Planning a garden renovation?
There’s nothing more appealing than thinking about a new garden. Dreaming about gardens. Everyone loves to imagine…
Beautiful lawns, premium landscaping… space to entertain outdoors.
But here’s the thing most people overlook..
Before you start digging and designing, there’s important work to do first. Prep work protects your project against surprises that spiral into thousands of pounds.
Garden renovation prep is..
- Free to organise
- Easy to follow
And can save you thousands on unforeseen repairs later.
5 Things To Do Before Breaking Ground:
- Why Garden Renovation Prep is Important
- Why Garden Renovation Prep Should Be The First Thing You Do
- The Underground Utilities Every Homeowner Should Know About
- Digging Safely: How To Avoid Damaging Underground Utilities
- Talk to A Drain Survey Expert
Why Garden Renovation Prep is Important
Garden renovations are huge business.
In fact, the UK home improvement market size was estimated to be worth £11.2 billion in 2024.
Between refurbishments, landscaping projects and garden offices.. homeowners can’t seem to stop spending money on their outdoor spaces.
The problem is most people don’t follow the right steps before starting work.
Take underground utilities as an example.
It’s easy to get caught up planning what you want to build. Drains and how they snake around under your garden often isn’t a priority. Yet digging into these without knowing where they are can result in an instant bill for thousands of pounds.
Fixing broken pipes is messy and stressful. Why not avoid damage in the first place?
Scheduling a drain survey before breaking ground eliminates surprises. CCTV surveys use a drain inspection camera to check underground drains systems and uncover the exact position and condition of drains hidden underground. There’s no guessing where to dig.
No renovation project should begin without understanding the state of drains first.
Why Garden Renovation Prep Should Be The First Thing You Do
What’s really lurking under gardens UK wide?
Believe it or not, most homes have hidden underground utilities.
That means drains, surface water pipes, gas lines, electrical cables, broadband lines…
You should know about these before digging because…
The Common Ground Alliance estimates 532,000 excavation damages to underground utilities occurred during just one calendar year. And failure to call before digging was by far the leading cause of preventable damages at 29%.
That’s a lot of accidental damage that could’ve easily been avoided. Don’t be the next statistic!
Garden drains are some of the most vulnerable utilities when it comes to damage from digging. Cast iron drain pipes and aging clay drains are rife with tree root infiltration, broken joints and buildup that restrict flow. These problems are only uncovered when they’ve been ripped up by accident.
A drain survey prior to excavation identifies exactly where these issues are before planning begins.
The Underground Utilities Every Homeowner Should Know About
Done deal. You know the game now. You’re no stranger to calling utility companies before doing any digging.
It’s not just drains you have to worry about!
Here’s a dive into four other types of underground utilities today. It’s important every homeowner knows about these before breaking ground.
Gas Pipes
Gas lines can and do run through gardens. UK homeowners are responsible for calling the National Gas Emergency Service helpline on 0800 111 999 before starting any excavation.
It’s free and there to prevent damage to gas lines. Damage to gas lines = bad.
Water Mains & Service Lines
Water mains often run along roadsides, but service lines often branch off toward houses. If a home uses individual water pipes rather than metered supplies from the city, chances are there’s a water service line running towards the property.
Contacting the water supplier is the easiest way to find out where the water lines are located.
Electricity & Telephone Lines
Electrocution and deadly gas leaks aren’t the only things to fear when digging. Underground cables for phone and electricity are just as dangerous to damage. Call before you dig is not an option – you have to call before you dig!
Expert Tip: In the US, call 811 before any excavation to find utilities. UK customers can dial access underground or visit their website to enter their works location.
Broadband Lines
Internet might not seem like a ‘utility’ in the traditional sense. But cutting into fibreglass broadband lines damages the service and the line itself.
Nowadays more and more homes are installing private broadband lines fed directly into their property. Don’t risk cutting these lines.
It might set you back a few days without internet, but that’s minor compared to infrastructure damage repair bills.
Digging Safely: How To Avoid Damaging Underground Utilities
As touched on earlier, digging up a garden is risky.
Without the right preparation, it’s easy to make mistakes that end up burning holes in your pocket.
But fear not – these tips can save you from being an unplanned-renovation-failure.
Never skip the drain survey.
Just don’t do it. This cannot be stressed enough.
Pulling up a broken pipe or damaged drain wastes more time (and money) than conducting a survey ahead of renovations. Drain surveys are the easiest way to reveal underground issues. Don’t skip them.
Don’t forget about drainage.
Some homeowners get too caught up in the aesthetics of landscaping. Don’t forget that patios, driveways and decking are impermeable surfaces.
Rainfall has nowhere to drain through these features. Always build in drainage channels when renovating.
Plan for the unplanned.
You can never plan for everything 100%. But allotting an additional 10-15% of your budget for surprises is never a bad idea.
Broken pipes, collapsed drains and poor soil drainage are just some of the potential game stoppers that can crop up.
Plan ahead and hope for the best.
Do the boring stuff first.
Want to spend more time landscaping and less time scheduling drainage surveys?
The prep work isn’t glamorous. But getting the hard stuff out of the way before renovations start is sure to save you headaches.
Happy garden renovation!
Talk to A Drain Survey Expert
Planning is everything when renovating gardens.
Prepare to renovate the right way by..
- Doing your homework before starting work
- Surveying drains first using a drain inspection camera
- Checking property boundaries & understanding planning permission rules
- Scheduling inspections for every underground utility
- Knowing the soil type and overall drainage of the garden
Leave no stone unturned. Plan for surprises and you’re sure to see success with your garden renovation project.