PROFESSIONAL landscaping can cost tens of thousands of pounds.
Many homeowners are looking for affordable ways to spruce up their outdoor space.
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And patios are one area that can start to look worse after just a few months.
In preparation for the wet winter weather, one gardener shared a before and after photo of his patio transformation.
Frances Elizabeth posted her photos in the Gardening UK – Hints, Tips & Advice Facebook Group.
She wrote: “I can’t believe the difference!
“We bought our new house last September and have been thinking about replacing the patio.
“But because we are considering an expansion in the coming years, we have decided to clear out the current building.
“This weekend I pressure washed it, re-grouted it with the Sika brush and used Buff grout. I also made a small bench to add some colour and show off the plants.
“We will receive a beautiful set of sofas in April.
“I am so pleased! Total cost of refurbishing the patio – £40 and a bit of elbow grease!
“There is still a lot to do in our new garden. We absolutely love it.”
Elizabeth wasn’t the only one who loved the transformation. Other gardeners also posted positive comments.
One said, “What a difference. Worth all your hard work.”
“Looks really good. It’s amazing what a good clean can do. Will be lovely to relax on when your new garden furniture arrives,” someone else suggested.
A third posted: “You did a fantastic job, well done.”
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Someone asked Frances in the comments, “Did you blast out all the old grout first? I’m going to try that, but not all the grout is loose.”
She replied, “Yes, I took out the loose pieces and took out the pieces that were a little sturdier. Some pieces wouldn’t go, so I just left them.”
Another asked Frances: “It looks great. I think I’m going to try the grout on mine after I pressure wash it.
“Where did you get the grout?”
She said: “I bought it from Wickes but you can get it from most hardware stores.
“Screwfix has the best price, but it was not available in my local store.”
The joint compound Frances recommended was Sika Fastfix Self-Setting Paving Jointing Compound 15kg from Screwfix.
It costs £35.99 and comes in a range of colours to match your paving stones.
The average cost for a professionally installed 30m2 patio is between £2,500 and £5,000, according to Paving retailer.
For a 50m2 terrace you will pay between £6,000 and £10,000.
It is not known how large Frances’s terrace was, so it is not possible to estimate how much it would have cost her to have it completely replaced.
Gardening jobs to do this weekend
Rebecca Miller, Fabulous’ deputy editor and garden enthusiast, has shared a few more chores you can do while you’re working in the garden this weekend.
Spring bulbs – If you haven’t bought spring bulbs yet, do that first. Then start planting all the flower bulbs, except tulips.
Sweet peas – Sow sweet peas in cold frames or an unheated greenhouse to overwinter them.
Roses – remove the last faded roses and prune back the longer stems to reduce the risk of them breaking off in the winter wind.
Lawn – sow a new lawn, or repair your existing lawn. Reduce the frequency of mowing, and consider scarifying your grass.
Clean and tidy – your greenhouse or growing tank, rain barrel and check your pond.
