Well, we started out Great Backyard Patio Project last wednesday, and here are some shots of our backyard before- full of lots of construction debris, because we're also getting our roof replaced. (There aren't usually piles of trash all over the backyard.)

Under almost everything in this photo is old, broken pavers made out of thick aggregate concrete


This is where all the outdoor cats in our neighborhood apparently like to go to poop.


And this is where our big drainage problem is- this tree is at the bottom of a slope that shoots all the standing water to this patio door, where it stays.


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So now we've dug a trench where the base of the retaining wall will sit, removed we figure about 4 tons of concrete aggregate and buried bricks, carried in about 3 tons of retaining wall blocks, and started the wall:

All of the dirt on the side where the compost bin is will still has to be dug out and sloped away from the house, down toward that gate you see at the end, and the flagstone put in. The extra dirt will go to the other side of the wall, and about 2 or 3 more courses of the wall still have to be put in.


And this section is the only section that's completely dug out, with the gravel and sand bed put in and graded and compacted and ready for pavers. There's a small section of the retaining wall in the background, closer to the ladder, that you can't see in this shot, cause there's still dirt in the way.


So I called today to order my flagstone, and I had checked with the guy at the rockyard THREE TIMES as to how much material we would need-- turns out he had told me the wrong amount all three times, and we're going to need TWICE as much! So the total price of this project just increased by about 50 percent. GRRRRR!!!!

So that's it so far. It doesn't look so great so far, does it Bess? But when it's done, it's gonna ROCK!

Bill- I hope these photos are okay? I know it can be a problem, so I'm trying to put a maximum of 3 photos in each post. Please let me know if it's okay. Thanks!

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Hey, I like that show! She has a newer show, too, I forget what it's called, but you're right- it's exactly the same kind of yard she usually does. Probably because it's So Cal, and they shoot mostly out here. We joked at the beginning that we should call Weekend Warriors.

But the way THIS project is going, and add the fact that it just rained and our un-covered, half-finished roof just leaked all over our living room and dining room, I think maybe we're good candidates for In A Fix! LOL

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Good God,GG...you've got your hands FULL! Its gonna be great when you get done

I LOVE those shows I would love to be on "While you were Out",I would give up my dining room to make a "Mens Club" for my hubby. I even have a wall they could knock out to make it bigger. It would have a pool table(we had to sell ours when we moved a few years back),our cabinet style dart board,all of his Nascar & Jaguar stuff and a bar. Hmmmm...I might just have to apply...you never know!

G-Mom

Geegee- it looks GREAT! I just LOVE the curved retaining wall. Beautiful design. Who came up with it?

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