Raised bed advice in Dawlish
Looking for professional raised bed advice help in Dawlish? Hembury Contracting provides reliable garden help services across Dawlish and surrounding areas.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
30 mins
Location
Dawlish
Raised bed planning advice - best location, right sizing, material options, realistic costs. Then build it yourself or get a quote for me to do it.
### Get It Right Before You Build
You want raised beds for vegetables, herbs, or flowers. **Before you start hammering timber together or ordering materials**, it's worth planning properly:
- Where should they go for best sun/drainage? - How big and how many beds for your space? - What materials make sense for your budget and look? - What's this actually going to cost?
30 minutes planning saves you from building beds in the wrong place, wrong size, or with unsuitable materials.
> 💡 **Pro tip:** Raised beds built too wide mean stepping in them to reach the middle, compacting the soil you've just paid to fill them with. 1.2m wide maximum gives you reach from both sides without stepping in.
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### Planning vs Guessing
| With Advice | Without Advice | |-------------|----------------| | Beds sized for practical access | Built too wide, can't reach middle | | Located for best sun and drainage | Shady spot where nothing grows | | Materials suited to budget/look | Expensive overkill or cheap rubbish | | Quantity of soil/materials known | Ordering multiple times, wasting money |
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### What I'll Cover
**📋 Planning Topics**
| Aspect | What We'll Discuss | |--------|-------------------| | **Location** | Sun hours, drainage, access, water supply | | **Sizing** | Width for reach, height for comfort, length for space | | **Materials** | Timber types, sleepers, brick, costs comparison | | **Layout** | Number of beds, paths between, overall design | | **Soil fill** | How much you need, what type, where to get it | | **Cost reality** | Realistic budget for DIY or professional build |
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### Pricing Guide
| Service | You'll Pay | |---------|------------| | Site visit, planning advice, material recommendations | **£60** | | Professional build (if wanted) | Quoted separately based on design |
*The advice visit is £60. If you then want me to build the beds, that's a separate quote based on size, materials, and complexity.*
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### Perfect For Your Situation If...
✅ **Planning new vegetable garden** - get it right first time
✅ **Unsure on sizing/materials** - don't want to guess and regret
✅ **Want realistic costs** - before committing to the project
✅ **Considering DIY vs professional** - advice helps you decide
Why Choose Us for Raised bed advice in Dawlish?
Site assessment for best location and size
Material options with realistic costs
Layout planning for your space
Quote for professional build if wanted
What to Expect
### Step 1: Site Assessment I'll look at your garden - where the sun hits, how drainage works, existing features, access for bringing in soil. We'll discuss what you want to grow and how much space you realistically need. ### Step 2: Design Discussion We'll plan bed dimensions, layout, how many beds make sense, path widths between them. I'll explain what works and what doesn't from experience with other gardens. ### Step 3: Material Options I'll go through material choices with realistic costs - timber types, sleepers, bricks, metal edging. What suits your budget and garden style, and what's just not worth the money. ### Step 4: Next Steps You'll have a clear plan, material list, and realistic cost estimate. Then either build it yourself following the plan, or I can quote for building them for you.
Our Dawlish Service Coverage
We cover Dawlish and a 30-mile radius from Exeter, meaning you get local service with the backing of an established business. Whether you're in the centre of Dawlish or in the surrounding villages, we're here to help.
Good to Know
> 🌱 **Soil fill costs:** A 2.4m x 1.2m x 30cm bed needs about 1 cubic metre of soil. Topsoil costs £40-70/m³ delivered. That's often more than the timber for the bed! Plan your budget accordingly. **Existing lawn?** If building on grass, you can just build on top and fill - the grass dies and becomes part of the soil. Saves digging out turf first. **Drainage matters:** Raised beds drain better than ground-level planting, but they still need reasonable underlying drainage. If your site floods, raised beds alone won't fix it - we'd need to discuss drainage solutions too. **Want them built?** If after the planning visit you decide you want professional build, I'll quote based on the design we've discussed. Often works out better value than DIY once you've bought all the materials and tools.
Frequently Asked Questions about Raised bed advice in Dawlish
What's involved in a raised bed advice visit?
I'll come look at your garden, discuss what you want to grow, assess the best location for beds, talk through material options (timber, railway sleepers, brick, etc), plan sizing and layout, and give realistic costs. If you want me to build them, I'll quote for that. If you're doing it yourself, you'll have a clear plan to work from.
How big should raised beds be?
Width-wise, 1.2m maximum so you can reach the middle from either side without stepping in the bed. Length doesn't matter much - whatever fits your space. Height depends on what you're growing and your back - 30-40cm is standard, higher if you want to avoid bending much. I'll help you plan dimensions that work for your situation.
What materials do you recommend?
Treated timber (pressure-treated softwood) is most common - reasonably cheap, easy to work with, lasts 10+ years. Railway sleepers look good but are heavy and expensive. Brick or block if you want permanent. Scaffold boards if you're budget-conscious. I'll explain pros/cons of each and what suits your garden.
Should raised beds have a bottom or not?
No bottom - soil sits directly on ground. This lets worms move in, allows drainage, and roots can go deeper than the bed. Only exception is if you're building on concrete/paving, then you need drainage holes in the bottom. I'll advise based on your site.
Can you build the beds as well as plan them?
Yes, I can quote separately for building them once we've planned the layout and chosen materials. Some people want the planning advice then DIY the build, others want the whole job done - either works. The advice visit gives you the information to decide.
Get a Free Quote in Dawlish
Call us today for a free, no-obligation quote for your raised bed advice job in Dawlish.
01392 964094Request Online QuotePricing for Dawlish
* Same rates for all locations in our service area
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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