Paving in rear of house. Convert to garden

vijay.aghera2BRh_dY1

Hi 

I wanted to get an idea of what are the considerations when looking to converting paving to grass and a rough cost for say 15 X 10 metres area of paving 

I don't know what the paving is made of but could be concrete. I guess got to dig as far possible to reveal what's beneath. 
 Any thoughts?

Thanks

Fairygirl

Hi @vijay.aghera2BRh_dY1. It will depend what the paving is laid on, but you'll probably find it's either on hardcore with a layer of coarse sand, or it's on a solid base and mortared into place. If you can lift a couple of pieces and have a dig down, you'll get an idea of what it's like. 
Either way, you'll need to remove most of that and loosen up the soil below as it will likely be pretty compacted. The soil structure can vary and that will determine just how compacted the ground is below the paving. If it's clay, that can be difficult for laying turf. It needs to be well broken up, with plenty of organic matter added to aid the overall drainage and structure so that the grass has a good chance of thriving. A lighter, sandier soil will be easier, but your own local climate will also have an impact. Drier areas mean that grass can struggle in summer. Wet, cold areas can mean drainage is more difficult to get to a good standard. 
What it would cost will vary from area to area, and will depend on who you get to do it. Don't assume that landscapers will do a thorough job of prepping either. Despite the title, they will often just do the basic and then lay turf. It can be a waste of money if the underlying soil isn't right. 
Sorry - that probably isn't terribly helpful, but it's better to be realistic before you take the plunge. 

vijay.aghera2BRh_dY1

Thanks for this. A good starting point.