Before you start any work, consider:

• Any trees to remove? (perhaps too tall, too close to house, dead, unwanted).



• Any rubbish to remove?



• Topsoil required?



• Poor drainage after heavy rain?



• Is the ground compacted due to recent heavy traffic during building work?



• Does the ground need levelling with machinery?

You'll need space and access to tackle any of the above. So:

• Avoid boxing yourself in with walls, fences and gates until all this work above is tackled.



• Also avoid laying new paths, drives and patios until all heavy vehicles and equipment are off the site. Skips often have to be left on the garden and the lorry can cause damage on collection.



• Skips cannot be left on the road without council permission. You or the skip supplier should make sure this is obtained. The skip should also be lit at night if there is any danger of someone driving into it.