Author: SamNeedham

A little while ago the team (Sam and Alex) completed an interesting job. The job involved installing wooden safety railing to go next to their front driveway adjacent stairs, and a small deck to go in their back garden. The remaining timber was used to cover up the fence behind the deck (so as to make the deck blend in with its environment better) and craft a small stowable table.

The safety railing was asked for as their driveway was very steep, and their steps had no railing already, making it a potentially dangerous exit from their house in the winter when it is wet and icy. Sam recommended larch for its durability and elegance, and attached the posts to the wall using an elegant, long-lasting, metal solution. This resulted in safety railing that was both practical and tasteful.

The small deck was also constructed out of larch. The deck was shaped to resemble the previous deck, as per the client’s request. With the excess timber, Sam offered to put up vertical larch palings behind the deck, so as to complete the aesthetic of this new area in their back garden.

We also constructed a table, that could be easily stowed away when not in use, as Sam demonstrates here.

All in all, a job of multiple parts which the client was very pleased with, and so were we.

If this looks like something you would like for your house, feel free to contact us at;

Mobile: +44 7889 183798

Landline: 0114 400 0368

Email: hello@needhamdesign.co.uk

The team (Sam and Alex) recently completed a new decking job for some wonderful clients. The job consisted of first taking out the old deck, which had been built with little to no spacing beneath, and as such was quite rotten.

We then constructed a frame out of a specific type of tanalised pine (pressure-treated C24 joists), which is particularly resistant to rot, and concreted in some posts to form a level, higher frame to lay the deck boards on. The posts were constructed out of larch, for longevity, as they are in contact with the ground unlike the rest of the structure. We also left room in the frame for embedded beds along the back and right of the deck, as the clients wanted to have some plants in the space, but were warned against leaving pots on the deck (as it can lead to rotting). We changed the direction of the steps to give more floor space on the deck, and to eliminate an alcove which had previously been underneath the old steps.

Once the base structure was in place, we could begin laying deck boards, in this case also tanalised pine, across the frame. We capped the bed frames, and protected the beds with some Visqueen, so that when soil is put in it does not touch the timber.

Due to raising the deck to ensure proper air flow, we needed to construct a step, and the client also wanted a shelter for a bike rack using the small amount of remaining timber, so our final day was spent working in tandem on these finishing touches.

The clients plan to paint the sides of the beds and fill them with a variety of plants, so we’re hoping to return in the spring to take a couple of truly beautiful pictures! In the meantime enjoy a slightly damp deck picture from the end of the job.

If this looks like something you would want in your garden, don’t hesitate to contact us for a no obligation quote.

Mobile: +44 7889 183798

Email: hello@needhamdesign.co.uk

The week is over, and the work is done! After Monday, we got promptly underway with the rest of the digger work finished by Tuesday. Everyone could really appreciate the value of good access to this site – without the heavy machinery on site a job like this would have taken weeks. On Wednesday, Sam and Stu raked and rotavated so that all three of us could begin laying the turf on Thursday. Although we had to wait a while for delivery of the turf on Thursday, we managed to complete the entire job bang on time on Friday – early enough that the team could go to the Wagon and enjoy a delicious drink in the last of the good weather! The client and us ended up agreeing to not remove the tree stumps – Sam turned some unused larch fence posts into an elegant small bench top for the client to sit on and enjoy their cup of tea in the morning sun.

The work goes ever on and on, so stay up to date using our Instagram @needham_design, Facebook and this blog. If you need any landscaping work undertaking, contact us through our Instagram, Facebook, email (hello@needhamdesign.co.uk) or mobile (07889 183798). We’re taking bookings for spring 2024 and beyond.

A happy team at the end of a productive first day on the new site! We are aiming this week to put in a beautiful new lawn. This will require levelling the ground, which Stu (left) crushed today on the digger – spot the massive pile in the back left of the photo. First thing tomorrow is to remove the two tree stumps between Alex (centre) and Stu – Alex had a go attacking the roots with the axe but has some way to go before he is skilled enough with the tool to become a fireman. Then we will need to Rotavator the soil, before tamping the soil down ‘riverdance style’ (Sam’s (right) own words). Eventually we will be able to place the turf down in rows, giving those tell tale stripes. The edges will need to be meshed together, and final touches put in. Here is hoping the weather holds for the aesthetic shots at the end of the week ☺