Removing BIG rockery - help/advice?

[Juliet]

I need some advice for my MIL and step-FIL. They've just moved house and the new garden has an enormous derelict rockery which they want to have removed. It's too big a job for them to do themselves, but they don't really want to end up paying a fortune to have someone dig it up & throw the rocks away - they'd much rather offer them to someone who could recycle them. So they were wondering if anyone (near Huddersfield) wants some really big rocks and has the energy/equipment to move them? - or if not, does anyone have any suggestions about who else might want them (eg should they advertise on Freecycle, or in garden centres, or would asking a reclamation yard or something like that be a better bet?)?

This is MIL's description of it, just to give you a bit more info:

We have a sunken and rockery garden that is at least 40 years old. It looks as if it has been neglected for almost all of those years. We would like to remove it. The garden is on a slope, and at the highest part the floor of the garden is six feet below the bottom of the party wall. This six feet and the wall is terraced with large stone rocks, and in some places this has been embroidered with stones suitable for dry-stone walling. The attempted walling is in some disrepair. The rocks continue round the wall onto the street side wall, and by the time they turn back to the house are only about three feet high. The centre is paved with flat stones.

The extent of this rock garden is approximately 15 x 8 metres, and the central flat paved (crazy) area about 8 x 4 metres.

This garden occupies a prime southern facing part of the garden and we would like to dismantle it. Many of the rocks would take two men to lift. At the moment, access is clear for some machinery.

Is there any possibility that someone could re-use these craggy rocks, taking them away for free, or us hiring whatever lifting and taking equipment for someone to do it? What sort of profession is suitable?
Is it worth advertising them free to take away?
Dry stone walling is a local thing. Would we be laughed at if we found a firm and asked them to do some of the take-away?

We are not anxious to pour loads of money into this hole!

[Tig]

What about getting in touch with this company Juliet - and seeing if they would be willing to remove the stones free of charge if they get to keep them (big stones cost a fortune these days ) x Tig

www.gothardreclamationcentre.co.uk/

[Amo]

I'd put and advert in the local paper/freeads first, without the line stating that they would pay for the lifting equipment!!! A photo would help too.

[Juliet]

Thanks for the ideas - I'll pass them on. Do you know that reclamation centre, Tig, or did you just google for me? - it looks rather good.

[Tig]

Juliet I just googled to see if there was anywhere local that might be willing to do it for free - or your MIL could negotiate a payment if the stones are large - they do have a good resale value! x Tig

[Shrubrose]

Hi Juliet! A garden reclamation firm could very well be interested so I would advise that your MiL initially offers it for a price rather than just give it away. If they dont bite and she really wants it to go (and it sounds like she does) then at best they might take it away for free. Stone really is expensive to buy so they will make a profit on it I'm sure when they come to sell it. Good luck.

[prodigal gardener]

There is also a place at Bingley that might be helpful. Ring round a couple but DONT mention that they could be given away for goodness sake. As said by others stone is an expensive
commodity, why give it away if you might be able to make a few bob ;D
www.bingleyantiques.com/
I know it sez antiques but they do have a lot of reclaimed stone etc.

[prodigal gardener]

Oh and by the way you lot - the large urn is MINE hands off ;D ;D ;D

[Juliet]

Thanks Shrubrose & Karlslass - will tell MIL your thoughts & pass on the website!

PS - which urn? - I didn't see an urn, & I'm curious now!

[Missredhead]

I am a member of my local freecycle and I got some rocks off of it for a rockery, it's amazing what people put on there....