Case study: From dumping ground to 40mm 'Cape Verde' lawn in Hyde.
Michelle wanted something simple and classy. What she had was anything but: this 6m x 8m garden wasn't just tired turf -- it had become a dumping ground for waste, with mounds upon mounds of earth everywhere. Some of it needed removing entirely; some could be reu...
Project at a glance Verified Wolsten build
- Property type
- Family garden -- Hyde
- Time on site
- 3 days
- Pile height
- 40mm 'Cape Verde' artificial turf
- Subbase
- 10+ tons MOT, ~3 tons grano sand
- Surrounds
- 2" x 2" raised timber frame
- Finish
- Kiln-dried sand top-dress
- Customer
- Michelle
Why Michelle called us.
Michelle wanted something simple and classy. What she had was anything but: this 6m x 8m garden wasn't just tired turf -- it had become a dumping ground for waste, with mounds upon mounds of earth everywhere. Some of it needed removing entirely; some could be reused. Getting to 'simple and classy' meant a rescue job first.
The process was the bit Michelle remembered: Steve visited to survey, the written quote came through the next day, and the work started the following week.
What we did.
Triage first, build second -- and a join on the 40mm pile that took over an hour to master.
The build sequence:
- Carried out a drainage assessment across the full garden
- Triaged the mounds: removed the earth that had to go, redistributed the rest as backfill
- Built a 2" x 2" timber frame, slightly raised, to set the new finished level
- Backfilled with well over 10 tons of MOT type-1
- Topped with around 3 tons of grano sand for its additional drainage qualities
- Compacted throughout, fine and level
- Fitted the client's choice: a stunning 40mm 'Cape Verde' grass
- Joined the two pieces expertly -- over an hour spent mastering the join
From a waste-strewn dumping ground to a deep, lush 40mm lawn. Simple and classy, exactly as briefed -- you'd never guess what it looked like before.
The whole project, in four shots.
Real photos from the actual Hyde job.
Mounds of earth and waste everywhere. Triage first.
2" x 2" frame set slightly raised -- 10+ tons of MOT built up to it.
The client's pick: 40mm 'Cape Verde'.
Simple and classy, as briefed. You'd never know.What Michelle said.
I would recommend, the quote came through the day after Steve visited and the work started the following week.
Every detail of the Hyde build.
The full set of photos taken throughout the project.
For the discerning homeowner.
What we actually built into this install.
Earth triage -- remove vs reuse
Hauling earth off site is one of the biggest hidden costs in garden rebuilds. We assessed every mound: contaminated or root-bound material left site; clean earth was redistributed as backfill under the new levels. Same result, meaningfully less disposal cost for Michelle.
A raised frame -- building the levels up, not digging them down
Where ground levels are chaotic, sometimes the answer is to set a new datum above them. The slightly-raised 2" x 2" frame defined the finished lawn level; 10+ tons of MOT built up to it. The frame does double duty -- perimeter for the grass, and formwork for the bed.
The one-hour join
Long-pile turf is the hardest to join invisibly: more fibre to manage, and any pile-direction mismatch shows. The two pieces of 'Cape Verde' were taped, glued and worked together until the seam disappeared -- over an hour on the join alone. That's the hour that separates an install from a fitting.
Grano sand -- the drainage top layer
We topped the MOT with around 3 tons of grano sand -- finer than sharp sand, it screeds beautifully level and adds genuine drainage capacity above the stone. On a garden with a history of holding water, every layer earns its keep.
Three founders, plus extended crew when the job calls for it.
Liam, Ryan and Paul on every job. Where the work needs more hands, we bring in trusted regulars.
Steve handled the survey on this one -- out to Michelle the day after she called, written quote the next day. That speed is the standard we aim for on every quote.
Liam
Surveyed and quoted. Supervised the build on site.
Ryan
Time-served bricklayer and artificial grass install lead.
Paul
Cut the timber surrounds and handled the finish detail.
Hyde
Hyde is well covered by our North West service area. We install artificial grass right across Tameside -- usually within 30 minutes drive of our Westhoughton base.
Questions homeowners ask about artificial grass installs like this.
How long does an artificial grass install take?
This Hyde job took 3 days. Most North West artificial grass installs run 2-4 days depending on garden size and ground conditions. Drainage rescues (like Lisa's Westhoughton job) can add a day for French drain installation.
Is 'fake grass' the same as artificial grass?
Yes -- fake grass, artificial grass, astro turf, synthetic lawn: all names for the same product family. Whatever you call it, the quality difference isn't the name -- it's the pile density, the backing, and above all the sub-base it's installed on. A premium turf laid over a poorly compacted base will fail years before a mid-range turf on a proper one.
Will the joins between rolls be visible?
Not if they're done right. We use proper jointing tape + adhesive and match the pile direction across the seam. From a metre away the joins are invisible.
What's the lifespan of a properly-installed artificial grass lawn?
8-12 years on a properly compacted MOT subbase. The variables are pile quality, subbase compaction, and whether the perimeter is properly bordered. Lawns where installers cheap out on subbase often need replacing within 3-4 years -- which is why we never cut that corner.
Do I need to do any maintenance on artificial grass?
Very little. Brush the pile occasionally to keep it standing upright, top up the kiln-dried sand every 2-3 years, and rinse it off after the dog. That's it. Compared to a real lawn (mowing, feeding, edging, reseeding), the time saving is huge.
Do I need planning permission for artificial grass?
Almost never for a rear garden. Front-garden non-permeable surfacing over 5m² CAN trigger planning, but rear gardens fall under permitted development.
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