom of the hill we'll mulch & put plantings & stuff, and the rest will be grass. but we need to put in the retaining walls unfortunately. it will be expensive but will do wonders for the look of the front.
