Our whole backyard is a contruction zone with pricey projects going, and we dont have a lot of money to spend. Last time I added, we need about $20,000 for materials. If I sat here thinking 20 grand, I would get frustrated and likely give up on it all. Instead, it's buy an item or two here and there. Sounds silly, but I have materials organized in my head as to the when we can buy the needed materials.
We are desperately short on rocks, the main pond is still lacking ... one whole side of the main pond only has one course of rocks, of three needed. I refuse to pay $300-400 per pallet for them. We can go to the pit (because we have done so much business there), and hand pick what we want out of their piles with our truck and machine, for $50 ton, but it's a half day project. Unless we need rocks to SECURE the liner, we just wait and hope hubby finds some on job sites. Not going well there. Since the first of the year, he has only scrounged up about a pickup truck worth ,, not going to go far, but he'll keep watching and bring them home as he finds them.
He has block work going, that hasnt been touched since last summer. Again a material cost issue. The blocks are $400 per pallet ... We still need 6 more pallets, and I think two pallets of cap block. Because of distance, the supplier wants $200 to deliver, and to take our truck is $100 in diesel to go there, so we wait ... He has a wall job coming up (summer), so when he does that job, will get 1-2 pallets for us at the same time ... in the meanwhile, this bed looks like crap ...
But am patient as I know how much I'll love it, someday, when it gets done. We have a fountain that is going there (used to be out front til someone tried to steal her) ...
This isnt a flattering picture, but when he got this section of wall done, I quickly put items in it (mostly my veggies LOL) ... the mulch was left over from another job ...
This are still looks about the same now ... No pavers in the small walkway between the steps ... need better rocks on the boulder retaining wall to the left, no cap block on the patio ... no pavers on the patio (just gravel and extra stone dust from another clients yard) ... no posts/railing yet on the patio (will be posts will plexiglass panels) ...
This is an older picture but the only one I can find showing the area wide open ... to the right of the back door is the bed that you can see the start of in the first picture ... it's 18' wide along the house, and protrudes 14' ... like I said, 6 more pallets of wall block there ... coming off the wall where I planted the veggies (3rd picture), the patio will be 18' wide there (away from the house) ... that is where the normal patio furniture will be going, the grill (built in) and the general hangout area ... this whole area will be bordered by HIS big pond ... minimum liner width will be 50' ...
I am a firm believer in where there's a will, there's a way. My yard looks like crap with multi projects going, but I am okay with it. He has his goals of what he wants, and enjoys working in the yard. So what if it will take years to get the basics in. As we have some extra money in the budget, we'll throw more at the project. We dont go anywhere (neither of us are the vacation sort, prefer to be home with family) and really dont spend money foolishly. The biggest thing we squabble over is I do NOT spend money on myself like a lot of women do. Our younger daughter talked me in to going with her, almost 2 yrs ago to get our nails done. With all the crap they put on, I discovered I can be meaner to my nails (dont break, which hurts LOL), so have kept with getting them done. I am SUPPOSED to go every 2 weeks to get fills ... I think it is silly, I can go atleast a month before they need to be redone ... Hubby kicked me in the ass yesterday, and drove me, to be sure I did them. It's all of $25 (well $30 with tip) LOL. I refuse to have a car payment (I think it is foolish to pay finance charges - waste of money) and dont want a NEW car (cars come here to die LOL)... dont believe in credit cards, so no credit card debt .. really, the only place I spend a good deal of money is at the grocery store, and even then, target the sales to stock up on the pantry items.
We are desperately short on rocks, the main pond is still lacking ... one whole side of the main pond only has one course of rocks, of three needed. I refuse to pay $300-400 per pallet for them. We can go to the pit (because we have done so much business there), and hand pick what we want out of their piles with our truck and machine, for $50 ton, but it's a half day project. Unless we need rocks to SECURE the liner, we just wait and hope hubby finds some on job sites. Not going well there. Since the first of the year, he has only scrounged up about a pickup truck worth ,, not going to go far, but he'll keep watching and bring them home as he finds them.
He has block work going, that hasnt been touched since last summer. Again a material cost issue. The blocks are $400 per pallet ... We still need 6 more pallets, and I think two pallets of cap block. Because of distance, the supplier wants $200 to deliver, and to take our truck is $100 in diesel to go there, so we wait ... He has a wall job coming up (summer), so when he does that job, will get 1-2 pallets for us at the same time ... in the meanwhile, this bed looks like crap ...
But am patient as I know how much I'll love it, someday, when it gets done. We have a fountain that is going there (used to be out front til someone tried to steal her) ...
This isnt a flattering picture, but when he got this section of wall done, I quickly put items in it (mostly my veggies LOL) ... the mulch was left over from another job ...
This are still looks about the same now ... No pavers in the small walkway between the steps ... need better rocks on the boulder retaining wall to the left, no cap block on the patio ... no pavers on the patio (just gravel and extra stone dust from another clients yard) ... no posts/railing yet on the patio (will be posts will plexiglass panels) ...
This is an older picture but the only one I can find showing the area wide open ... to the right of the back door is the bed that you can see the start of in the first picture ... it's 18' wide along the house, and protrudes 14' ... like I said, 6 more pallets of wall block there ... coming off the wall where I planted the veggies (3rd picture), the patio will be 18' wide there (away from the house) ... that is where the normal patio furniture will be going, the grill (built in) and the general hangout area ... this whole area will be bordered by HIS big pond ... minimum liner width will be 50' ...
I am a firm believer in where there's a will, there's a way. My yard looks like crap with multi projects going, but I am okay with it. He has his goals of what he wants, and enjoys working in the yard. So what if it will take years to get the basics in. As we have some extra money in the budget, we'll throw more at the project. We dont go anywhere (neither of us are the vacation sort, prefer to be home with family) and really dont spend money foolishly. The biggest thing we squabble over is I do NOT spend money on myself like a lot of women do. Our younger daughter talked me in to going with her, almost 2 yrs ago to get our nails done. With all the crap they put on, I discovered I can be meaner to my nails (dont break, which hurts LOL), so have kept with getting them done. I am SUPPOSED to go every 2 weeks to get fills ... I think it is silly, I can go atleast a month before they need to be redone ... Hubby kicked me in the ass yesterday, and drove me, to be sure I did them. It's all of $25 (well $30 with tip) LOL. I refuse to have a car payment (I think it is foolish to pay finance charges - waste of money) and dont want a NEW car (cars come here to die LOL)... dont believe in credit cards, so no credit card debt .. really, the only place I spend a good deal of money is at the grocery store, and even then, target the sales to stock up on the pantry items.
