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  Mick Gammage August 7, 2012 at 8:58pm

  >>>>Do you always use a level?

  yes always

  but I may adjust certain things while constructing to look right to the rack of the eye if the existing is out of square, out of level or out of plumb but I will always use one of the many levels I have in the first place
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  Andy Westacott August 7, 2012 at 8:59pm

  I always use a level, but still get the desired rustic effect! I wish we'd get asked to do more gardens that were looser in their style, less formal I guess.

  I find it easier to design formal or contemporary spaces and think it's actually harder to try and achieve the less formal, less new look. 
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  Neal Barker @ Etesia uk August 8, 2012 at 12:30pm

  Im with phil

  sometimes with a good eye you can match up with your surroundings better with out a level, matching the construct into the surroundings as if it was always there
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  Paving & Landscaping August 8, 2012 at 3:20pm

  I seem to remember getting slated for this once, but I never learn.

   

  Depends on what I am doing, but I certainly am not someone who can't move on site without his level. If your ground work is correct you should rarely need the use of a level, but I do check from time to time.

   

  One day I might not need a tape measure, now that would be something.
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  Jez Young August 8, 2012 at 9:08pm

  I find a level is useful for reference, It really depends on your material Brick is sharp and needs a clean line but  rough stone is very forgiving I generally work to the nearest inch.
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  Michael james Holland August 8, 2012 at 11:07pm

  If i'm dry stone walling i rarely use a level...Just go with stone and keep the banter good.

  Might set up a string line when putting the founders down, but after that its all with the eye..

  Granite gate post might have the level waved at them now and then just to make hanging gates a bit easy.

  Any walls that are made with sand and cement will have the level put up against them.Tend to build them with a lot less banter so the level works.

  Paving and setts is where i use my collection of levels are used the most.. Got to get the water to run where you want it.
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  Peter Woolnough August 9, 2012 at 10:06pm

  I always use a level, but sometimes you have to adjust for the eye, because if it looks right it is right.
• PRO

  Phil Voice August 10, 2012 at 8:43am

  Such is the diversity of our trade (or should I say trades?) that there will be construction projects that demand precise and accurate measurements.

  Examples that demand accuracy are contemporary or formal landscaping/building, or functional utility landscaping such as drive construction.

  Take the walled garden we built in 1991. It was essential to use perpendicular corner profiles to ensure the walls were upright. As they were 3 metres (10') tall, any movement from the perpendicular would not have looked right and would have meant that other features would have been thrown out.

  However the materials used such as reclaimed York flags and hand made stock bricks all greatly varied in dimension. For example we marked the courses on the upright profiles in each corner and pulled a line through.

  In theory these lines were level but it wasn't essential to check everything with a level, as long as the lines were followed through to the end.

  What did vary was the thickness of each brick we were working with. It wasn't unusual to have a brick 3-4cm longer than another or 1-2cm higher. This meant allowances were made between the courses for adjustment.

  

  We also used a bond similar to English garden wall bond so that the intermediate headers were used to break up the stretcher courses. Some sorting was also carried out to keep the size ranges similar.

  Joints were raked out to ease the heaviness on the eye. If a pointing iron or hose pipe had been used to strike a joint it might have meant some joints appeared to be 2-3cm. By raking out by 10mm we created a 3D effect and minimised the appearance of the joint. The craggy features of the brick face became the focal point. 

  On the north and east facing cooler walls, moss and lichen formed quickly where te mortar was relieved to reveal the arris of the brick.

  I guess what I'm trying to say is, we achieved the required formality but took a view on each aspect where complete accuracy wasn't achievable.

  The York Stone varied in such a way that there were no patterns to the randomness of sizes or depths. One flag could be up to 75mm thick whilst another just 50mm, for example. Some were worn smooth whilst others had a riven effect.

  Lining the arris up would have been impossible in a formal setting so we opened the joints and used a flush struck mortar joint (I'd recommend this kind of joint if a path or patio where ladies with high heels will walk as it creates a continuous surface from stone to stone with no depressions to cause tripping)..
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  Dave Sewell August 10, 2012 at 9:57pm

  I'm with Mick :)
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  Gareth Wilson August 11, 2012 at 5:27pm

  I always use my levels unless as was mentioned above when drystone walling when I use profiles but I do use a level to set the profiles to the correct angles.