Good day.

I'm in a new construction home on a lot of dirt. I have an allowance
from the builder to landscape. Its not enough of an allowance for this
big lot, so I need to do it on my own. Now, I have some estimates to
get the loam and hydro seed delivered, but I need to prep the lot
before I have anything delivered. I also have to grade the back yard.

So, my question is this. Can anyone advice me on what it is that I
need to do to prep the lot? For example, the builder appears to have
just used a bulldozer to level things out, so there are roots,
branches, rocks, sand, pebbles, nail, pieces of the siding, ect all
over the place. I can rake up the trash and some of the debris pretty
easily. But when I rake up the roots, I get 3 more roots pulled up for
every one that I rake up. And there are plenty of rocks out there too.

Here is the lot... http://picasaweb.google.com/absolute...ion/Unfinished

If I paid a landscaper to do all the work of loaming and seeding, what
would they do to prep the lot?

Any advice or suggestions of any sort are greatly appreciated. Thanks
everyone.

The first thing I would do is make sure there is a properly installed
perimeter drain system that works. Most builders screw them up.


"MikeNereson" wrote in message
oups.com...
Good day.

I'm in a new construction home on a lot of dirt. I have an allowance
from the builder to landscape. Its not enough of an allowance for this
big lot, so I need to do it on my own. Now, I have some estimates to
get the loam and hydro seed delivered, but I need to prep the lot
before I have anything delivered. I also have to grade the back yard.

So, my question is this. Can anyone advice me on what it is that I
need to do to prep the lot? For example, the builder appears to have
just used a bulldozer to level things out, so there are roots,
branches, rocks, sand, pebbles, nail, pieces of the siding, ect all
over the place. I can rake up the trash and some of the debris pretty
easily. But when I rake up the roots, I get 3 more roots pulled up for
every one that I rake up. And there are plenty of rocks out there too.

Here is the lot...
http://picasaweb.google.com/absolute...ion/Unfinished

If I paid a landscaper to do all the work of loaming and seeding, what
would they do to prep the lot?

Any advice or suggestions of any sort are greatly appreciated. Thanks
everyone.

MikeNereson wrote:

Good day.

I'm in a new construction home on a lot of dirt. I have an allowance
from the builder to landscape. Its not enough of an allowance for this
big lot, so I need to do it on my own. Now, I have some estimates to
get the loam and hydro seed delivered, but I need to prep the lot
before I have anything delivered. I also have to grade the back yard.

So, my question is this. Can anyone advice me on what it is that I
need to do to prep the lot? For example, the builder appears to have
just used a bulldozer to level things out, so there are roots,
branches, rocks, sand, pebbles, nail, pieces of the siding, ect all
over the place. I can rake up the trash and some of the debris pretty
easily. But when I rake up the roots, I get 3 more roots pulled up for
every one that I rake up. And there are plenty of rocks out there too.

Here is the lot... http://picasaweb.google.com/absolute...ion/Unfinished

If I paid a landscaper to do all the work of loaming and seeding, what
would they do to prep the lot?

Any advice or suggestions of any sort are greatly appreciated. Thanks
everyone.

I would use the allowance to grade and put in topsoil, sod the front if
possible. Before that, I would tell the builder to clean up his waste.
Does anything in your contract or local code address removing waste?

MikeNereson wrote:
Good day.

I'm in a new construction home on a lot of dirt. I have an allowance
from the builder to landscape. Its not enough of an allowance for this
big lot, so I need to do it on my own. Now, I have some estimates to
get the loam and hydro seed delivered, but I need to prep the lot
before I have anything delivered. I also have to grade the back yard.

So, my question is this. Can anyone advice me on what it is that I
need to do to prep the lot? For example, the builder appears to have
just used a bulldozer to level things out, so there are roots,
branches, rocks, sand, pebbles, nail, pieces of the siding, ect all
over the place. I can rake up the trash and some of the debris pretty
easily. But when I rake up the roots, I get 3 more roots pulled up for
every one that I rake up. And there are plenty of rocks out there too.

Here is the lot... http://picasaweb.google.com/absolute...ion/Unfinished

If I paid a landscaper to do all the work of loaming and seeding, what
would they do to prep the lot?

Any advice or suggestions of any sort are greatly appreciated. Thanks
everyone.

The builder did, what is called "rough grading".

Probably the least a landscaper would have to do is: Use of a rockhound,
and a minimum of 2" of topsoil.

There could be a lot more involved with "fill dirt", especially low
spots or sloping away from the foundation.

If you think you would ever want a sprinkler system, now would be the
time to put one in. Larry

I can't tell from the pictures, but does the grade run to the house? If so,
get that fixed.
..
Then, spend every dime of your landscaping allowance on loam. Then, if you
need more loam, pay for it. At least 6". Somebody else mentioned 2", but
for a really lush lawn, you need a nice base of loam.

Once the grass is hydroseeded, etc, it costs alot more $$ to fix a badly
graded, thin layer of loam. I made the exact same mistake I am afraid you
might make. Get the basics down first.
..
Plants are cheap as compared to a screwed-up lot. You can do plants at any
time. Also, the sprinkler recommendation was a good one, too.

"MikeNereson" wrote in message
oups.com...
Good day.

I'm in a new construction home on a lot of dirt. I have an allowance
from the builder to landscape. Its not enough of an allowance for this
big lot, so I need to do it on my own. Now, I have some estimates to
get the loam and hydro seed delivered, but I need to prep the lot
before I have anything delivered. I also have to grade the back yard.

So, my question is this. Can anyone advice me on what it is that I
need to do to prep the lot? For example, the builder appears to have
just used a bulldozer to level things out, so there are roots,
branches, rocks, sand, pebbles, nail, pieces of the siding, ect all
over the place. I can rake up the trash and some of the debris pretty
easily. But when I rake up the roots, I get 3 more roots pulled up for
every one that I rake up. And there are plenty of rocks out there too.

Here is the lot...
http://picasaweb.google.com/absolute...ion/Unfinished

If I paid a landscaper to do all the work of loaming and seeding, what
would they do to prep the lot?

Any advice or suggestions of any sort are greatly appreciated. Thanks
everyone.