I know there was a thread a few months back but I couldn't find it.

Thought I would share the progress as it has been a lot of work and pretty happy with the progress.

House is on the market so the work needed to be fast-tracked.

I went from a muddy hole in the ground where an above ground pool was to a nice tidy backyard.

The Scottish blood in me refused to pay contractors with heavy machinery so I shovelled a lot of soil (20-30 cubic metres) with shovel and 'barrow.

My boy with his spoils of war. To be honest I did most of digging that sucker out but he was right there to pose for the photo.
A lot of work had been done before that. There was a retaining wall spanning the the length of the slab (10 metres) and was approx 1 metre tall and 3 metres deep.
The thing on his gut is a Gastroschisis for those playing at home.



Progress once a lot of levelling and draining. Retaining walls just up.


Another view.


Turf laid.


You can see where the retaining wall was. It ran the length of the slab to the fence. A LOT of manual labour.


Whole task was rushed as the house is on the market. It took two weeks from the first photo to the latest pic.
Still a bit to do to sort the gardens out. I'm pretty happy with the work so far.
The major work getting rid of the pool and levelling too quite a few afternoons and a a fair few weekends.
Total cost in the conversion would have been approx $1000 or so. Labour about $1million. Tiny bit of help from my brother and my old man. Bit of help from my boy.

Sitting on a big pile of accomplishment at the moment. It has been a attitude changing process where I now feel like I can do anything.

Any new DIY you guys have been doing? Pics?
Or any old ones from the previous thread if you are as proud of the job as I am.

Nice job. Get some plants in there!! Nurseries are quiet at the moment, we are dieing for people to buy.

Since the last DIY thread, i have had my driveway concreted and I paved over the top.
Tore up the front yard (Full of carpet grass) and re-sprig'd it with Queensland Blue Cooch.
Tore out Laundry walls / rest of laundry to turn it into a 2nd bathroom-laundry.
Built a bar downstairs

I will post photos when I cbf

very nice,.

big backyard too.

i haven't done too much. just ripped up the garden and planted new plants. didn't get around to laying mulch and 2 months of heavy rain we had to do a whole lot of weeding :( mulch is down now and it looks good.

planning the carport at the moment

I don't know why everybody is avoiding the elephant in the room here so I'll just come right out and say it.

Belly Button?

The thing on his gut is a Gastroschisis for those playing at home.

Re-read OP

Good effort on the yard. Something nice and neat that isn't going to be a huge pain in the ass to maintain.

Good work on the lawn and gardens. I did some work today too;

I spent 6 hours making my headlights not filled with water and clear.

Although i took it slow because i'm sick.



Car makers should use glass for headlights, not plastic :(

(edit: the process was use an oven to loosen the silicone, then separate the lens, then sand with 800 grit, 1200 grit 1800 grit, then polish using meguires plastic x followed by a bunch of silicone to mash the lens back in.)

That looks professional, well done!

skythra, fuck I hated my soarer's headlights... and it's stupid closed pressurised cooling system including plastic 'overflow' bottle that looked like it was worth $20 but cost $400 and seemed to love cracking, and it's $400 leads, and it's airbag's rubbers .. and and and...

But damn I loved the car and the tune out of the twin pipes haha, wouldn't mind another...

(Obviously I had the V8, I'm guessing you've got the turbo?)