BB: Do it yourself... Patio breakdown?

My dad is a computer guy.  Software.   He has beautiful soft and squashy hands, that are nice and smooth.  My father in law however is a manual labor guy, hes hands have cuts, scrapes, and scars and cracks from working out in the weather.  Well, my daddy always was willing to pay others to do the things he didn't like (manual labor type stuff) and my father in law is so good at it, it would rather it done his way, and save some money.

With these SMART men in my life, Chris and I have taken a hybrid version, alittle closer to my father in law, (as you can see with our yard).
HOWEVER!!!
DIY it not always a good idea, as the Bible teaches.
 
Luke 14:28-33
²⁸ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’


Chris One of the BIGGEST problems with doing things on your own is a unrealistic time line with an unrealistic price.

Our yard was gonna cost us $2300. TOTAL 100% start to finish.  Or so we thought.  We DIDN't Budget before we started.  However we did have a slush fund to pull from when we went over.
BE aware when Doing things on your own you WILL have to plan for others.

Sprinklers:   $200                                                                RUNNING TOTAL $200
      tubing to move 3, cap 2, add drip system, and other mis.

Tree Removal: FREE + $20 tip                                                                               $220
    out HOA paid for the tree due to the hazard
    -The stump grinding guy was totally awesome, so we opted to give him alittle tip.

Tiller Rental: $40                                                                                                    $260
    - We needed to level out the ground

Gravel: $80                                                                                                            $320
    -From our local gravel pit
    - Bags from local store  $20                                                                             $340

Plate compactor rental: $50 x 2                                                                             $440



Sand: $80                                                                                                              $520
    - From our local gravel pit

Polymoric sand 5 x $25 = $125                                                                            $645

Stones: $1,200                                                                                                      $1,845
   -PAVESTONE 

Wall Stones: $2 x 72 = about $160                                                                        $2,005

Paver Saw Rental: $100                                                                                        $2,105

Dirt: $150                                                                                                             $2,255
   -From our local gravel pit


Stairs $ 300-100(due to sap) = $200                                                                    $2,455

Grass: $25                                                                                                            $2,480

Tree and Japanese House  $ 210                                                                          $2,690

Alot of MIS $210                                                                                                $2,900


So all things considered NOT great.. But NOT bad

We did NOT add into this our patio funature or our tiki.  We took that from another part of our budget, however if we add these in, we spent just about $3,500 TOTAL!

REMEMBER always give youself a budget and try your best to stick to it.
If we would have planned for $1,500 and spent $3,500 WE would have an EMERGENCY on our hands!