Landscaping in Dunstablefor a garden you canactually use and enjoy.
Overgrown, uneven or just tired? Francis turns neglected gardens into tidy, practical outdoor space. Send a photo and get a free quote from the person who will do the work.
£100k Insured
Public liability cover
Licensed Waste Carrier
EA licence CBDU430346
Owner-Operated
Francis does every job himself
Free Photo Quotes
No site visit needed
Landscaping overview
Turn a garden you avoid into one you use
Landscaping covers the practical work that shapes your outdoor space: clearing overgrowth, levelling ground, laying patios and paths, building borders and getting a garden into a state that is easy to keep on top of. Crown Property Services carries out landscaping for homeowners in Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Harpenden, St Albans and the surrounding towns.
It is for homeowners who have moved into a property with a neglected garden, people who no longer have the time or energy to keep up with a large plot, landlords preparing a property for new tenants, and anyone who wants a patio or seating area that drains properly and sits level.
Most people call when the garden has got away from them, when they are preparing to sell or let, or when they want to use the space for family time, entertaining or simply sitting outside in the evening.
Doing it properly matters because outdoor work lives with the weather. Ground that is not prepared moves, patios that are not laid to a fall hold water, and borders without a clean edge are overgrown again within a season. Francis does the groundwork right first, because that is what keeps the finished garden looking good.
The cost of waiting
What happens when a garden is left to go
Gardens do not stand still. Each season of neglect makes the job bigger and the cost higher.
Roots and weeds take hold
Brambles, ivy and self-seeded saplings spread quickly. Left for a few years, roots get under paths and patios and start lifting them.
Drainage problems
Uneven ground and blocked areas hold water, turning lawns to mud and leaving puddles against walls and fences.
Damage to fences and walls
Climbing plants and soil piled against boundaries trap moisture, which speeds up rot in fencing and damages brickwork.
Lower property appeal
An overgrown garden is one of the first things buyers and tenants notice, and it suggests the rest of the property has been neglected too.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Laying slabs straight onto soil without a proper base, so they sink and rock.
- Laying a patio dead flat, so rainwater sits on it or runs towards the house.
- Cutting back growth without removing roots, so it all returns within months.
- Planning a garden that needs more upkeep than you have time for.
How it works
The landscaping process, step by step
- 1
Look at the space
Send photos or arrange a visit. Francis looks at the ground, drainage, access and what you want the garden to do for you.
- 2
Free, clear quote
A straightforward price for the work agreed, including waste removal.
- 3
Clearance and groundwork
Overgrowth is cleared, roots dealt with and the ground is levelled and prepared.
- 4
Build and lay
Patios, paths, edging or borders are laid on a proper base with falls for drainage where needed.
- 5
Clean finish
Waste is taken away under a registered waste carrier licence and the site is left tidy.
What you get
The benefits of doing it properly
A garden you can use
Level, practical space for seating, play or drying washing, not a jungle you avoid.
Less upkeep
Designed around how much time you want to spend maintaining it.
Proper groundwork
Correct bases and falls mean slabs stay level and water drains away from the house.
Waste removed legally
Green waste and rubble are removed by a registered waste carrier (CBDU430346).
Insured
£100,000 public liability insurance on every job.
Direct contact
You deal with Francis from the first photo to the final sweep.
Pricing explained
What affects the cost of landscaping
Every job is priced on what it actually needs, so there is no fixed price list. These are the things that make the biggest difference. Send photos and you will get a clear, free quote before any work starts.
Get a Free Price- Size and condition of the garden
- A small, lightly overgrown garden is a very different job to a large plot that has been left for years. The more clearance and root removal, the more time it takes.
- Materials chosen
- Patio slabs, gravel, edging and sub-base materials vary widely in price. Natural stone usually costs more than concrete paving.
- Groundwork needed
- Levelling sloped ground, digging out for a patio base and dealing with poor drainage all add to the work involved.
- Waste volume
- Green waste, soil and old paving all need removing. The volume affects the number of trips and disposal costs.
- Access
- Gardens reached only through the house take longer to work in than those with side or rear access.
In detail
Landscaping work explained
Landscaping can mean anything from a one-off clearance to reshaping a whole garden. These are the most common jobs Francis carries out.
Garden clearance
Removing overgrowth, brambles, rubbish and unwanted shrubs to get back to a blank canvas. Clearances are often the first stage before new fencing, patios or turf, and they make an immediate difference to how a property looks.
Patios and seating areas
A patio needs a compacted sub-base, a bedding layer and a slight fall so rain runs off away from the house. Slabs laid this way stay level and stable. Choice of slab affects the look, the cost and how much cleaning it needs.
Paths and edging
Paths give you a clean, dry route through the garden, to a shed, a gate or the bins. Edging keeps lawns and borders crisp and stops gravel or soil spreading where it should not.
Borders and raised beds
Well-defined borders and raised beds give a garden structure and make planting easier to manage. Raised beds are popular with people who want to grow their own without bending down.
Levelling and turf preparation
Uneven lawns are awkward to mow and collect water in the dips. Levelling and preparing the ground properly is what gives new turf a fair chance.
Low-maintenance gardens
For busy households and older homeowners, a garden built around hard surfaces, gravel and simple planting can look smart all year with very little work.
Gardens for sale or rental
A tidy, usable garden helps a property make a good first impression. Landlords also benefit from gardens that tenants can keep on top of easily.
Related services
Landscaping across Beds & Herts
When you book landscaping with Crown Property Services, you are not booking a company with an office, a sales team and a rota of subcontractors. You are booking Francis McDonagh. He is the person who answers the phone, looks at your photos, gives you the price and turns up to do the work. If you have a question halfway through the job, the person who knows the answer is standing in your garden.
Francis spent many years as an HGV driver before setting up the business. Throughout that time he was renovating and maintaining his own properties and helping family and friends with their repairs. That practical, hands-on experience is what Crown Property Services is built on: real work on real homes, not theory.
Every job is covered by £100,000 public liability insurance. Francis is a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency (licence CBDU430346), which means old materials and waste from your job are removed and disposed of legally; you will not find them dumped down a country lane with your address on them. Workmanship on roofing, fencing and brickwork is guaranteed.
Quotes are free and can be given from photos or a site visit. Francis works Monday to Saturday, 08:30 to 18:30, across Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Toddington, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden and Redbourn. Payment is by bank transfer (BACS) or cash; card payments are not accepted.
Questions answered
Landscaping FAQs
How much does landscaping cost?
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It depends on the size of the garden, the work involved and the materials you choose. Send photos and a description and Francis will give you a free quote.
How long does a landscaping job take?
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A clearance can be quick; a patio or larger project takes longer. You will be given a realistic timescale with your quote.
Do you take the garden waste away?
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Yes. Francis is a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency (licence CBDU430346).
Can you lay a patio?
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Yes. Patios are laid on a proper base with a fall so rainwater drains away from the house.
Is landscaping work guaranteed?
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Francis's guarantee covers roofing, fencing and brickwork. If you have any concerns about landscaping work, talk to him directly; you always deal with the person who did the job.
Can you help with a garden before I sell?
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Yes. Clearing and tidying a garden is one of the simplest ways to improve how a property looks to buyers.
Do you work in St Albans and Harpenden?
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Yes, along with Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Toddington, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Redbourn.
When can you start?
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Francis works Monday to Saturday, 08:30 to 18:30. Get in touch and Francis will let you know his next available date.
How do I pay?
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Payment is by bank transfer (BACS) or cash. Card payments are not accepted.
Get your landscaping sortedby the person who quotes it.
Send a photo today for a free, no-obligation quote. Insured with £100,000 public liability cover, and you deal with Francis from start to finish.