We hired a sod crew last summer who did a rather crappy job. Our request for a ‘level’ back yard was more of a ‘pock marked dome’.
Anyways, spring is here, the snow is gone and I’m taking a look at the damage.
Our side yard is going to have to be torn out completely and I’ll have to redo it myself this year. It sunk about 6″ below the patio which just isn’t going to work.
I’m trying to avoid redoing the whole yard though, as the kids shouldn’t have to go another summer of having to ‘stay off the grass’ for half of it. The rear yard is full of mini potholes. Can I re-roll this without damaging the grass? I figure in the soggy months it might help to minimize the potholes a bit. If this is worth doing, what’s the ideal time to do it to minimize damage? Before or after it starts coming in for the spring?
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Pehaps you are lost. This is the Fine Home building forum not gardening.
Geesh next we'll have people posting for a recipe swap.
ha! No, not lost. I figured the landscaping is always part of a finished fine home. ;o)The advice in here is too damn good to make me want to go hunt down a sod forum...
Just fill the holes with dirt and seed them. It's not rocket science.
Rolling is really only good at eliminating anthill lumps, etc.
well, if I'm going to seed, I might as well rent the skid steer and scrape the sod off completely and do it right. Alas, that means a whole summer that the kids, once again, can't be on the grass. We'll have to spend weekends at the park instead. ;o)Might just do the side yard this year, re-sod. Then before we sell the house, redo the back yard. As for it not being rocket science, I don't disagree. I'm just mad at myself for hiring the only two idiots with a skid steer who apparently can't even manage that.
Seeding needn't be that big a deal. Fill in the potholes and sprinkle a little seed on top. Or just fill in a half inch at a time, waiting about a month between fills, and skip the seeding.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
If you wanted it to look good right away I would fill the holes with sand up to the last inch and refill with sod. You will find it easier to take a square of sod lay it over the hole and cut the existing around the edges of the new.Remove old sod fill with sand lay in new sod.
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
You say you hired a sod crew... Not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds like you needed a landscaper, not a sod crew....
The landscapers I use usually have one guy operating the skid steer and 3 guys raking out the soil. It takes about 3 hrs for a small yard, and then another 3 hrs to lay the sod. In the end it takes most of a day with 4 guys. The fact is that this is just a huge amount of labor. In my above example, that would be 24+ man hours with people who do this everyday so they know exactly what they are doing. They seem to charge about $2k a day, which includes the materials which I would guestimate at 30% of the bill.
Where am I going with this... ? I think you are mistaken if you think you can just rent a bobcat and correct your situation - unless you rent some laborers too - and even that is iffy since whatever laborers you get may not be adept at getting the kind of finish grade you need plus I'll make a guess that you aren't a great bobcat operator.
Or, you could probably DIY it over several weeks...
If you want to work with what you have I'd say fill in the low areas and then roll it, then seed and straw or more sod. Sounds like you need a load or 2 of decent quality dirt.
we paid 2500 for 2 guys and their skid steer. They advertise specifically as sod folks (laying new sod).They really screwed up in a number of ways.I'm not convinced the top soil they used was of a decent quality. I'm still finding softball size rocks under the sod.They didn't rake it.They laid the sod on a misty day, so were basically laying it on mud.They don't know what 'level' means.Alas, the more I think about it, the more I realize the yard just isn't fixable in a piecemeal way. I either live with it, or tear it out and start over.As of now, we have more pressing issues this summer, so likely will let it be this year, and then if I'm still motivated, I'll be tearing the whole thing out next summer.I have the worst luck with contractors, it seems. Why isn't there a directory of BreakTime Contractors yet? There should be. Would make it a LOT easier to hire folks. ;o)
Who did (or was supposed to do) the finish grade? If it was them, I think you should go back to the original installer and demand satisfaction since it seems that they billed themselves as more than just "green side up" guys... The $2500 you stated I can't relate to since I don't know the size of the job or the cost of living in your area. Was the skid steer used just to move the sod around on the pallets, or did they move dirt around too? Unfortunately, you may need to threaten them with professional recourse if they don't respond to you on the first or 2nd phone call...
Re your statement "I have the worst luck with contractors, it seems. " I think the key is to be there for the entire process. This is what I do for a living - manage subcontractors. 90% of what goes wrong happens when I'm not there. I try to be there as much as possible. Once I establish a good relationship with a sub having had them do several jobs, I have to be there less as they know what my expectations are but I still have to be there when they get there and before they leave. The first time I work with a sub I go to what I consider extensive effort to be sure he knows what I want - I draw up typed specs, often a bulleted list, and although we don't normally work off of signed contracts I give a copy of the spec sheet to the contractor and we go over each item line by line. Sometimes I give that same spec sheet to the sub at the start of each job just to remind them what our original agreement was and sometimes I have to modify the specs based on what went wrong in the past.
And I communicate with the guys during the process - throwing out ice breakers like discussions about the weather and asking how the wife and kids are without wasting much of their time. I always watch what I say - Ok - almost always :-) - I always start with a compliment - "Wow! - you guys got a lot done - you work really hard!" before I hit with em with - "look at this right here. Don't you think you should have blah blah blah...? Better still is to mention it before it goes wrong. How can you fix that?" In your case it would have been having said something the when the first piece of sod went down on ground that wasn't smooth. It could have started with "if you guys are thirsty there is some water over there. do you needs some paper cups? " . Another tactic is to let each guy know that his job is the most important on the job... Even if he is just picking up trash.
I don't mean that a HO should have to be looking over the guys shoulder every minute but these might be times to work from home, or stay home to catch up on some paperwork or whatever. If the HO hires a GC, there should much less of this required.
How many BT posts have I read where the poster states "I hired this guy to do x job. I wasn't there when he got there and my wife paid him before I got home from work".... Sorry, but I think these guys deserve what they get...
Regarding laying sod when it's wet or raining - sometimes, if people don't hit the weather forecast right, that has to be done because of the fact that the sod has to go down quickly or it will die. It does equate to a less smooth job but there still shouldn't be any low areas - more just a bit bumpy but it doesn't necessarily mean that the end customer has to settle for less.
You probably failed to provide the finished grade which was required to get a flat finished surface. You hoped the sod laying crew would deliver perfection on an imperfect foundation. If they were paid to create a finished grade, go after them on a warranty basis. If they were only contracted to sprinkle a layer of black dirt and lay sod, then go after them for a credit on the rocks....if you can prove that they brought the rocks. Top soil shoulda been screened. They used unscreened to save a few bucks. The fix: rent a sod cutter and you will be able to cut and roll all your sod and store it. Then, prepare the base properly. Relay your sod. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
they were paid to remove existing turf, bring in 4" of topsoil, level, and then lay new sod."I think the key is to be there for the entire process. "True, true. Of course, I might as well do it myself if I have to be there anyways. ;o)
sod cutter, eh? That's not a bad idea. Would it take just as well as new sod? (I suppose it'd be that much fresher, eh?)
The sod cutter has an adjustable blade that slices under the roots. You can cut it loose and it will look just like the rolls that were shipped to you. It works fast and it pulls itself. Its really an easy machine to run. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Sod cutters work great on flat land. If your yard is as lumpy as you say it is you won't have perfect results. You can however use it to save soem of the sod
This is one of those "it depends" questions. Depends on how deep and wide the holes are, how soft the ground is when saturated and how big a roller-tractor combination you can get.
I'd try talking with the greenskeeper of a nearby golf course, to see if you can get some paid advice and assistance. I'd have this conversation in person and expect to pay cash, anticipating that the greenskeeper would like to have your discretion before agreeing to do work away from his salaried job.
Lots of good compost leveled with back side of a rake.
Does 2 things for you...levels and gives your sod a healthy boost.
Pete
Instead of relying on chemicals to keep your grass green and rolled-out sod that doesn't look natural, why not get your soil healthy and plant grass seeds that will add to ecosystem instead of take away from it?
This is an excellent book on how to make a beautiful, healthy lawn that won't kill your kids and your pets:
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