Concreters vs landscapers?

theotherengineer · Oct 21, 2023 5:25 pm

Hi everyone,

My build is approaching handover, and I've started to look into the landscaping. I have gotten crazy expensive quotes from landscapers, but I've also seem other people go for concreting/driveway companies.
What's the difference between a landscaper doing things like the concrete apron, driveway, and steps/stairs up to the house, and one of those concrete companies doing it?

What's your experience been or what do you recommend? Also, are there any advantages aside from everything being completed at the same time, to having the landscaper do front fence and things like that too?

chippy · Oct 21, 2023 7:20 pm

Most landscapers will essentially act as a builder for all the external work's.
That means that they will do a design and then subcontract most of the hardscaping to concreters and carpenters and then do the retic and planting themselves.
Obviously they are charging a margin on all the subcontractors.
If you have a design already and feel capable of arranging and organising some aspects, then the cheapest option is to engage your own concreter and get it done yourself. Just make sure you provide detailed plans of exactly what you want done and what spec you require and then ask to see some recent jobs they have done. Maybe even go and look at a job they are currently doing so you can see how they work.

Just be aware that you will then take on the role of builder and will need to make sure all works are done to the required specifications and quality.

chippy · Oct 21, 2023 7:23 pm

If you organise it yourself make you get any prelays done under the concrete before you start. It's often handy to put in a couple of 90mm sleeves across your driveway so you always have an option to get things under the drive at a later date.