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📹 Unbelievable DIY Backyard TRANSFORMATION (Thousands $$$ SAVED by Doing it Myself!)
When I bought my Fixer-Upper, the backyard was a DISASTER. It took a lot of work, but we finally got it cleaned up and …
📹 I Completely TRANSFORMED my Home’s Curb Appeal with 78 Bags of Concrete!
Although there were multiple projects that went into improving my home’s curb appeal, this curb appeal transformation video will …
Thank you all so much for 50K Subscribers! I really appreciate all the support! I am considering doing a “50K Q&A and Giveaway” type article – so if you have any questions for me, shoot me a DM on instagram and I will try and answer them in the article: instagram.com/atimprovements/ If we can get the IG to 1,000 followers, I will ramp up my posting efforts over there as well. Thank you all again so much for the support!
I’m a landscape installation business owner and I can confirm that you did save thousands and thousands on this job. The end result looks really great man. The best part to me is just seeing you bust ass getting that done. Working nights and weekends just grinding. The article never does it justice for how much work actually goes into something like that. Good job
My husband and I installed and built our own 8ft wood fence this Spring and you are right about putting up the individual pressure treated boards! It was an awesome feeling though once we were done. Now we have the backyard we always wanted and our dogs have a place to run and play that is safe. Your backyard looks amazing.
I love everything, but my two favorite items are your planted seed for the grass and the privacy area for your garbage and recycling. I would love that for mine. So much work you put into the area from the fence, to the porch, the landscaping and the wonderful shed. The value you’ve increased your property is insurmountable! Really well done! I would hire you in a heartbeat 💓
What I loved most about that build was you took the time to build a hideaway for your trashcans. I had a looong driveway once upon a time, back when they didn’t have garbage cans on wheels. So it was dolly a can out, X4 to 5 trips or about 10 minutes from start to finish. Then it was “carry by hand” two empty but heavier galvanized cans back to where they were out in the open but in the back corner of our lot. Then it was returning them after a tough day at a high paying but manual labor job. So what I did was build a plat-form on wheels that would not only obscure 5 cans, but from where it was, all we had to do was push it out to the curb and go to work. The cans were about 10″ higher than before so the garbagemen liked it as they would swing to the back end of their truck. And they would set the cans back on it for me as well. They ask my wife if her husband was an engineer…
Damn bro y’all killed it completely. I’m 70 and grew up with parents who survived The Great Depression, then both Dad and Mother were in WWII. Army/Europe/DDay-3 Purple Hearts for him and she was Navy anti-submarine work. We NEVER hired anybody EVER to do any damn thing. Maybe some friend with a certain skill would stop by. You guys went for it including finishing touches. I renovated many a house with hard-working, multi-talented smart people. ….like you. Awesome job gets 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻!!!
As a designer and love remodeling, i am absolutely in love with this backyard remodeling / transformation! I especially love the use of wire railings, sleek and yet functional. The custom made fire pit/table is wonderful! The shed is inspired. I love perusal these kind of articles and hopefully someday my cousin and I, both designers and handymen, could have our own remodeling business. Kudos to you guys!!!
I helped my dad and stepmom put up their fence and sidewalk path and jacuzzi, now it’s time for me to try and I hadn’t realized just how much planning and details go into the work. I just showed up and did what I was told and helped put posts in etc. I’m excited for the journey on my own and thank you for the article!
That transformation is incredible! One question I had was whether or not the cable running through the wood at an angle (to form the barrier on the deck) would eventually wear through the wood and cut websites in it due to tension. Has that ever been a problem? Would it be preferable to put something in the holes in the posts before passing the cable through (like a grommet or something)? Thanks!
Wow! What is not to love. I never thought to have a privacy area for the trash/recycle receptacles but now I want that too. The outcome of the shed and the yard are my top favorite. New subscriber here. Hoping I can replicate and save $$$ by taking on some projects as well. About to do a deeep dive on your website 😅😂
Fantastic, but how much does it cost to do all this? I would guess $20K or more IF you already have all those tools/pieces of equipment and know how to use them??? The equipment alone must cost $50K. Do you do any articles for someone working alone with zero experience in designing and building a garden and with limited funds. I am starting with a blank slate. I will be doing it all alone on a small budget with no experience. I just want to create a really pretty, peaceful garden that will attract bees, butterflies, and birds.
Again, I’ve done a limited amount of actual building because I have no skills. I have however transformed my yard with just hard work and going to the experts for advice. Some things you have to figure out a way around the rules, I’m 77 and 4’11, so I do get help for the really hard stuff. As I said before you inspire me, and many others too I’m sure. Thank you, glad your Mom is proud. 👍🏻🤗
I find that I constantly end up taking shortcuts that result in the finished product not lasting as long or at all. How do you keep yourself motivated to do it right all the way through? With your fitness level id guess it’s something you’ve programmed into yourself which is something I haven’t been able to do to date.
timber is good only after a couple of months. the sun discolors it. it warps. it twist and it rots and needs constant maintenance. oiling staining painting etc. this build is for those on a budget, its well planned but no way would i use this material everywhere. i like colorbond, stainless steel and aluminum. costs more but way less maintenance. i have a lot of these materials on my house in Bel Air. plus im on an elevated block.
The only detail that concerned me is where you placed your new fence posts: When the neighbour rips his own ugly wire fence down he may now assume that his property extends to where your new fence has been erected. This I can imagine will be a headache when it comes to surveying and the rest of it when it comes time to sell your home. What a nightmare it will be having to move the fence once again and establish the legal border of the property in order to appease all prospective new buyers. I know your situation is unique to you and all of what I just typed does NOT apply. I’m only sharing light-heartedly the concerns I would have if doing this on my home and thinking a couple of decades into the future and so forth. Great job with this backyard transformation though dude!
8:15 8:16 nice feature but you really trusted the old patio/deck… 7:45 Careful if your siding is the same as mine (looks like it) they break/chip very easy…. 5:58 Forgot the warning tape!!! 5:05 PTSD omg I just finished building our new shed and it was a nightmare (I am disabled but not unable!) 10X10 with 10-foot wall one side down to 8 feet the other 0:42 to 0:51 MUST be watched at 0: 25 speed….
Be me: Home alone, in the bathroom with my AirPods on perusal this banger of a YouTube article. The article is quiet the whole time with a side of music, very peaceful. Then all of a sudden as I’m sitting on the toilet alone in my house, I hear “WHATS GOING ON GUYS!!”. Good thing I’m on the toilet. P.s thank you for the heads up 👍 Also nice article 💕
Beautiful yet again! Two things that would make it more enjoyable for me. First, the music is irksome. If you’re not going to narrate (and that’s fine, but leave the captions up longer please), let us just hear the sounds of the job site. Music tastes are extremely subjective and tend to be annoying when the music isn’t to your own taste. Second, please do a walk-through of the final project as if your audience were a person entering the space. It allows us to experience the space for ourselves rather than piecing together the various components of the backyard. You do such great work. I’m glad I found your website.
Just Superb My great to be Strong young full of great things to accomplish Stair nice and necessary. Solid correct outer fencing + gate. Green grass must be MY favourite all for eco. System . I am sure the owners will consider their money well spent and will enjoy many happy times in seating fire night time gazing moments.
Man, I clicked on this thinking the thumbnail would be the “before,” and then the “after” photo would be a nice looking yard with the dude now having a beer belly and being all out of shape. Like everything transoformed to the opposite. (I know, my brain is messed up.) Great landscaping, though! Well done.
WOW … Everything was great. I actually hate bushes, grass and trees at the yard. The last part of the movie shown on the flag / cloth was just superb. I would like to see what you had put inside your shed. It would have been great if you would have cemented that whole backyard and put floor tiles. Instead of the wooden fence, I would have put brick wall with wall tiles. That way, it’s easy to clean. The trees would be removed permanently. I never like wooden furniture – all my furniture in my house are made of bricks + cement + tiles. Beds, wardrobes, filing cabinets, kitchen cabinets, sofa (at living hall), shoe cabinet, TV cabinet, long benches (at each bedroom), racks at store room are all made from bricks + cement + tiles. Mattresses for the beds are coconut husk. Round dining table is 100% marble with glass top. Anti rust chrome metal dining chairs. Wardrobe and filing cabinets doors are made of glass. Sliding Bathroom doors are made of aluminium and glass. The only wood in my house are :- 1) doors for bedrooms, store – solid nyatoh 2) coffee table – solid nyatoh 3) entrance door – steel, iron and wood. 4) back kitchen door (to get to the back yard) – steel, iron and wood. 5) foot of the staircase (to prevent visitors going up the staircase). This door is at the foot of the staircase right up to the ceiling. And the door is locked when I have visitors. My back yards are all cemented with floor tiles. Brick wall surrounding my property of the back yard. No tree, no grass, no plant at all.
The most challenging parts would have to be the intermittent backflips that are required. Aside from that the decade(s) of needed contractor experience, the thousands in tools, the thousands in supplies, etc….none of which I have…piece of freakin cake!! Coulda done this in weekend while restoring a Camaro and home schooling my kids.
“Redundancy is the repetition of a word or phrase that does not add anything to the previous meaning; it just restates what has already been said.” “adjective adjective: redundant not or no longer needed or useful; superfluous. “many of the old skills had become redundant” Similar: unnecessary not required inessential unessential” How is nailing fence pickets in any way “redundant “?
Good job. In the future, it will help if you show the curb appeal from the actual curb. Give the viewers numerous full house shots from the street. Also, run the reveal time twice as long as you think you should – that’s the payoff your viewers are waiting for, allow them to fully enjoy it. If you watch other project reveals, you’ll notice that when the reveal is brief, as it too often is, you’re left unsatisfied.
My only change on the flowerbeds as a gardener is put a small drain somewhere in case of heavy rain, your down spout is in there and that bed will be mush in heavy rain. Even one small pipe below that curb will help to funnel the water to the grass. Just a little green thumb advice from someone who did something similar.
Top Work Brother! your origonal article doing the steps gave me some motivation for redoing my entire driveway with a different concrete (Ardex CD) and seeing all these ideas, even though I am a contractor, taking on projects at home require extra motivation but seeing how you broke them down, this is awesome.
Just a quick landscaping tip. You never want to plant arborvitae that close to the foundation of your house. They are trees that grow about 15-20 feet at maturity. Not only will the roots damage your foundation, they also like to strangle sewage pipes. I found that out after thousands of dollars of damage. If you want to see out those windows, you will have doomed yourself to trimming them every year for the lifetime of the plant. There are types that don’t grow as big like the two globe variety I saw there. But most of those plants are just the immature big variety.
Heres a tip, put the screws on youre forms on the outsied whenever you can so when the concrete fills in the forms you can take the screws back out sense they arent burried in concrete. It makes taking apart forms way easier and faster pluss you get to reuse the wood and screws instead of busting them out!
BEAUTIFUL!!! Oh how I wish my body would allow be to fix up my yard and do the long overdue repairs to my home. As a little girl, I loved helping my Dad with all the work he did to care for animals, build pens, add an addition to our house, yard work, growing fruits and vegetables, etc. My brothers didn’t like any of it, but I loved working with my hands and seeing the results of hard work. Old age, injuries, and health conditions will not allow me to do any of those things anymore, so perusal you and you making your visions come to life puts a huge smile on my face and fills my heart with joy. Keep following your dreams! You are one of the rare ones that doesn’t have a job, because you absolutely love what you are doing. You have the eye and vision to take nothing or something bad and make it absolutely beautiful, now that is the gift I wish I had. I just found your website and will probably binge watch to get caught up. Thank you for brightening up this old lady’s day and heart!
Just stumbled into this article, and found it very informative and entertaining. I live in Hungary, our climate is between – 20 and +40 Celsius, so concrete cracks. So we build 5-6 feet long sections, and I always separate these with 0.5 inch thin polystyrene sheets in the liquid concrete. This fills up the gaps, while remains very flexible. As a result tuere is zero crack in 10+ year old concrete in my yard.
You did a fantastic job. My dad and I built a 40 by 60 shop 26 ft high from the foundation up because he had a machine shop and wanted a place to be rent free. He did every bit of the wiring. We were putting up the plywood over the trusses in the winter and in January we live in Washington state and the plywood had ice on it. A whole bunch of stuff here in building the shop but I’m going to focus on the roof. We put up tar paper over the plywood like you did in this article. A carpenter friend told us that nobody puts tar paper on their buildings in this country because it’s too windy because we live in a windy tunnel type area. Sure enough after we had the whole area covered with tar paper before we could put shingles on it the tar paper blew off and landed in the neighbors orchard. So my dad said let’s just put the shingles over the tar paper and that’s what we did. Eventually those same winds would tear loose a shingle or two because we had 100 mph gusts. And then after replacing and repairing shingles due to leaks inside the building in one area, I suggested to my dad that we needed metal roofing. My dad was a carpenter when he was young and then later became a machinist and would also build airplanes from scratch. Me I was just kind of there trying to keep up with it all. So I asked my dad how do we do this? He said I want you to go to the buy a bunch of lathe (firring strips) I may have spelled that wrong. So then he instructed me to go up on top of that building and to attach the lathe to the trusses by using a rubber hammer to locate solid places.
My tip is to avoid mulch so close to the foundation and try rock pebble if you want something there. Rock pebble keeps away weeds and allows moisture run off from the drainage when rain happens and you don’t want to mulch that close to the house because plant life and moisture from the mulch will damage the foundation and even effect run off and pipes underground. If you don’t want rocks there either, try masonry paint or create textured brick look with bricks or cement and then seal with a few coats of that paint.
Few comments, the relief is generally 1/3 the total concrete thickness. So a 6″ concrete slab should have at least 2″ relief line. 4″ would be 1 1/3″. Also, the city will often want an inspection if you’re redoing curbside (city usually) sidewalks. DIY’ers might get a grumpy city inspector visit if you just break it up and re-pour without going to the building deparmtent. Finally, I’ve mixed at least 150 bags of 60 pound quick setting and normal concrete without clumping problems in 6 cu ft ryobi mixer. Two suggestions: add 1/2 the water you’ll need for 3 bags FIRST. Then add the first bag. Give it a minute, add 2nd bag and some water, and then finally add the 3rd bag and fine tune the slump with final water needed for your desired slump. Don’t try to do more than 3 bags at a time. I also add my concrete color at this point and let it mix about 5-7 minutes.
First, I want to commend you for putting together everything in one concise article, especially without sponsor breaks! It’s refreshing on this platform. I am curious how the cost breakdown is between the concrete mix &rentals vs calling in a company to pour? I also happen to think plain gray concrete isn’t really adding that much to the overall look, but that’s purely subjective on my part. Technically and practically speaking, this was a great renovation.
Fantastic work! It looks beautiful–I would just suggest that you stain the two 4×4 (?) posts at the front step-the yellow of the wood is just throwing off the front of the house. Stain them black or the dark gray of the steps…I think black would look the best and tie in with your awesome new rail.
This is phenomenal. I’m a mother of two little boys, and we homeschool. I truly hope that they grow-up to be able to do things like this themselves. They’ll become young men and decide where their professions will be – but we are hoping they might choose the trades. Well done – your mum must be very proud of you!
Beautiful outcome. I’m glad you have your brother with you for that backbreaking labor, though, bet it was fun overall. I cannot wait to see the porch roof job. By the way, who or why would anyone think this was in any way not perfect when you consider the former!? New old question: Where is the article of the construction of the front porch? I have seen the upgrade to the wooden posts but not how those posts appeared. Confused!
In future when you are doing control joints on any new concrete surface, you should have the control joint all the way down to the depth of the concrete joint. That way when the concrete expands there will be room for the new surface to Expands and Retract when the concrete gets too hoT in the summer sun. I know the work was done e nearly a year ago. But I’m just seeing this vid now.good job.
Curious about your water proportioner thingy for the concrete pour. Could you post here the name of such a thing? I’m about to have to figure out how I can myself do about a 60′-80′ footing possibly 4’x 2′ deep for a proposed wall. Hoping it wont’ have to be that massive, but that was what one architect said. Think that tool of yours would work in such a circumstance?
I really enjoyed your article. I need some concrete work done in my yard and on my porch. I wish you had discussed the cost of what that concrete job would’ve cost you, had you not been able to do it yourself. Everything is so expensive nowadays. Contractors don’t even offer free estimates anymore and that’s just taking advantage of people. I need the step into my side and front doors replaced or resurfaced as well as a couple of my basement windows. My home is 60 years old and the concrete appears to be crumbling. Any suggestions ?? 😮
Just an FYI if you’re going to apply sealer, make sure it’s the correct kind of sealer for the concrete you’re coating. Fresh concrete continues to cure over 28 days, meaning the applied sealer needs to allow gasses to escape while keeping moisture out. There are sealers for new concrete, but you might be better off waiting a month and applying sealer then
Okay, I’m sorry, that concrete work was terrible. If you look when you remove the forms there’s huge voids that will likely crack very quickly in the future. You need a lot more liquid in your concrete ( more slump). I think you have great potential, and it looks nice, but this is absolutely going to fall apart within a couple years. Hopefully you have a follow-up article at some point showing proper concrete techniques
$475 in concrete mix + tax, cost to rent 2 different mixing devices, yeah you probable would have been cheaper and definitely faster then physically moving that many bags of concrete if you had gone to the nearest concrete supplier and had a truck delivered, Also I would have drilled into the edges of the remaining sidewalk and installed some pieces of rebar to “lock” the pieces together, if you live anywhere that sees freezing temps that section will thrust upward during freeze, ask me how I know.
First of all.. Great job man! My brother in law and I did this same thing once to save money. Rented a mud mixer, bought bags of concrete and poured it ourselves! NEVER AGAIN. We learned real quick for the next job to just ordered a truck with a pump.. Picking up God knows how many bags of concrete because it was so long ago, put them on the cart to pay at home depot, loaded them in the truck at home depot, unloaded them out the truck and carried them around to the back yard of the house, then having to cut them open one by one, put them in the mixer, then mix it, then pour it, then smooth it out.. NEVERRR AGAIN! HAHAHAHA.. May my brother in law RIP, but I’m sure he’s in heaven still talking shit about that job.. Hahahhaha.. This dude made it look easy!
Concrete does not “inevitably crack” if done properly it shouldn’t. That slab for the steps was done so poorly. Looked like a lot of cold joints, judging by the voids and strata when you took the forms off. I can’t believe the city allowed you to tear up the sidewalk and replace it with sakrete. I’d imagine there would be a liability for you if something happens to someone now because of it. In the future make your own concrete, just rent a proper mixer and have bulk fine and coarse aggregate delivered and purchase several bags of portland. Make batches with a 3:2:1 ratio. 3 parts coarse 2 parts fine and 1 part cement. Far cheaper and much better end product.
Great Job and looks far cleaner than yr starting point. Another option to consider in the future….hone or grind the existing steps and path, which gives you a modern midcentury look that can then be stained black and sealed w a concrete top sealer. This can be achieved for $35 Amazon Vacuum Brazed grinding wheel by Shinto cuts and hones. Stain $50 per 500ml Seal $75 for 4L. The same method I also use for vanity and kitchen bench tops ..pigment $12 per bag. You may also think about waterproofing yr building wall under the soil line. Bricks and concrete are highly porous. Do you guys pay rate to yr local council? If so new footpaths are covered by them. Here in Oz all councils have parks n gardens and or a concreting team dedicated to laying new paths. It may save you a lot on yr next project to investigate what’s possible w yr council. If you are in the States?? Well then your probably screwed and yr council will most likely sue you and take yr house for construction of council property without a permit. 😂😂 Just kidding. Great job bud, you now join the league of folks who get a buzz and sense of accomplishment by doing it yourself ( for gen Z…that’s DIY). Congratulations! I can’t wait to see the rest of yr place. Congrats on yr website too.👍🙏
Hopefully you checked with your local public agency/city/county. The sidewalk is commonly part of the public right of way and requires an encroachment permit to work in it. WWF commonly is not allowed there, though you might be required to increase the sidewalk thickness across the driveway from 4″ to 6″.
As a landscaper, to anyone who reads this, don’t waste your money on plastic weed barrier like he used in the article. Treat the area with a pre-emergent instead. Works for under concrete and gravel driveways/ paths. Weed barrier is a joke, but if you insist, get the thick fabric kind. Cardboard boxes or layers of newspaper are just as effective. Honestly my best advice is, if you can buy it at Lowe’s, it’s probably garbage!
Rapidset is NOT the right product for placing. Especially with your clear lack of experience. That’s why it was clumping up in the mixer, wasn’t floating off, creaming properly or vibrating. That v pattern tool does NOT create a control joint, that’s just a finishing tool. It would need to penetrate the concrete an inch to do anything for cracking.
Beautiful job. As for caution tape, my husband is visually impaired (hasn’t always been, has a rare genetic disorder discovered in his mid-forties). He walks miles daily, for exercise (same route daily). The city neglected to put up barriers and caution tape while replacing a section of sidewalk. More than a twisted ankle….almost died from a head injury. Not a joke, please place tape and physical barriers when replacing sidewalks.
Is that sidewalk a city owned side walk? If so, did you get permission or a permit to do the repairs? Some cities/counties are very strict about “their” property and would make you remove the repairs, AND make you pay for that removal! It looks so nice with the repairs, but I did have questions about the process.
Looks great and that’s a lot of work. A couple of things that scream at me (being a landscaper) are, the beds being concrete cannot be reworked without completely destroying the project, the plants selected are NOT foundation plants (they are large growing Thuja hedge/specimen plants), and the landing is a huge trip hazard. People don’t expect to encounter a step, before a step. I would also remove the fake plastic shutters, since they should be made illegal worldwide as they are ridiculous eyesores and then replace the roof with a metal roof. The railing is great, as long as the cables are stainless steal.
It’s funny to watch people do projects, when they really don’t know what they are doing. A sledgehammer would have saved you money over the jackhammer. Your orange HomeDepot mixers just needed extra water in the concrete mix to stop the mixing trouble you had. But the genius you are, you spent more money on a mud mixer, which needed more water to smooth the concrete as it mixed, just like the orange mixer needed…You’re young, you’ll learn
Awesome! I thought whenever you are laying concrete outdoors the center of the driveway, walkway and sidewalk is the highest point and gradually slopes to the sides, so when it rains or snow melts the water drains outward from the center? However, I never constructed the aforementioned with concrete.
The hardscaping is great! You could use help putting your shrubs and flowers together though….I do it for a living, so I noticed right away. Putting the right shrubs in there is going to make your cement work look so much better! Spend some money and buy more shrubs and perennials too, if you want, and get help if necessary to have a better design for your plants….it will make a huge difference and you should do it, after all your fantastic cement work! You need that extra oomph to make it look professional and stunning.
The only thing I can see that could be different with resurfacing the stoop would be the color. When my dad and grandfather built my house in the mid-fifties they surfaced the stoop and sidewalk in a dark russet red. I’ve always thought it looked classy compared to plain concrete. I hope you checked with the local permitting office before pouring the sidewalk by the road. That’s a public ROW, and if I did that in my area the county would come by and demo it.
The side walk is considered a Right a way and it’s not apart of your property. Legally you should have got a permit from the City. You can be fine in the future at anytime for doing this type of work. All main utilities lines are under sidewalks, if you works causes any future damage, you will financially be responsible to rectify all damage.
Does ur city/town/municipality have rules about sidewalks or are you allowed to make your own choices bc the sidewalk is part of your property, extending to the street in of your house? Genuinely interested in knowing since I know in my neighborhood there would be a lot of concern about building permit, pipes, electrical lines Etc etc etc😂
I don’t understand. Isn’t the last part a public sidewalk. Doesn’t the city have responsibility to build and maintain that? I also don’t see the point of all the work to create a little border for the garden. A very minimal bit of routine edging seems much easier. And free. The stairs and other sidewalk look great.
Appreciate the article, but can’t help but think you’re too used to doing Tik Toks or something. The results in the end were very fast and hard to even watch and appreciate. Pull back, let the audience that stayed for the end of the article to actually see the results, not the quick .5 second shots. Thanks!
Dude, great article! Some of the best DIY concrete content I’ve seen on here. Keep it up! 💪 It’s inevitable that the new concrete cracks. If I may suggest, ‘beat the crack’ and cut in relief cuts with a 14″ concrete saw everywhere you put a relief joint! It’ll allow for expansion/contraction at cuts vs cracking.
dont use rapid set/fast setting!!! r u insane. just use regular 80lb bags of quikrete sold at any lowes. ull want that xtra time to set everything nice and smooth her out. take ur time. oh and verrry important!b4 u broom finish, do a teeeeny tiny area! if u r pulling up bits of agragate wait a bit longer!!! dont rush!not every project that u do thats diy has to look like a crazy person did it.sheeesh! take ur time! and lastly keep ur trowels/floats clean as possible. if there is concrete chunks all over the top and sides of it-kinda hard for that stuff to not be falling off during your passes. like i said work clean and take ur time. do it right. sheesh oh and just mix in a wheel barrow! ull save tons!!!!! of time annd that will give u more time to focus on the trowel finishing parts of said job. just a tip.
Andrew, Good effort, but just a heads up. The conifer trees that you have planted have outward surface root structure. They will damage the foundation of your home over time. I would suggest trees that have a downward or deeper root system. Or put the conifers in a sealed planter. keep on keeping on !
a good way to crack your new thin concrete is to mount a load on it without a load bearing footing. Never plant next to a foundation it’s a good way to ruin structure over time especially if you have a basement and any in ground drainage, it looks nice when plants are young but they are problems waiting to happen. Also the curb can help keep water close to the foundation not great. when I look at older homes for sale it’s the things I look for.
Good job! I totally get your energy! My hubby and I would do the fixer upper thing when we first got married for about 10 years. Note to self…hold on to your real estate, duplicate what you are doing now and when you are older (we are now in our60’s) you will be wealthy and have retirement. Try not sell, get good tenants, help others. Be grateful for today and not for what you don’t.
I would prefer rock and slate with dyed black morter and plant moss instead of the unnatural grey square look of concrete. If and when I use concrete I stamp, color, and seal it with a mat or wet look sealer. Still I have to do the unnatural grey square look of concrete all the time because that’s what the customer wants so I can appreciate the level of work that you did…well done.
I assume you don’t work with concrete often, and that you’re not a professional constructor, just a diyer, don’t get me wrong the result was good and a huge improvement from the beggining, congrats on that, but could turned out better, sometimes the concrete mixture was too wet, other times too dry. For the next projects watch out the texture, make sure it’s even, it should move like a paste. I enjoy the article, great content!
I am not being critical only curious because I want to do some of this at my own home, but I’m just very curious about the overlay of concrete and that product because I was looking at some not so great sculptures and they took that imported all over and then they went back after nothing sold and sanded a little bit but when i touch the sculptures i have a powdery substance on my hands, and I was wondering if the same thing will happen with your stairs?