House and garden jobs

Written by Tim in General

Some people thought that maintaining a garden is easy, and the same goes for maintaining a house, but what they don’t know is that it takes painstaking time to make sure that everything is as should be in your home. That your garden is well maintained, and plants are blooming as they should.

Watering the plants alone would take you half an hour or more, and then you have to check on your plants, see whether there are rotten leaves that need clipping, see if you need fertilizer, look for weeds and remove them. Not to mention that you have to rake the leaves, dig the soil so that plants will be healthier, cut grass, clear the rubbish, and many more.

What about maintaining your house? We all know that we need to keep in mind that our house needs cleaning and maintenance, so it will always look immaculate and that there are no unseen issues that may cost us more in the long run. Some important task includes clearing drainage, cleaning the gutters, roof maintenance, cleaning exhaust fans, checking grouts, inspecting your downspout, washing walls, decks, and sidings, inspecting door seals and windows, so forth and so on.

Some are technical tasks that still need to be done, as scheduled, such as

  • Filling in cracks on the driveway
  • Touching upon exterior/interior paint
  • Fixing the first sign of foundation problems
  • Replacing leaking roofs
  • Re-caulking tubs, tiles, showers, bathrooms
  • Fixing clogged kitchen and bathroom sink
  • Repairing broken lights
  • Inspecting HVAC system

The task is endless and just too many to mention, but the point is, this needs to be accomplished.

How can you make life easier in the garden?

With our busy lifestyle, we always make sure that our time is well spent. That we are smartly using every minute, but how about when we do gardening? How can we make life easier in the garden?

When you garden, you should check some self-help books on how to make gardening easier for you, and there are also advice and tips available online.

Here we will discuss some tips on how you can make that happen.

Although, gardening is a lot of fun as it relieves stress and keeps you busy if you don’t have other important things to do. You can also benefit from seeing your plants grow, and, at the same time, the aesthetics help you in facing your daily life positively.

Get plants that are easy to grow or plants that are not too high maintenance. You may also get some flowering plants in one area and get some edibles in another. You can also focus on herbal plants or plants that you can use in the kitchen.

Find plants that are easy to control instead of plants that crawl on walls or roofs cause it will add to the list of things you need to take care of.

There are also beautiful plants that are just too labor-intensive and would require too much of your attention.

Plant according to season and not force any plants to grow just because you want it to. You will just be wasting your time in getting it to grow, only to find out that it just wilted after a week.

Buy tools that will make your gardening easier, some supplies will be more beneficial than other tools. Some may cause you more to purchase, but it will also make the work faster. Cheap tools, also break often or wear out fast, and this is just another way of wasting money.

When you invest in tools, and gardening supplies, invest wisely.

Buying soil is another matter cause soil that has fewer nutrients will make you work double to grow your plants. It may be a bargain for you, but it is not ideal for your plants. Make sure you get your soil and plant seeds from a reputable seller, so you’ll know you are getting your money’s worth.

When you have gardening tools, make sure you have it all in one place, and you have it near your reach. Do not store your gardening tools far from your garden, making sure that it is within your reach makes your work in the garden quicker.

Is it worth giving up specific tasks, or is it better to do them yourself?

Some tasks are better if you do it yourself, but there are just tasks where you need the help of a professional to complete, reason sometimes includes a task that is too technical to perform on your own and may require tools you don’t have.

Some tasks that you may do yourself are cutting grass, emptying bins, removing weed, and raking leaves.

Removing rubbish and litter is another.

Planting new trees, checking on blooms and if pests are eating it, see the various plants in your garden if each is healthy and thriving.

However, if you don’t have the time to do simple chores in the garden, you may try outsourcing for someone to finish the task. It will also include some technical task that needs to be done and will involve:

What tasks are there in the garden and around the house that have to be done regularly?

With a task that needs to be done around the house regularly, there is the following :

  • Vacuuming and making sure that dust and dirt, are removed from the surrounding. We should keep the floor clean, and there should be no grime sticking anywhere.
  • Sweeping is another regular task that needs to be completed. It is not hygienic when you don’t sweep the floor and just let the dirt pile up.
  • Washing dishes that were left the night before or after a meal. It is always ideal to wash it every after a meal.
  • If you have pets that you need to take care of, this is included in the daily task. You need to feed them and make sure they are getting what they need.
  • If some clothes need washing, then that is included in the daily chores, however, some homeowners schedule their laundry as it saves them time and electricity.
  • Meal preparation is another chore done regularly, some homeowners may like to just order out so there will be less stress and work that they need to complete. For others, a home-cooked meal is still on top of the list.
  • Bathroom cleaning should be done regularly as not minding bathroom cleanliness is a surefire way to let fungus, virus, and bacteria to thrive.
  • Removing the trash, although other homeowners prefer to take it out weekly, many are still bent on taking it out regularly as it is better than to keep your trash inside.
  • There are also garden chores that are best done regularly and are important, especially when you have new plants that require daily keeping.
  • Some plants may require you to take it out of the shade, while there are other plants where you need to remove it from direct sunlight. The proper and right amount of sun exposure is important for plants to thrive.
  • Watering the garden regularly is ideal, so the required amount of water is given for the specific varieties of plants you have. You are not also required to pool too much water so as not to water the plants the next day, as it will not be beneficial for the plants to be soaked in too much water.
  • Checking plants for any pests and diseases is also important and should be done daily.
  • Removing dead leaves and raking the garden is important as well, so you can keep it well-kept and beautiful all the time.

Approximate price of the individual tasks if you let someone else do these jobs for you

Plant flowers

Planting flowers in your garden will add appeal to your home’s exterior. There are numerous types of flower bulbs to choose from, and you can mix and match these flowers according to your preference.

You can also do the planting yourself, provided that you know how to take care of these flowering plants otherwise, it will just be money wasted.

Different flowers have different requirements, so you should know which flower will grow in direct sunlight and which one would thrive in lesser sun exposure. Other flowering plants will also require less water compared to other varieties.

Your soil type is a big factor as well in which types of the flower will grow in your area.

When you get the help of a professional to take care of the task for you, they will do the following :

Designing the layout of your garden

They will check on the soil types and will suggest types of flowers that will thrive on the soil, and will ask you to take a pick among the selections.

Once you have chosen the flowers that you like, they may change some options depending on which will be beautiful when placed in your garden and which color of flowers should suit your garden.

The actual installation of the plants will include the suggestion and proper teaching on how to take care of the flowers and how you can successfully make it grow.

Professionals who will install the flower garden for you may charge you anywhere between a thousand to three thousand dollars.

The price will also differ depending on how big the flower gardens are, what flowers you have chosen, and if there is any maintenance required.

You may also get their services to maintain the plant if you are not confident in making sure the plants will thrive. However, that is another pricing and will depend on what you have agreed upon.

The other type where you will pay less is just the installation process of the flower garden, however, you will take care of the following :

Choosing the area where you want to have the flower bed

You will dig out the soil making it ready for planting

You will need to level the bed after

Adding some compost and manure to the soil is another task

The professional will buy the plants for you as long as you have the list of the flowers you prefer. They will mark up the price for 25% of the price they paid for the flower. For installation, they will charge you anywhere from $50 to $100.

If you will install the garden yourself, you will only have to pay for the flower plants, and you need to pay between $8 to $100. Some materials will cost you $35 to 50 dollars, such as gardening tools, shovels.

Cut the lawn

This is another task that you would rather have someone do. Lawn mowing and upkeep can be taxing to other people, and for a measly sum, you can have someone finish the task superbly.

A mowed lawn makes a big difference in every garden, and it adds to the curb appeal of your house. Always get those lawn mowing professionals to get the job done right.

Lawn mowing per visit can cost you anywhere between $40 to $100. Additional fees are depending on what else you want to be done, such as bagging leaves, mulching, clearing the garden from debris, and such.

If you are requiring a lawn mowing service for an acre or other larger properties, they may ask you to pay anywhere between $150 to $250. The fees will change depending on the size of the land that needs mowing.

Per square foot of lawn mowing, it can range from $0.03 to $0.07 per square foot.

Lay the lawn

The average price of lawn installation ranges from $20 to $40 per square meter. The cost may add depending on what preparation the area will need. A special lawn mix is required and must be installed. Some may use straight plasterers sand or light lawn sand instead of the special lawn mix if there is a budget.

Using sand, however, requires regular fertilization compared to a special lawn mix.

The work may last for a day and maybe longer if there are fewer workers.

The price will also differ if you have a previously installed lawn soil that you just want to replace it or top it up.

Some issues that may be an obstacle to laying the lawn include

  • Removal of tree roots
  • Extraction of big rocks or boulders
  • Debris pile
  • Some features that are embedded in the soil

Laying the lawn is easy for professionals but if you do it on your own, remember that you will need the necessary equipment, you need time to work on it, and of course, you need to have your design.

Fertilize the lawn

Some homeowners prefer to do it themselves and would rather fertilize their lawn where they will save a bit of money, but in truth, they will also need some tools and materials to finish the task. Also, there is the question of knowing the right amount you will need to put on your garden and the danger that you may put more than what it requires.

Hiring a professional may save you time and effort cause when you DIY, you need to do everything yourself such as buying the materials, mixing it, putting it on your plants, watering it, making sure that it is working and you also need to check it daily just to gauge if you have done it correctly.

Professionals will also provide you the correct type of fertilizer that will work on your garden, and they will also make sure they scatter the material safely.

They will also take care of the storage since some fertilizer may not be pet friendly or maybe hazardous to children and should be stored and sealed perfectly.

You will need tools as well, and this may also cost you more to purchase.

Some instructions are just too confusing to follow and hard to read, which makes it more beneficial for you to hire a professional.

Hiring one will cost you $70 to $85 to treat 13K square feet. Some professional gardening companies will also give you a discount depending on what you agreed on.

Watering

Price ranges between $70 to $500, depending on what type of watering system you choose. Sprinkler installation will cost below $2000 up to $4000.

Watering the plant is another easy way to take care of your plants and make sure it is getting the necessary moisture to grow. This is not a hard task to do, but if you are a busy person and you don’t like to have to do the plant watering daily, then this is your other option.

You can have someone check-in and give the necessary water requirement to your plants and your entire garden.

Some lawn care companies offer these services, and they will sometimes propose a package to you where they will not just water your plants, but they will add more services such as weeding, leaf removal, and so much more.

Cut the hedge

Hedges also need maintenance. Well-maintained hedges are satisfying to look at and say much about the homeowner’s taste and personality. Many homeowners value their lawn and garden and are not afraid to spend an enormous amount to have professionals manage it if they can’t maintain it themselves.

There are many things that you need to do to sustain a hedge, such as trimming overgrowth, removing dead hedge, separating other plants that mix with the hedge and prune it. Others would even like to have it shaped.

Hedge trimming cost around $60 to $85 per hour. There is also the cost depending on the height of the hedges. Additional payment will be added for hauling services which costs $25 to $35.

Additional costs may be incurred, such as hedge removal using a mechanical excavator, or the need for a chipper may be required. An overly tall hedge may need a tradesperson to reach the point of removal and may need special equipment to complete this task.

Other homeowners may decide to just do the trimming themselves.

Sometimes doing it yourself may be too intensive for you, and if the hedge is too tall as well, you may find it hard to remove it or even just trim it.

Getting a professional to do this may be the smartest idea yet, and you will have a well-trimmed and beautiful hedge, you can be proud of afterward.

Remove weeds from the flower bed

Weed is like a pest to your flower bed. They compete with your flower buds for nutrients and should be eliminated. They also make the flower bed look unkept and are not pleasing to the onlookers to have those wildly growing in your flower bed. You can do the removal of weeds manually, but then if there are just too many of it already, manual removal will be futile.

You may choose to purchase a chemical weed killer that requires correct handling when in use, especially that some chemicals have high concentration and may bring you more problems than benefits.

Weed not only compete for the nutrients and the sunlight, but they also absorb the moisture from the soil, leaving your flowers less to thrive on.

A professional can do the weed removal for you and may charge you anywhere between $30 and $50, this is the price for an average-sized garden. If you have a bigger size area to remove all the weed on, gardeners can charge you between $120 to $160 for a few hours of work.

Cutting trees

Cutting trees may be a simple task for some homeowners if they have the tool to get the job done, and will depend on how tall or small the tree is. However, you cannot just cut a tree without getting the test result done on the tree first, it is called resistograph.

You will not be given a license to cut down a tree unless officials will provide you a permit to do so. The tests will tell the density and decay rate of a tree, and the test will cost around $200, the test includes inspection and the report generation. You need to shell out another $25 for the cost of drilling itself.

Once you have the permit, you can now schedule when you will have the tree removed. If you have people who can help you do the job, then that is alright, but in reality, it is difficult to cut down a tree and more if it is huge. You need training and expertise cause doing it by yourself can not only cause harm to yourself but to your neighbors. Sometimes the tree will fall on the roof of your neighbor and imagine the problem that would cause you.

Why bother when you can have professionals who can do the laborious task? Tree removal professionals have years of experience and have the tools and equipment they will need, plus they know the techniques in making the cutting fast and easy.

And if anything goes wrong, they are licensed and will have the insurance to pay off damages.

The price of tree removal will depend on

  • Location is important because if the professional tree cutter has to travel for hours to get to your place or you may live in the city will add up to the cost.
  • Tree size can be anywhere between a foot and up.
  • Obstacles such as sidewalks, heavy rocks near the tree that needs to be removed, and such are also factors to change the cost.
  • Hazards mean any power line or if there are other structures that the cutter has to be aware of.
  • Extra services such as hauling and removal of the tree from your home will add to the cost.

Tree cutting can range from $150 to $2000. Before hiring someone to cut your tree, make sure that you have asked around and compare costs first.

Removal of Leaves

Professional leaf removal will cost between $200 to $550.

When fall arrives and the leaves just starting falling off, you will have plenty of time to dedicate to making sure that you sweep every leaf from your garden, otherwise it will just pile up and create a messy area for you.

Although this may not be an arduous task for some, others may find these additional tasks they need to squeeze between their already busy life.

Another reason for you to hire a professional is they make things simpler. You no longer need to rake leaves from your garden, haul it away and throw everything in the garbage.

Professional leaf removal service will make sure that every side and corner is free from leaves that have fallen from the trees. The professional will also have the

necessary equipment to make the task easier. They will also have the workforce to make it all manageable.

Not to mention that fallen leaves will smother your other plants in the garden when you just leave it scattered on your garden, not just your plants, but also it will affect the grass as there is lesser sunlight to infiltrate as leaves pile up.

Fertilize plants and lawn

Even if you think your plants do not need fertilizer cause you think your soil has all the nutrients your plants need, you may be wrong.

You may even waste your money and your time planting by not investing in fertilizer. Fertilizers give the plants the edge that they need to grow healthy and remain that way, so a few dollars will do you a load of a benefit than saving it.

You may also do the fertilizing yourself as long as you know how to perform it, and you do not overdo the application of fertilizer.

You may just get the services of a gardener who can do the task for you cause they know the right quantity and the right specification for the needs of your plants.

You may need to shell out the amount of $90 to $400 for the service. The price will shoot up depending on how big they are and what type of fertilizer is used, and if they have to mix it and make it ready for the soil in your garden.

There are also natural or organic fertilizers that these professionals can provide, and you can ask them if you want a safer type of fertilizer.

Clean pool in the garden

Having a pool in your garden may be the most magical thing to the homeowners, but having a dirty garden pool is a different matter.

Professional pool cleaning service ranges from $100 to $130 per hour. This may be a maintenance or just usual cleaning, or it can be a beginning and end of season cleaning.

Pricing will depend on the pool they have to clean and how dirty it is. If there are special tools that they need to bring and, of course, how long they could finish the task.

There are also 2-types of the pool, which is an in-ground and above-ground pool. There is a lesser fee for the above-ground pool because it is easier to access compared to the in-ground pool. The interior is easier to clean as well, and the time to finish the task is faster.

You may choose between a pool guy or a professional cleaning service to hire, and will depend on how much you want to spend on the pool cleaning.

Pool guy will charge you less compared to a professional pool cleaner, but the work of a professional is more thorough. Professional pool cleaners will also be able to check the plumbing, engineering, water chemistry, and electrical components if any.

Fall and Spring Garden Cleanup

This drops between $120 to $300 fee for every spring garden cleanup and fall cleaning. When spring starts, old and dying branches must be removed from the garden to give way to new growth. Some flowers may need rotting petals removed, and shrubs need checking.

Professional garden and lawn cleaners can provide services such as checking your irrigation system, inspecting your yard for any animals that may hide or crawl in your garden, and prune trees. Other tasks include removing weeds, cutting any overgrowth, removing dead leaves and rotting branches, preparing your soil, getting it ready for new plants or new growth.

It is the same preparation for fall as rotting and dead plants are removed, diseased plants are thrown away, and anything that is dying will be disposed of.

Price varies but may cost between $120 to $350. They can also combine the service, such as mowing fertilizing, and planting. When you have other special requests that you need taken care of, this will also add up to the cost.

Create terrace

A terrace is another addition to your garden. You can look at your garden and enjoy its beauty while you are having tea with friends or your family. It also adds value to the home if you include a terrace in your garden.

They can turn some vacant spots into the terrace, and you just need to have it cleared and excavated first, remove the excavated soil, level the ground, lay a load-bearing layer plus placing edges and tiles, compacting the terrace.

The cost of building a garden terrace may differ and will depend on some factors such as materials used, size, and what other additions to beautify it is included. Price may range between $3K to $8K. The materials used for the garden terrace alone can range, from $5 to $50 per square foot. Some homeowners have fine tastes in material, and they only want the best.

Here are some materials and the price range per square foot.

Brick terrace never ages and is a century-old tradition in its use in buildings, houses, and in terraces. We associate its shades of red with durability and stability. It is one of the most preferred materials and will cost anywhere between $15 to $17 per square foot.

Corten Steel is another material commonly used in terraces because of its classic and elegant quality, plus the rusty feel. Price range from $5 to $7 per square foot.

Earth/Chalk is preferred by some homeowners because of its classic quality and gives a more traditional feel to the area, cost range from $5 to $30.

Boulder/Rock of different sizes is used in building a garden terrace. The unconventional look gives the space the added elegance it needs, costs range between $10 to $14.

Some homeowners prefer Cinder Block because of its durability, costs anywhere between $12 to $16

Wood Timber is the modern material being used to build terraces nowadays. It is an all-time favorite because of its elegant quality and sturdy built, costs $17 to $27.

Stone Veneer is a classic material that was used in the Victorian Era, it is decorative and durable. Costs $12 to $16.

Poured Concrete, may flow in sections. Concrete must not crack, chip, or spall at any time after pouring. Costs $22 to $27.

Clean the roof

Many things can happen to your roof if you don’t check on it once in a while or clean it when you can. There are dirt, debris, or even critters that can find their way into your roof and cause some damage in the long run.

Just leaving your roof as-is for many years is not a good idea, it should be checked and inspected once a year, at least by you or a professional.

You may check the roof yourself, but again this may be a daunting task for you and dangerous cause you need to climb on the roof, it would be best to leave this task to the professionals cause they have the necessary equipment for this kind of work.

Why do you need a clean roof?

It helps in keeping the aesthetic of your house and prevents your house from looking dirty.

Not cleaning your roof can lead to many problems, eventually.

Some critters may even use your roof as an entry point to your house.

Prevent the growth of algae, moss, or fungus.

Stop wood rot.

To counter leak on the roof.

What are the factors to decide on the cost of roof cleaning

Type of roof that you have – the terracotta roof is harder to clean compared to metal or concrete, and they should observe extra care when cleaning the terracotta roof.

Size and shape of your roof – some roofs are complex while other roofs don’t have too much slope and are simply made.

What tools they need to bring to clean your roof – if you have complex roofing then they need to bring specific equipment other than the usual tools they have, and that would add to the cost.

How many hours it will take to clean it – if they only took an hour or two cause your roof is easy to clean, you may not be paying too much.

If there are roof repairs done – when the specialist finds out that there are repairs required for your roof, this will increase the cost.

If the gutters need cleaning as well – sometimes, roof cleaners will be able to find out if the gutters need cleaning, so it is up to you if you want them to add this to the cleaning service.

Per square foot of your roof will cost anywhere between $0.20 to $0.60, on average it will cost $450. Cleaning the roof yourself may not be the best idea cause you can do more damage to your roof, and as far as risk is concerned, it is dangerous to do on your own.

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