The landscaping around your home is vulnerable to a construction crew. Exterior projects can put the crew directly in the flower beds and bushes up against the home. Heavy equipment and work boots can tear up a lawn.
Protecting your landscaping during a remodeling project is a detail that must be considered before the first hammer swings. Here’s some of the ways the project managers at Mosby Building Arts keep your yards intact:
JILL HUCKELBERRY SAYS… We put down a plywood “track” to minimize damage. Depending on the nature of the work we are doing, some damage is almost inevitable. We have tried to dig up and relocate sensitive plants if the owner wants to save them. The key is setting up expectations of the areas that will be affected by our work and explaining what may occur. And we state in your work scope that we will grade, seed and straw over any damage we may cause.
JAMES RONEY SAYS… If my projects affect landscaping, we talk about it with the owner at the pre-construction walk through. This gives them time to remove any trees or plants they wish to keep.
I have used a tarp built onto a framework suspended over the plants to catch minor debris (nails, small pieces of wood or siding, etc.). Sometimes just leaning plywood against the side of the house will suffice, such as when doing a roof job. And we never use plastic or vinyl tarps for extended periods of time, because in the hot sun they can cause just as much damage as hot glass. Canvas drop cloths are the best option.
STEVE WICKERS SAYS… For exterior jobs – like windows – we set up two ladders and run a board between them. This gives us a platform to work from as well as protecting the landscape below. The photo above from one of our recent window replacement projects shows how it works.
JOHN YOCCO SAYS… Nothing with glass can be placed on grass because it can kill it in as little as 15 minutes during daylight hours – even faster on summer days at high noon! Glass is like taking a magnifying glass to ants. We also walk softly through flower beds, or as we sometimes sing, “tiptoe through the tulips.”
OLEG PODGORNY SAYS… We treat your yard as if it was our own. We know how important landscaping is to the personality of the home; a damaged plant can be an emotional thing.
Since my crew primarily does painting, we’re protecting against paint chips and splattering. We cover plants close to the home with plastic only for as long as we’re working in that area. And we use only plastic because heavy tarps can break flowers.
RICK HENSON SAYS… We take care to cover driveways and sidewalks that will see a lot of heavy equipment activity. We like a roll-out mat of bamboo slats wrapped in a cotton-nylon case (shown above left).
My crews also take the time to rope back bushes so there’s less risk of limbs breaking off during construction. And we stay conscious of not setting glass, metal or trash on the lawns. A project like a room addition can be difficult to deal with because they have to sacrifice a little landscaping for a new structure. We ask them to remove only as much as needed for the new room, and protect what’s left with straw, cloths and plywood.
PATRICK TABAKA SAYS… I’m the man who delivers and drives the heavy equipment through your yard. Scary, right? But I lay down sheets of plywood to create a path to drive on. And I avoid going under a canopy of trees because the weight of the equipment can compress the soil which may affect tree roots. The further away from trees the better!
When I have to remove plants, I dig them up and put them in the shade, and cover the roots with mulch or dirt, and keep them wet. You’d be surprised how hardy many of the plants are, and it really depends on the plant. I have yanked out a boxwood tree with a chain and replanted it without a dent – they’re tough trees. And hostas are invincible! For the more fragile plants, I work up a plan with the homeowner.
From your first phone call to the last day of construction, Mosby treats your home – and its landscaping – with utmost care. To begin your remodel, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.