Good quality topsoil - value/price?

[Jill]

Well we've smashed and smashed (concrete) and we've dug and dug (topsoil) and we've now created a flat lower terrace of hardcore and a veritable mountain of topsoil in our back garden.  Most of the topsoil will be reused in filling raised beds (to be constructed) and in levelling the rear part of the garden but we will still have an excess.  

Our garden designer turned up today with 3 heavies in tow and took away a couple of tonnes, but OH is saying that they should pay for it.  The question is, if they should pay, just how much?  Designer and cohorts made a point of telling me that a local company is selling off "topsoil" at £7 a tonne to whoever can collect, and also that it would "cost us a fortune to get that lot shifted".  However chap who's going to do the constructing bits said that a garden he did round the corner needed topsoil and the owner paid £2500 for an amount about the size of ours.

So what price our very good quality topsoil?  How much, if anything, should we/can we ask for it?  (Did a google and found a site that was selling "enhanced" topsoil for around £70 a cubic metre.)  Would be very very grateful for suggestions.

Oops p'raps better posted in Basics but too late now  :)

[Jill]

[aquilegia]

I paid £35 for a tonne including delivery.

But remember your soil isn't sterlised, which the stuff I bought was.

Enhanced top soil probably includes manure or compost.

[Sarah-b]

If the heavies have taken it away, I would think it is too late to say "excuse me, but..."

[Jill]

Ah, good point Aqui.  Hadn't thought of that.

Not too late, Sarah-b 'cos we've not yet settled her final bill for the garden design. ;) ;D  Also the 2 tonnes they took is really neither here nor there really.  It's what we do now with the 10-15 tonnes of excess unsterilised topsoil....  

[sandersj89]

Haw about sticking an add in your local paper or free adds magazine.

Even if you get £5 a ton for it you will be better off than having to pay for a couple of skips to shift it!

Jerry

[Mimi]

 :'( :'(Just paid £70 to hire a skip and take away 7 ton of luscious top soil that we have dug out for foundations.....  :'( :'(

[Garden Manager]

i know the feeling of having too much topsoil and nowhere to put it.

I have been through phase of gaining loads of it, seemingly from nowhere and ending up with 2 builders merchant bags full of the stuff. I used as much as I could in raised beds, releveling a lawn and in planting holes to replace the shallow bedrock. And still i had loads left over!

I just managed to get rid of that then promtly replaced it with old lawn turves stacked to make (you guessed it) more soil.

Trouble is I have runout of projects to use it up on!

I did though think i had it bad until i saw your mountan, Jill!

I agree with the others, if it is reasonable stuff, try selling it ( or at least giving it away to other gardeners in need of it). Such a shame to see any soil go in a skip.

[Jill]

Ah Mimi and Richard at least I'm not alone!  Of course the problem at the moment is that we can't get wheelbarrows over the hardcore so the mountain is likely to be there for the next 4 months till we get the patio and raised beds constructed.  OH's idea is to make a topographically accurate reconstruction of Snowdon out of the soil and stick a flag at the top.  Don't know what he's planning to do about the railway or cafe tho'.  Cader Idris would possibly be easier.

[Garden Manager]

Ah Mimi and Richard at least I'm not alone!  Of course the problem at the moment is that we can't get wheelbarrows over the hardcore so the mountain is likely to be there for the next 4 months till we get the patio and raised beds constructed.  OH's idea is to make a topographically accurate reconstruction of Snowdon out of the soil and stick a flag at the top.  Don't know what he's planning to do about the railway or cafe tho'.  Cader Idris would possibly be easier.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I suppose you could use some of it to create some interesting topography in the garden. But Snowdon is probably going a bit too far!

Seriously , you could releive some of the flatness of the garden. That would use some up.

[aquilegia]

Unless the photo is playing tricks on me, it looks gorgeous - lovely and dark. I wish I had that in my garden, rather than the sticky orange clay. Do you fancy a soil swap?  ;D

[Mimi]

Dont know why you think a recreation of snowdon is going a bit far Richard?????  Worked fine in my garden ;) ;D ;)

[Bionic Wellies]

If that's the view from your back garden then I, for one, am terribly envious.

[Mimi]

No Bionic Wellies, it isnt the view from the back garden... Its the view from the front garden.  Im lucky to have this as my view from the kitchen window..

[Jill]

Wow, Mimi.  A view (from the sink?) to die for!  I fear OH's sculpting efforts will necessarily fall short but if they don't I'll post a piccie.

Been rained on, sleeted on and snowed on on Snowdon (and Cader) but so far on our mountain there's only been sun, cloud and a little rain.  Still rather be where you are  ;D

Jill

PS Aqui, yes it is lusciously rich and dark, hence my dilemma.

[Garden Manager]

I dont thingk you ought to leave your soil 'mountain' like it is in the picture for too long, Jill. Heavy rain will wash it down onto your patio area, and you could even get it comming down all at once in a big landslide.

Such a pile will be quite unstable, unless you do something about it.

[Roy Bham UK]

Hey Mimi I'll come round and do the washing up for you weekends OK? ;D
What a view :o

[Mimi]

You would be most welcome Roy.  Dont forget to bring the marigolds. ;)