How to arrange a summer cottage with your own hands: ideas, options, tips

• November 5, 2018
• Country house
• Alisa Chekorskaya

The arrangement of a summer house or plot of land will always depend on several factors. In the first place, of course, will be the individual characteristics and desires of the owner himself. But there are some tips to help you deal with these problems. It’s worth figuring out ways to arrange a summer cottage plot with your own hands.

Where to start arranging a summer cottage?

Any plan should be made only after discussing it with loved ones. After all, we all live together. On a sheet of paper, using symbols, you need to indicate the simplest elements. This applies to a swimming pool or fountain. Special planting of trees near the boundaries of another site is prohibited. Therefore, in the plan you can safely indicate the tree “for cutting”.

Even in terms of arranging a summer cottage from scratch, it is better to indicate what will be planted. It is also necessary to indicate the scale of work. This article will indicate the simplest arrangement option, which is available to absolutely everyone. Namely:

• presence of a residential building;
• extensions and utility rooms;
• the presence of a garage or parking lot;
• will there be a vegetable garden;
• garden, gazebo and other landscape solutions.

When drawing up a plan, it is worth taking into account the arrangement of a well on a summer cottage and you should not be afraid of any innovations or other combinations. After all, in any case, people will not have a one-year period, so the dacha should be equipped taking into account long-term use. In the meantime, the trees will grow, you can put a bench and a table. Or maybe even build a special grill.

Compiling a list of works

In addition to the obligatory hassle associated with legal confirmation of ownership of the site, the new owner has to solve many other problems. To begin with, try to set priorities so as not to abandon the task halfway or hastily grab onto something that you didn’t immediately think about. For example, this is what your action plan for land development might look like:

1. Install a fence, at least temporary.
2. Check communications.
3. Carry out geodetic reconnaissance of the area (independently or with the participation of specialists).
4. Determine recreation areas, allocate space for a vegetable garden, garden, flower garden, if all this was not on the site before.
5. Install a toilet, equip a shed.
6. Engage in clearing the area, etc. Add and adjust items depending on the condition of the site and your needs.

Advice. If you are planning construction, be sure to take into account the cardinal directions. A house, barn and other buildings should not create shade in places where garden crops will grow.

First implementation of the project

After drawing up a plan, you need to write down each task. What is meant here is that specification cannot be carried out on just one object. It is better to write on a piece of paper the rules for arranging a summer cottage - a step-by-step action plan or special instructions. Then it is easier to control the process, and drawing up an estimate will not be difficult. When it comes to plants, it's best to write everything down on paper again. Where which tree or bush will be planted. Moreover, when and how to plant them.

A full analysis of vegetation should be carried out according to several criteria at once. You can get by with an arbitrary option, but then, as practice shows, unforeseen situations arise. Therefore, you will have to think about where it will be more convenient for this or that plant to grow.

Then you should carefully study the geography of your site. This is necessary to avoid laying a foundation on loose soil or planting plants in a waterlogged area. It is better to take such subtleties into account immediately. After all, making adjustments to the plan is much more difficult later. Well, or there is always a way out in draining the soil or completely replacing it.

All large stones and hills can be used to decorate the site. It is worth saying that the unique landscape with them is fraught with advantages. And original ideas are not so difficult to find. You just need to imagine your dream plot. And all ideas will arise on their own.

Creating an area for a vegetable garden

How to arrange a summer cottage with your own hands? The land should be properly distributed, including for the garden. This part of the site will require special attention. Therefore, even on the plan, you need to carefully consider its shape and calculate the area. Moreover, there is no need to build the usual rectangles. You can easily create a circular area and perform the approach in the center. You can also install a special watering mechanism there and turn it on as needed. Or come with a hose yourself and just turn around in one place.

As for specific seedlings, everything is at the discretion of the owner of the site. Also not uncommon today is the vertical layout of beds with herbs or small vegetables.

How to arrange a summer cottage with your own hands? In some cases, you can resort to implementing unusual ideas. So, a pyramid with lettuce in the very center looks very beautiful. And the device is almost the same as in the version with a vertical layout.

Getting to know the territory and neighbors

After completing all the paperwork, start exploring the area. If you don’t know your neighbors in your dacha yet, now is the time to do it. Gasification, electrification, availability of the Internet - all this, as a rule, is studied at the stage of purchasing a site. You may also be interested in:

• development of local infrastructure;
• garbage collection schedule;
• quality of water supply;
• features of local soil, etc.

By the way. Neighbors will tell you where to go for technical support, what to do if there is no water on your property, and much more. Information will save your time.

A geodetic survey of the site will be useful. Invite a specialist who will draw up a detailed relief plan, determine the groundwater level and soil type. However, some owners cope with this on their own. There are traditional ways to determine the type of soil and its acidity. The information will be especially useful when you are planning to plant a vegetable garden.

Advice. Deposits of stones, a stream or even a mini-swamp can be perfectly used in landscape design.

General plant distribution

Since each of them requires sunlight, it is simply necessary to take into account all darkening zones. Then the garden will become very beautiful, and each plant will receive the necessary amount of what it needs.

Fruit-bearing crops should never be planted in the shade. Each plant will try to get out of the shadows, which will make it either very tall or wide. In any case, the desired effect will not follow.

The shade is useful for gazebos, garden swings or hammocks. People usually relax or just walk in a shaded area.

Laying out the paths

It is important to know how to equip your summer cottage with paths with your own hands. If we proceed from geometric laws and rules, then there will be little useful. Each path must correspond to the overall architecture and not disturb the internal atmosphere. Here it is important to be more guided by practicality and convenience. After all, walking across the entire site to the toilet is not a good idea. Therefore, below are recommendations that will help you think through everything correctly.

To begin with, it is better to draw one common road, from which paths will go in all directions. You can use your imagination here, but it is important to remember the overall goal. Then everything will develop on its own, and ideas will arise during work.

If there is a lot of territory that is not used, then it can be sowed with grass for walking barefoot. But in some places, if this does not harm the overall picture, the path can be moved to this area. Then there will be even more usable space.

Plowing and leveling with a motor cultivator

If you have a motor-cultivator, a mini-tractor, or the ability to rent this equipment for a few days, part of the problem can be solved quite quickly. However, this still won’t save you from manual labor, but it will at least reduce the load on your back.

Before you begin processing, remove from the area all debris that may fall under the cultivator blades.

Don’t rush to plow the entire area at once, do it in stages. First, process several squares, break up the lumps, select and remove the turf and roots, level the soil with a rake, and only then move on to the next area. In the process, you will most likely come across soil pests, so it is advisable to keep a container with kerosene, machine oil or other technical liquid on hand to collect them.

Relaxation area for adults

Everyone at their dacha sets up a place for a grill or barbecue. A small patio is suitable for both entertaining guests and family holidays.

Giving the choice to a grill or barbecue stove is a specific desire of the owners. Ideally, you should have both. What about furniture? Here you can make everything completely mobile. This option is more effective than nailing or burying something in the ground. Firstly, then you won’t have to equip the roof. Secondly, you can rearrange or create something new. In any case, this decision is again individual and depends on the specific wishes of the owners. In general, the roof is a matter of taste. Sometimes it’s enough just to pull up an awning, and sometimes you can hang a small roof on the branches of nearby trees. T

You can put a swing for a summer house or a chaise lounge in the recreation area. This is a great place for both children and adults.

The most original ideas at all times are those that involve the construction of small fountains or even swimming pools. It is very convenient and comfortable. If possible, it is better to hire a designer and a team of builders to arrange the reservoirs. Help from professionals will only be beneficial. After all, a beautiful and comfortable relaxation area is exactly what you want to visit both on a weekday evening and on holidays.

Recreation area for children

This is where things get a little more complicated. After all, ordinary gatherings are not enough for a child to relax. Children love to play, and that means installing some equipment. Modern play areas may contain:

• place for a sandbox;
• special device for a trampoline;
• small pool or stylish jacuzzi;
• a special complex for physical exercises.

Each item on this list has its own characteristics. So, the sandbox is very simple in its design. The budget option does not provide any wooden fencing at all. An ordinary bus or truck tire is filled with sand inside. If you are interested in a more complicated option, you can put together a rectangle or square of the required area. In this case, each board must be sanded, painted and, ideally, varnished. It is best to put only sand from rivers or lakes inside. And for a child, the development of fine motor skills and thinking in games will be an excellent incentive for further development. It is important to keep an eye out for debris within the sand itself. At night, this area can be covered with oilcloth or a special tabletop. The sandbox can also be equipped with a roof. Then sunstroke will be very rare.

With a trampoline everything is a little more complicated. Every child will love jumping on a sunny day. But the development of coordination and the musculoskeletal system requires proper installation of the structure and compliance with all design rules. Also, do not forget that everything should be protected at the edges with a soft mesh. It will prevent you from getting injured or falling out, and it’s much easier to hold on to.

Cleaning the area

If you get a neglected, overgrown plot, you cannot do without minimal landscaping measures. Remove weeds. Tidy up existing trees. Cut down and uproot unnecessary specimens.

However, it is not necessary to immediately plan to plant any plants. You may have to limit yourself to preparing the land for the next season. This will depend on the type of soil and its condition. If necessary, buy and apply fertilizers and sow green manure. This kind of work will be beneficial next spring.

Advice. If you get a relatively well-kept dacha plot, don’t try to immediately remake everything “to suit yourself.” Implement design ideas gradually.

It is impossible to do all the work on a plot of land at once, so move sequentially. And at the same time, don’t forget to rest. Of course, at first you will have to experience some inconvenience. But they should not stop you from enjoying the process of creating beautiful and cozy properties.

Which pool to choose?

You can buy an inflatable one. Then it is very interesting to play in it even without water. But an ordinary pool will have to be maintained and equipped in accordance with all norms and rules. This is more expensive, but the effect exceeds all expectations. It would also be a good idea to equip all sides with a rubber coating. It will play its role both in winter and summer. And children will not hit the concrete surface.

Installing a physical education complex is a very complicated matter. In addition, not every child will have a genuine interest in this. And there really is plenty to choose from. On the site you can build a Swedish wall, various slides, and special rope parks. Even a simple log with a rope ladder and a cable car will be much more interesting than a regular swing. Although they will also need to be installed.

A physical training complex is usually installed either under a canopy or in the shade of trees. After all, while exercising, you can get sunstroke or get caught in a sudden downpour.

Non-standard solutions

Sometimes the area is so large that there is a lot of space left. A comfortable pastime is not only about relaxation, but also about satisfying interests and needs. Then even decorative little things or original design options for a dacha will delight you.

So, the construction of a massage platform will not require much space. 5-8 square meters is enough to lay out a rug or build a special platform. Yes, if you choose the option with furniture, a roof and a fence, then it can be used at any time of the year. But on a summer day, only the appropriate equipment is enough.

Planning and zoning

During your first visit to a plot of land, as its rightful owner, slowly walk around your property. Study growing perennial crops. Think about which trees and shrubs you need and which ones you would like to uproot. Schedule sanitary pruning of branches.

Carefully inspect the existing buildings on the site. Decide whether you will demolish or build something in the first year. If you plan to stay overnight, take care of a roof over your head and a toilet. In the summer, an outdoor shower is very useful on the site. It is advisable to immediately think about where you will store your equipment - for example, in a barn or in a house.

Attention! If there are no buildings at all on the land plot, immediately decide whether you will build a “temporary building” for yourself or immediately start building a house. Please note that during construction, workers may be on the plot 24 hours a day, so they need to have a place to sleep.

If your site is like a blank sheet, outline a list of the zones and buildings you need. It can be:

• house;
• entry platform;
• garage;
• barn - perhaps more than one: separately for firewood, equipment, etc.;
• pen/shed for domestic animals or poultry (pigs, chickens, etc.);
• toilet;
• shower;
• well/well;
• bath;
• pool;
• artificial reservoir - fountain, pond, etc.;
• alcove;
• greenhouse;
• children's or sports ground;
• place for a compost heap;
• plot for garden beds;
• orchard;
• alpine slide;
• flower beds, etc.

Advice. Draw a plan. Draw your plot of land and indicate the existing objects. Map new areas and evaluate the possibility of such changes.

Cheap materials

A budget option for arranging paths in a summer cottage can consist of simple pebbles, grass, sand or polyurethane for paths. There is no need to build barbecue ovens; you can build a homemade barbecue and take the chairs out of the house. It is not necessary to build a pool or fountain on the site. You can water the plants with a hose, and on a hot day it is best to take shelter in the shade of trees.

It is always better to tailor any summer cottage plot or your own land to specific interests and needs. Then relaxation and normal pastime will become the very thing you want to return to again and again.

Accounting for all future buildings, landscape objects and areas

Before starting construction of a house, it is necessary to draw up a landscape design for the territory, which includes all future economic and landscape facilities, paving areas and the road and path network.

The most common objects:

• parking/carport
• garage
• bathhouse
• utility block/change house
• alcove
• aviary
• sports ground
• rest zone
• septic tank
• well/borehole
• orchard
• vegetable garden with greenhouse
• pond
• rock garden/rock garden
• decorative areas and flower beds

After designing all the objects, it may turn out that the original dimensions and configuration of the house do not fit into the project and you have to choose what you can sacrifice.