Edible Garden, Where do I begin?
Recently, I visited a friend in Hawaii who grows all his own food. From bananas, spinach and mangoes to chickens. Like many other city folk- it made me feel very reliant on my local supermarket, and I want to shake that feeling.
Where do I begin when it comes to the basics of setting up a 'home farm'? The right light, keeping pests away and so on, please help!
Sincerely,
Wannabe Home Grower.
Comments (26)
PROEmily Hutchinson
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Where to begin?
Comments (1)Talk to an architect first. Interview a few and call the references. An experienced architect should be able to supply you with the names of good local contractors to bid your job after she designs it for you. When calling the references ask if the architect worked well with their budget and were they timely in getting through the design and construction drawing phases....See MoreWhere do I find 1970s floor tiles?
Comments (13)Thank you Monty. The tiles I have are actually across multiple areas aside from the kitchen, so am erring on not going with another set. Additionally the current tiles are the right style for the house and kitchen options I'm going with. A conundrum, but will continue scouring the options. Cheers...See MoreNeed guidance on renovation and adding on a storey! Where to begin?!
Comments (7)Hi Jen, I agree with previous posters, in particular what MB Design ‡ Drafting were saying : A good professional would definitely be helpful, and once looking at your drawings and your briefing, and comparing the two, would usually be able to give some very good advice just based on that... I'd suggest you have a look at the work of various architects and designers, and see what you like, then contact maybe 2 or 3 and have a chat to see if they'd be happy to give you an initial consultation (either free or for a relatively small fixed fee). Then you have some options as a starting point and can take it from there. Disclaimer: We do a lot of that kind of work and usually present a few options, wiht all the pros and cons, in an initial phase, and usually our clients find that very helpful and are keen to move forward into a particular direction from there. So I'd expect that kind of approach would be very helpful for you, too :-) Let me know if you have any questions, happy to help! Good luck with it all !!!...See MoreBeginning a renovation... where to start?
Comments (3)The accuracy of a builders price depends on the information that he can price from. Any builder can given you a ballpark figure without any drawings or documentation but it will be very rubbery, so probably plus or minus $100K (usually plus). It is a waste of time at this early stage to be shopping around for other rubbery figures. I am happy to give you a rubbery figure without even seeing your home and I would anticipate that you would expect to pay between $300K and $500K for two attic bedrooms to nest neatly into the roof of a Californian bungalow. Of course this is the bottom end, and it could go easily go a lot higher depending on the structural integrity of the existing building, and how much of downstairs needs renovating at the same time. If you engage a design professional to complete a proper measure up and concept drawings the builders price will be more accurate, but still not very accurate. Even if you engage a design professional for full working drawings and an engineer for the structural there will still be a little bit of variation as there are still some unknowns. Converting an attic space into two bedrooms (and possibly a bathroom?) is not a straightforward process - it is actually quite a complicated 3D puzzle, and lots can go wrong if it is not measured accurately, designed well and drawn up to a good level of detail. Structural issues, head height issues, stair design, roof pitches, window flashings, insulation, overlooking, street elevation etc are all important issues that need to be carefully considered. For many draftspeople, this is beyond their normal type of work, which is why I would recommend that you use an architect or building design professional that is experienced in attic conversions. In your situation, I would engage a local design professional, preferably one who is used to more complex extensions, to design it to concept stage, then get your builder to fine-tune his figures. Ideally a building professional who can model it in 3D can be a good insurance policy that it all fits together as it should. If it all looks good then proceed to a more resolved design, and then full documentation. Converting attic space is always going to be an expensive way to create more space, so it is crucial that you spend money at the start to get the design right. It is even more expensive if you try and skimp on design fees by engaging an inexperienced draftsperson, and problems with the design are only realized during construction. Unfortunately, I have seen this happen too often ( I often get called in when projects go off the rails by others) with head height clearance and stair design in many attic conversions, and it is very expensive to rectify. Best of luck with your budgeting, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits...See More
pompom_
8 years ago
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8 years ago
PRONathan Mackay Landscaping
8 years agoHi Jonathan Free I would recommend that you start small as there is a lot of on going maintenance involved. citrus tries are a great idea but remember they can grow very large so spend some time planning your design or look for dwarf varieties and plant in large pots. start off with a small herb garden with all the thing you would use regularly for cooking like your partly, basil, chilies, chives, tomatoes and so on. find a sunny spot and get creative
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Maddison Roe
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
Fiona
8 years agoUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
PRORegenerative Designs Australia
8 years agogeorgi02
7 years ago
PROCoolaroo
7 years agoPretty much all the advice we were going to suggest has already been given - this is why we love Houzz so much! A full 'Houzz' of top notch advice :)
The only thing we would say, in addition to good soil and planting with the seasons, is to keep on top of the weeds and make sure you're planting the right herbs/edible plants where the sun is right.
Weed mats are a great option, and others swear buy mulch/grass clippings too! We have some garden items that may help - like trellis', frost covers, mulch mats, etc. Check out the garden solutions range here.
Also, here's a short post about the benefits of having shade in the garden.
We're excited to see how your garden goes! Please share progress shots with us!
staceywells
7 years ago
Habitate