Building Surf

A bit of self indulgence to get the ball rolling.

This project all started with a frog, Southern Brown Tree Frog- Litoria ewingii ( brown morph)

A friend and colleague saw a picture I’d taken of a frog and said I want frogs in my garden, I said you are going to need a body of water. Frogs don’t live permanently in water, but we understand it’s vital for sexual reproduction and for the amphibians to keep their skin moist when required.

So, it started with a modification of my mates rear of his house. Took away a very ordinary deck built by others a decade ago.
First I reroofed a small verandah/shelter with polycarbonate and then connected it to a new roofed pergola combined with a deck.
Basically creating a whole new ‘garden room’ a liveable space.
All this happened about 10 weeks ago with the pond and surrounds finished 6 weeks ago.

Four weeks ago, really growing quickly and well.

I built everything. I made all the cypress pine posts with nice finished tops, marine grade stainless wire that defines the space but is not heavy on the eye. I welded metal framed gates and veneered them with matching timber. Solar panel drives the pond pump which is fir water aeration and acoustics,
An external drinks rail on the east side of deck for cuppas or drinks.
Totally chuffed how it all turned out. Frogs have already made their homes. AW

blackers wrote:

Nice work AW. Shame about the title (of the thread) or was that deliberate?

Blackers . Hi mate. I chose the name, I thought well, we’re all builders really and we surf.
I’m happy to change it. Give me a few ideas then please. AW

AlfredWallace wrote:

Four weeks ago, really growing quickly and well.

I built everything. I made all the cypress pine posts with nice finished tops, marine grade stainless wire that defines the space but is not heavy on the eye. I welded metal framed gates and veneered them with matching timber. Solar panel drives the pond pump which is fir water aeration and acoustics,
An external drinks rail on the east side of deck for cuppas or drinks.
Totally chuffed how it all turned out. Frogs have already made their homes. AW

Most if the vegetation is local to the area, there’s some natives from other states that do well over here.
The weeping apricot tree was already in existence, I simply had to include it in design.

Building is not difficult, everything revolves around a horizontal or vertical surface, it’s how you go up or down from a horizontal surface and it’s how you go left or right of a perpendicular surface.
Once you understand basic principles its really satisfying when you can produce work you can charge for.AW

Jelly Flater wrote:

- building sturf
… lovely sturf AW ;)

JF. Hi mate, Not bad, not bad at all. AW

For those with a keen eye on design, if you look very closely, well taught principles from decades ago stick in ya head.
The house is the dominant feature, it’s your castle, you’re not moving it, so everything you do to it today should be in keeping with what’s on site.
Don’t create an unnecessary eye sore, simply don’t introduce new materials that are in complete aesthetic conflict with the house.
Our peripheral vision or cone of vision is approximately 60 degrees, it’s what fits in that vision that pleases us.
You’ll see in the photos the red brick edging installed matches the red bricks at ground level of the house walls. The pergola posts are painted with clear finish so the yellowish colour tones fit in with the dominant house brickwork and lastly the pergola rafters , roof and flashings are all white like the house eaves, gutters and windows.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it looks great for a house built in 1956, retained its old charm with a modern addition commensurate with each other. AW

adam12 wrote:

@AW, wow, great job. Some skill on show there for sure. Finished it looks great, and value adds to the property.
Hope this thread takes off.
Might have to get myself a phone camera and learn how to upload pics. I see some great trade skills on display all the time, and could definitely give some painting, decorating and resto skill tips I know, plus a few diy car service and repair tips I've picked up. Some good money savers.
Be interested to get a ball park on what you would charge a client, not a mate, for all that
Bet there's some happy frogs in that backyard now!

Adam12. Hi pal. Thanks for your kind words.
You kind of started it last week with your great discussion about trades etc.
I’d mentioned it to B6 and Seeds that I was going to start this thread. Like Botany Nerds Ahoy, I’m not a quitter, it will go on for quite awhile, because it’s relevant, it’s part of every day living.
When you look across all threads on SWN, inadvertently there is always questions about trade stuff.
Last year I gutted three quarters of the house in the photos, entirely new kitchen, laundry, toilet , bathroom, shower and spa.
The great thing about being a landscaper is all your skills are transferable across a whole host of other trades.
I’m happy to talk about regulations, permits, materials specifications , mistakes, successes etc. it’s all a learning curve.

Ultimately, we are blokes and we like to build stuff, it’s caveman mentality, I get jumpy after a while if I’m not creative with my brain and hands.

Nothing is difficult to build and there is no such thing as a massive job, it’s simply a multiplicity of small tasks, do them in they right order and you’ll achieve excellent results, dont be arrogant and stubborn, ask others if you are unsure, that’s how you learn.
I’m hoping we get plenty of interest and see some great work by others.
If it’s slow to start I’ll keep posting, I’ve always photographed my work, it makes for a good portfolio to show clients. I’ve got well paid painting work for you in Geelong mid February if you’re interested, I always pay people what they are worth. I’m doing an en suite and a separate bathroom. All the best.

basesix wrote:

yeh, it's fucking great @AW.. love an honest house, me. A 50s house, with original wooden sash windows, unrendered bricks.. with people who want a style-sympathetic refuge out the back to breeeeaathe and suck a coffee... with frogs and birds and reptiles and eye catching cypress/wire definitions..

Basesix. Hi mate. That house was built by E.J.Lyons & Sons in Geelong in 1956, my client was born in it and has been there all his life. Parents died young.
It is so well built, rock solid, they certainly don’t build them like that anymore.

adam12 wrote:

@AW, wow, great job. Some skill on show there for sure. Finished it looks great, and value adds to the property.
Hope this thread takes off.
Might have to get myself a phone camera and learn how to upload pics. I see some great trade skills on display all the time, and could definitely give some painting, decorating and resto skill tips I know, plus a few diy car service and repair tips I've picked up. Some good money savers.
Be interested to get a ball park on what you would charge a client, not a mate, for all that
Bet there's some happy frogs in that backyard now!

Adam12. Thanks for asking about the cost. I always use to let my crew of guys know the project worth, they felt included and that transfers into their skill appreciation of what they are building. Hiding how much money you are making is a mistake, you should inspire junior burgers to become self employed by making them aware of all facets of a project, not just the hard landscape but the business of things also.
First stage reroofing and partially refurbishing the existing pergola, removing all the old fucked deck, new deck and new roofed pergola $15.5K.
Second stage the pond and landscape and fencing $16K. AW

etarip wrote:

Great work AW and bloody great idea.
Refreshing, uplifting content.

I’m sure I’ll get some ideas and inspiration from the wizards on this site.

Etarip. Morning fella. Thanks for your thoughts..
Here’s hoping it gains momentum. All the best. AW

indo-dreaming wrote:

AlfredWallace wrote:

Pond looks good nice and natural.

Did you do a bog filter?

I built a massive pond/creek in my yard about a decade ago but ive always had problems with algae mostly string algae even after adding lots of water plants etc and aerating the pond with water flow etc and much of it is shaded, no gold fish just small white clouds to control mozzys larva, it gets frogs laying eggs and tadpoles pretty much every year. mostly Poblebonks but ive also found, brown tree frogs and have one other species in the yard.

I only learnt about bog filters in the last year or so, im busy doing a huge rebuild/extension on my house at the moment (might post some pics) but once finished i am going to redo a big deck area and incorporate a bog filters system with it that circulates through the pond, im pretty confident it will really help after joining a pond facebook group and watching countless videos on bog filter's in ponds and understanding how it works and helps (reducing nutrients and creating good bacteria etc)

BTW. Blowin did start a similar thread to this years ago, there was some good post in there.

IndoDreaming. Morning mate.

The pond has a butyl liner. Thanks for your kind words.
The water ecology is working well, I visit it frequently, you know landscapers always worryingly about the biological things we’ve planted.
Water depth is very important, too shallow, warms too quick, algae goes nuts.
The deeper the water, the cooler it stays, less daily pan evaporation, but you need some shallow areas because certain aquatic plants float their foliage at certain depths like water lilies.
Already I’ve noticed dragonfly and damselfly larvae, there’s frog spawn also.
It takes quite awhile before it’s a fully cohesive aquatic system, one thing I’ve learnt, don’t tinker with what you’ve installed, be patient it all works itself out.
Definitely no fish in the first year, they eat way too much vegetation.

The bog filters I’ve heard about but haven’t looked into it intensively.

We look forward to seeing shots of your works/project. Good stuff.

Blowin started something similar, that’s very interesting. Well, as I’ve said, I’m no quitter, hoping this goes the journey.

All the best. AW

garyg1412 wrote:

AlfredWallace wrote:

I always use to let my crew of guys know the project worth, they felt included and that transfers into their skill appreciation of what they are building. Hiding how much money you are making is a mistake, you should inspire junior burgers to become self employed by making them aware of all facets of a project, not just the hard landscape but the business of things also.

AW you should be a TAFE teacher. This is such an important part of educating young tradesmen and running a business.
Not only do they learn what things cost and how long it takes to do stuff, it also educates you as the business owner when you fuck your estimate up and they all have a good laugh at you. But it all goes in the memory bank for next time. Full circle learning!!

garyg1412. Hi mate, hope you’re well.

Looks like I’m going to have to own up, I’ve never mentioned it before, didn’t want to sound like a know it all.
For a decade, at night I taught at two different Universities, subjects such as Botany and Landscape Architecture , but mostly plants related. I taught at a TAFE also, carpentry, bricklaying and every other trade you can think of, how I ran a business at the same time still astounds me.

You are so correct, my philosophy was, educational institutions are screaming out for industry experienced tradies, if we aren’t offering up our time to teach them, well then, who is.
Because I’m telling you, they are NOT getting it on site with their employers.
I’ve interviewed so many young people to be told the same thing over and over again, treated like labour donkeys with little education from their boss or foreman.
Of course there are exceptions, but I get saddened by what I hear, it’s not right.
I’ve interviewed bosses of all my students, pathological liers, I could see right through them. AW

Edit. garyg1412. Look what I found on a rare book catalogue, it’s a great read, particularly the history, geological and human existence and exploration and of course the plants.

AndyM wrote:

What a beautiful looking book, even at first glance.
Reminds me of a book here on my shelf.

AndyM. Hi fella, hope all is good with you.

On the cover is the very rare Lily in the Asphodelaceae family, Bulbine semibarbata, it’s only on some of those islands.

Books, I love them, looks like you do also, plethora of info and experiences.
My book was not expensive and it was actually produced in 2001.
I grabbed it as soon as I saw it, a small group of like minded folk visited all of the one hundred islands of the Furneaux Group.
I’ve an interest in everything, in particular, locally, the land bridge that connected us with Tassie 18-25,000 years ago, especially with regard to species distribution on Tassie today, many east coast mainland plants are found in Northern Tassie as a result of the connection.
Alas, as I’m from a fishing and boat building family, our forebears ploughed those areas in Bass Strait and they have piqued my interest.
When I get my settlement from our house sale, I’m considering getting a boat and visiting all 100 islands to do a current bird and plant list. I mentioned garyg1412 because he’s visited a few of those islands and I know he’d be a bit interested. All aboard. AW

Your book looks fascinating also, update me of its contents please, I’m interested for sure.

basesix wrote:

'building sturf' starts with motivation if yer a weeekend warrior like me. and I gotta say, a good night's sleep can't be underestimated. Clean bedclothes help a lot. With the UV rating in the extreme in the south the next few days, just a reminder to those who've not aired their pillows and doonas for a while, stick all that stuff on the line or the fence for a good UV blast (turn once halfway through ; ) some time this week, while you wash the bedclothes.

(just ordered a furneaux for myself, and one of AndyM's Islands books for you @AW, it got rave reviews, I'll send you one of Steve's 13th books for Crissy, too.. when do you hit the road?)

Basesix. Hi mate. Oh, that’s very generous of you, from one book nerd to another a very big thanks.
I’ll reciprocate with a surprise.

Unfortunately delayed, one of my mates , something to do with one of his kids, we can’t leave until New Years Day, so 01/01/25 it is. Still staying for three weeks. I’m very much looking forward to it. All the best. AW

basesix wrote:

ha, 01/01/25 - far out!!
are we robots yet?
must be getting close.

Danger, danger, Will Robinson, I do not compute. AW

Chook house opulence. All from recyclables.

free uploading site

goofyfoot wrote:

AlfredWallace wrote:

Chook house opulence. All from recyclables.

free uploading site

That’s a ripper AW

Goofyfoot. Hi pal. I’ve not spoken to you for ages.

This guy was a total cockhead, lovely wife , young daughter around 8 years who wanted to paint the chook house yellow and pink because it reminded her of bacon & eggs. The prick barracked for Melbourne Football Club, say no more.
She divorced him a year later.

Hope you and yours are kicking goals. AW

Nobody else is posting, so the demonstrative one, me, is posting again.

Here goes, 23 years ago. Stabilised Rammed Earth using 7mm minus yellow/orange Anglesea Quaternary gravel.
The best product I’ve ever constructed in S.R.E, just so happens to be on the Surf Coast.
This is a cottage weekender I built on our 10acre bush block, come up a treat.
98% from recyclables. $60K normal build, cost us $6,500.

Raft Slab with perimeter beam

basesix wrote:

wicked, @AW. that green squiggly faced feller with his own brand muscle shirt is a looker.

Basesix. Hi pal. How are you ? Thank you for the Xmas present, arrived today, only been home a short while huge day, left home at 5am, 20 other bird observers and I spent the day at Colac and circumnavigated Lake Colac. Sensational day weather and company wise, highlighted at the end with a visit to a basalt( lava) quarry to witness male & female Peregrine Falcons with young somewhere in a rock crevice high up , the lady bird was carrying in her gob, food.

Yes, when doing rammed earth, once you start you’ve gotta keep on going.
Most days of that Australia Day weekend, we’d start at 6am after a late on the greens and beers.
Work all day the next day, often to 1am the next morning, get on it again, repeat, repeat, repeat. Such fun, so yeah, you could say we were green with envy.
End result of build was very rewarding. I made all the windows, installed the glass which was cut to size.
I’ve gotta locate photos of the finished building, they are here somewhere. AW

seeds wrote:

Back when I gave a stuff.

Seeds. Hi mate. Thanks for posting, 20 years ago , some great work there , nice finished products.
Is that some kind of grey water system? AW

seeds wrote:

Thanks for the song B6. Nice song.
Nothing beautiful about it though.
Wasted years hauling rocks.
None the less you’re right about the gift of the future. Ain’t dead yet.

Seeds. Hi fella.
I must say, fairly monumental effort across all those years in your hard labour concentration camp.
Great personal achievements, but yes, us blokes we do tend to take on a load at times, coupled with the load of marriage and kids, you wonder how you ever managed to stay sane.

I’m still insane from it all.

I’m assuming your first house was somewhere else prior to where you live now. Good stuff , thanks for sharing your experiences, now go take a rest!!!. AW