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Jason,
Seen this so many times over many decades in the trade, we always put our quote in writing specifying drainage, buried rubbish issues are subject to an extra charge to sort as they are not obvious on initial inspection. Has your son given a written quote specifying what he is doing?
Moving on the first thing is to discuss with the owner the problems. What spec were they given from the builder? Has the developer complied wirh their obligations? In our experience once they have the money they are unwilling to get involved, so if the development still has unsold houses it is worth getting local press ,social media involved to exert pressure.
The developer may offer to sort the issues but this is always on the least cost option and the owner is best insisting on a financial contribution to sort with their own contractors to ensure it is done properly.
What is properly? Land drains and soak aways if it is wet now with little rain what is it going to be like with lots of rain?
We would put a 4 inch layer of sharp sand on top of existing soil and thoroughly rotovate in followed by 4 to 6 inches of good quality screened top soil then turf, this is all going to be costly and labour intensive, but if the owner wants it doing properly there is no alternative or short cuts and as referred to I doubt whether the developer will pay.
Hope that helps, but I feel a battle coming on.
Yes he has a clause saying we can revise the price based on previously unknown obstacles or things we weren't aware of at the time of quoting. Thus also included damage to machinery.
The developer has already put a land drain in near their patio, the customer said water pours down the garden.
We will go back to them and get them to ask the developer to add soil and fix the drainage.
The garden should at least be compliant to the NHBC guidance (if that's worth anything)
https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/10-external-works/10-2-drives-paths-an...
It is a prestigious area and the developer won't want bad press. They are just reallly starting the estate.
Sorry but a Stihl mh585 is a tiller not a rotavator. Something I would use at the allotment not on a professional job. Something like a Barretto 13hp you can hire for £100 a day is a proper rotavator and will go deeper and turn all those clumps to dust. I feel your pain regarding the terrible soil but next time you go for a quote hopefully you will bring a fork with you to investigate.
Sorry to be blunt. But my bugbear is people referring to pathetic tillers as rotavators.
Sorry to be blunt but we have cultivated many acres with what you describe as a tiller over the last 40 years without the need to hire a rear tine rotovator, it's unfair to criticise someone elses work without knowing the circumstances and not what the forum is for.
Not how I describe it, it's what it is, a tiller. And and do me a favour 😆 nobody is criticising your work, I'm criticising the ineffectiveness of that tool. I can see it in the picture you have posted. You have posted asking for any suggestions. My first one would be investigate the soil on a new build before quoting, and the second one: get a proper rotavator on it.
Don't think you are paying attention, the original post was from Jason Taylor, I did not post the photo nor ask for any suggestions all I was doing was defending Jason's position in response to your unhelpful comments
Sorry Peter I have to go the distance. I own a tiller it will cut a foot, its bloody hard work and slow. I bet above is at least six passes. Large areas like that I'd hire a cannon. 3/4 passes it would cut to a foot and leave a fine tilth rather than clods.
Tiller or rotavator, it still the same mud.
Ten ton of the council soil improver from the household recycling mixed in with it would help, don't call it compost because it's not.
Edit- looking at the photo again, make it at least twenty tons.
While I agree yes that would be ideal, what's that going to cost, anywhere from £1000-£2000? How is that going to get them out of this pickle, I very much doubt the customer would go for that. The rear tine rotavator is the answer, I have done a new build exactly like that. Especially with the dry weather those clumps will be nice and dry ready to pummel. Take a little hit and get some pre - seeder fertiliser on there and jobs a goodun.
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