I saved £7k transforming my back garden with these simple DIY budget hacks and now it’s our safe haven

IF YOU want to transform your garden to look like an outdoor paradise, it may not be as pricey as you think.

A money-saving couple managed to create the garden of their dreams while saving £7,000 along the way, and have shared their simple DIY hacks.

LATEST DEALSNurse Elizabeth Astin transformed her garden on a budget creating a ‘safe haven’ for her and her husband[/caption]

LATEST DEALSElizabeth described her garden before as ‘unattractive’[/caption]

Nurse Elizabeth Astin, 56, from Lancashire, who has three daughters in their early 20s, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “We moved into our house as a new building 19 years ago. 

“When we bought it, the agent told us that there was no back garden. 

“What they meant was that there was a lower patio area with a huge retaining wall and a sloping upper area that was north facing. 

“Not very attractive at all.

“Still, it stood us in good stead over the years. 

“Our girls had water fights, we bought numerous bouncy castles, water slides and paddling pools and my husband and his dad made a decking for the adults to chill. 

“We always wanted to improve it but it was for the kids. While they were young, it was more important for them to have a safe place to play.

“Now they are grown up, we wanted to finally tackle the garden and improve it. The first step was planning.”

Firstly they used DIY budget groups on Facebook to get inspiration, and then sourced furnishings such as cushions and decorations from Amazon and B&M.

She added: “The building work was £9k but we saved money by having the electrics fitted by our nephew who is an electrician. 

“Also, we managed to reduce the price by using wooden railway sleepers rather than building retaining walls. 

“The builder provided all the materials. We had an original quote for £16k from another builder so by having the sleepers we saved approximately £7k.

“The glass fence was £3,200 and once that was installed, my husband used the leftover Indian stone and sleepers from the builder to create a little zen area. 

“He built a bench and a space to put a relaxing water feature on. 

“We also reused the old gray slabs from the original patio and laid them in the front garden, to build a little seating area. 

“Part of this area included tub chairs we already had from Aldi, which we had bought the year before for £50.

“The day bed was from The Range. I searched for the best price and got it for around £400.

“The same bed on other websites were between £600 and £800 so I basically got it half price.

“I also wanted to arrange the plants to suit the new makeover. 

“Most of them were already there before – I just replanted them. We did, however, buy a few more from a local garden centre. 

“They were very cheap – probably no more than £50 for all of them. 

“Now the project is finally done, it’s our safe haven. 

“We managed to save thousands by combining professional work with DIY and my husband created an amazing little zen area that was previously barren.”

LATEST DEALSElizabeth sourced furnishings such as cushions and decorations from Amazon and B&M[/caption]

LATEST DEALSElizabeth used DIY budget groups on Facebook to get inspiration[/caption]

LATEST DEALSThe couple managed to save thousands by combining professional work with DIY[/caption]

LATEST DEALSThe family have created an ‘amazing little zen area’[/caption]

These are the cheap DIY hacks which add thousands to your home – and why ditching wallpaper and picking the right paint is key.

In other DIY news, a crafty mum has turned a shabby Wendy house into an amazing outdoor café for her kids for just £14.

Meanwhile, one bloke transforms an old cabinet into an epic mini bar for less than £20 with a splash of paint and LED lights.