Couple Saves £3000 Transforming ‘Wasteland’ Garden Into Stylish Outdoor Bar

• Samantha and Richard, 41 and 43, had a neglected outdoor space
• They wanted to transform it but they were quoted £4000 for professional work
• By going DIY they saved over £3000 and worked during evenings and weekends
• The project took 6 months overall but Samantha says their hard work paid off

As the temperatures climb, all we want to do is head outside and relax in the sunshine. However, that’s hard to do when your garden is looking neglected and isn’t an inviting space. This is a problem one couple knows all too well - and their mission to change the space is truly inspirational.

Samantha and Richard Turner, 41 and 43 from Halifax, West Yorkshire, told LatestDeals.co.uk about their garden transformation. Samantha said: 'Our garden had so much potential but it was looking neglected and had become a bit of a wasteland. We had a patio with some cracked slabs and a big grassy slope which was overgrown and discoloured.

'We knew we wanted to transform the space so we could spend time outside enjoying the summer evenings. I came up with the idea of creating a garden bar and started looking for ideas on Pinterest.

‘Initially we shopped around for quotes but the average price we received was £4,000. Our budget was much smaller so we decided to go DIY.

‘Once I had gathered enough ideas on Pinterest, we were ready to start shopping for supplies. We got everything from a local builders merchant, Huws Gray Bradford (Parkside). First up was ready mix concrete which was £60. Then we got 8 inch concrete blocks for a total of £150.

‘We wanted to create decking, so we picked up 8”x1” timber for £70 , 9”x2” timber for £60 and 7”x2” timber for £100 . We picked up a 6” timber post for £25 and 20 joist hangers for £32 . Finally we got a tub of Ronseal Wood Stain in the shade Country Oak for £20.

‘For decoration we bought a bar sign from eBay for £15 and the two faux ivy wall panels were £10 each from Home Bargains to add some interest & colour to the wood. We also used black paint for this project, which we already had.

‘We saved over £3,000 compared to the professional quote which I am really happy about.

‘The first step was to use the mini digger to dig out the rubble and soil on the grassy slope until the entire floor in the garden was level. We were lucky enough to avoid paying a hire fee for the digger as we borrowed it from someone we know.

‘Once the floor was level, this gave us the base to start working on the retaining wall. We dug the footings 3 feet deep each, and poured concrete on top. The wall was built on top of the set concrete and we fastened the 8x1” timber cladding to it.

‘We used the 9x2” timber for the ring beam around the top & the 6” post to support the corner. The 7x2” timber was used for the roof joists using joist hangers for support.

‘At this stage we could build the bar off from the wall and add a rubber roof for protection from the elements. After that we built a timber frame for the decking to sit on and built out the flooring.

‘All of the timber was stained with the Ronseal Wood Stain. At this point we could lay out the furniture, which we already had, and decorated the bar.

‘We hung up lights, attached the TV to the retaining wall and laid out some plants. We got faux wall ivy to hang along the wall and some large plants were laid out alongside the egg chair, hanging chair and our corner garden sofa with matching table blocks.

‘The project took 6 months in total as we were only working on it during evenings and weekends. The biggest challenge was digging out all the rubble & soil which took us almost 2 weeks.

‘It was challenging at times and there were definitely some hard days, but the end result is well worth it.’

Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘Samatha and Richard's dedication and determination to transform their neglected garden into a stylish outdoor bar is truly inspiring. Their DIY approach not only saved them over £3,000 but also allowed them to create a personalised space where they can now enjoy the warm summer evenings.

‘Their hard work and creativity have paid off, demonstrating that with a little bit of vision and a lot of effort, you can turn any wasteland into a beautiful oasis.’