How to makeover the side of the house?

[bazz235]

Our side of the house is something we never see. It's an area we never go outside.

The neighbours kids have knocked down the fence so we thought it's a good chance to redo the back as we get a new fence.

The plan would be to dig up the pavers & garden bed and replace it with gravel. There is at least one black drain down the side. In 2022 when we had torrential rain for days it would build up water so I'm not sure how useful the drain is. We get all the neighbours water (bottom of the hill).

Is this a DIY job? Digging out the pavers/garden beds and just replacing it with gravel (maybe a paver... But we literally don't use this space at all).

[JacobZ]

Hi @bazz235,

Thank you for your question about renovating the side of your house.

Simply digging out the pavers and garden beds and replacing it with gravel would absolutely be achievable as a D.I.Y. job, however you might like to take the opportunity to have a plumber install some additional drainage that is plumbed to a stormwater outlet to help mitigate the water issues you've faced in the past. Another thing to consider is the logistics of removing the pavers, garden bed materials and mulch. If you have a ute, or a trailer this is certainly manageable, but a mobile skip might be a good option for you. 

You've said that you don't use this side of your house, but this might be the perfect time to turn it into a beautiful and usable space. You might like to have a look at our Top 10 most popular side yard projects for some ideas of what is possible.

If you'd like to keep it simple, once the pavers and garden bed are removed, the side yard is tidied up, and any drainage has been installed you could simply cover the space with drainage gravel, which can often be ordered in bulk. You could also install some stepped pavers to maintain some utility for the side yard.

Allow me to tag some of our wonderful members to see if they have any advice or inspiration to offer, @Dave-1, @Herrenovacation, @TedBear, @homeinmelbourne.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @bazz235 

Time for a revamp I like @JacobZ's suggestions and the pretty well follow along what I would suggest. A couple of questions tho.

Q1 Do you use the side path for anything, lawnmower, garbage bins?

Q2 That black drain drain you mention, is it an ag styled pipe? or is it a grill for a drain?

I definently would consider installing some new stormwater piping to the street (If it dosnt exist, If it does then a plumber to clean them out with their water jets) with a couple of pits down the side of the house, The pathway depending on how often you use it Id leave it and just water blast it to clean it. The garden bed I would probarly level, remove the weeds and then weedmat and maybe white pebbles over it to around 6cm in depth at least to help stop weeds

I can see a downpipe just beyond the side door so you do have a stormwater pipe there. Maybe get a plumber to give you a recomendation on including a pit or two and connecting it in? Depending on what state you live in there are some different rulings to that. Your local plumber will know what they are.

Dave

[Herrenovacation]

Hello @bazz235 

I agree with @JacobZ  digging out the pavers and garden beds and replacing it would be an achievable D.I.Y. job.

I also agree it might be worthwhile having a plumber to come and look into or install some additional drainage to help mitigate the water issues you've faced in the past.

Are you just going to gravel? Keep in mind gravel can be a pain to keep fresh, and is a great place for weeds to grow. So it can be frustrating to maintain. Depending on the placement I would also keep in mind gravel can create a heat sink.

If this was my space I would consider keeping the garden bed and refreshing it with low maintenance plants. I would also add stepping stones and a low maintenance ground cover such as native violet or dichondra (these can keep the weeds at bay). 

Another handy tip - when you remove the current pavers & garden beds offer those items to a recycle centre or on marketplace/gumtree, As others may find a creative way to reuse them and this saves you paying for tip fees. I often reuse items for my projects as it saves things going to landfill and saves me money. 

[EricL]

Hello @bazz235 

I also suggest having a look at this discussion - Side yard access improved with concrete path by @Nham. By using concrete, it will be very low maintenance as there will no grass or weds to remove. Any water falling in that area will be diverted to the new drain you'll be putting in. You can use the area to put in vertical planters to decorate the side of your house. 

Here is a link to our top ideas: 8 ways to create a vertical garden.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[R4addZ]

Hi @bazz235,

Is it that you don't use the space because of the way it is because with a little imagination it could be so much more. you could even fit a small barbeque and table and chairs down there making a great parent's retreat. Further down you could have a great herb garden (convenient for the BBQ).

Once you have resolved the water issue, you are only limited by your imagination.

[Nham]

I would agree with @EricL since we did the side access several years ago, there is little to no maintenance. We have herbs and succulents growing along the sides now, which adds a bit of contrast. I would probably get the plumber in first to resolve your drainage.