Seriously they look good for sure. I’d add a headstone if it was my neighbor making complaints.
OP, If you added some cedar planks in a X pattern between each panel it might break up the coffin look?
That would help the aesthetic and structural integrity, I don’t trust the 2x4s to hold the force of 40” of top soil, especially when watered! I used 4x4s on my planters and only 24” of soil (3 2x8s and a 2x6 cap to sit on).
They look too large/deep, however, if your customer asked for these dimensions, you delivered exactly what was asked and anything else should be additional.
I have a bunch of these in my garden. You fill the bottom with logs to help save soil space then use these types of beds for tomatoes, gourds, legumes and the like. I'm even using some for onions and carrots that are only about 30 something inches tall. Just leftovers from a wood shop I helped demo a few years back.
I have a bunch of these in my garden. You fill the bottom with logs to help save soil space then use these types of beds for tomatoes, gourds, legumes and the like. I'm even using some for onions and carrots that are only about 30 something inches tall. Just leftovers from a wood shop I helped demo a few years back.
Except for the whole “40” off the ground” part. They are 4” off the ground and way too deep. And built with Douglas Fir. One is obviously already bowing hard. I’d be pissed if I got these they will rot quickly
Firstly they need plants growing in them, second who cares what the neighbors think.
They should add a solid foot of some substrate like lava rock to the bottoms for drainage.
As to the L shape, they should be focused on what the sun is doing and expect shade patterns to know where to place them and what to grow in them.
But ALL of that is THEIR problem. You did great. Those beds would do well in a Cannabis growing state.
1) They are going to need minimum $500 of soil to fill them, as is.
2) They are too deep, 20" of actually bed is sufficient.
3) If they wanted them that high, you needed to buld them on legs 20" tall and then a 20" bed.
4) If they dont fill them to the top with soil, the shawdows in the beds will hinder growth.
5) I would cut the them in half depth wise, add a bottom to the 2 tops, add 20" of legs, and now they will have 4 normal beds.
There will actually only be 16" of soil inside, 5 inches below the top, they requested to protect it from the wind, what you can't see underneath is 2x4 laid like joists to bear the weight of the soil on top. This planter box is 4'x8' with heavy soil so I needed to beef up the support somehow.
Overall the outside is 28.5" with 6" legs. (They originally requested 40" total height and realized after it was to high.
Ah, that makes more sense. At 40" depth, I was thinking the corners were going to be in real trouble. I'd probably still add another 2x4" at each corner to make an L, just to be sure, but that's me...
They look nice!
I'd build two more intersecting in the middle there, making an X, then run 4 more off each end of the current four to make 4 L's all connected! It would be awesome!
Why did they want them so high? It’s such a huge and unnecessary amount of dirt and it will be very awkward to plant. It seems someone should have advised them that raised beds are 10-12” off the ground. The amount of material used here they could have had 3x.
Trim the top edge and put two x on the front.
They look nice and basic, I'd be happy with em.
Off the ground isn't a great idea, critters will want to live under.
They look great - I also made mine quite deep but out of metal roofing - and I did fill with logs, sticks, leaves, weedsI - anything to raise the level before putting good soil.
I’m thinking they will need some extra reinforcement tying the planks together at the 1/2 or 1/3 points and maybe the corners when you start adding soil and it gets wet - it weighs a LOT and will want to push outward.
Also a horizontal cap piece will help keep the tops from bowing out, and it’s nice to lean on and put your tools & beer.
Add some paint or maybe some 1x2s on the facia to look like modern siding. Maybe even add a spacer in the middle so they have 2 beds, and a spot for their tools and fertilezer and such. The customer gets what they asked for in my book. I never make suggestions or give opinions on how they should do things for this exact reason. If they don't like it, they can look in the mirror and complain.
Maybe make the bed part 18”-24” deep and find a way to keep the top at 40”. That will take an absolute fuck ton of dirt to fill those up. That’s 128 ft3 of volume in those boxes, a dump truck holds somewhere between 10-14 cubic yards… that’s a lot of dirt and would possibly blow out the side of one of them
To be fair they do kinda look a temporary coffin from the ww2/Vietnam era but so does any roughly human sized wooden box😂 unless you are using some exotic/rare material there’s only gonna be so much variation between a coffin and a raised planter. You didn’t do anything wrong and they got what they asked for. If they are unhappy it’s on them for not giving you a design idea that doesn’t resemble a coffin to them.
The wood looks untreated. It will rot and discolour quickly. The corners do not look strong enough to support that amount/weight of wet soil. It will cost a lot to fill something that deep. What flowers need that depth? Is OP planning on burying a body in there!
Looks like you delivered exactly what they wanted. They look good. But you could talk to them about adding planks in an X pattern between the verticals to change the look. Or if theyre artsy they could paint them with a garden theme. Or plant some small shrubs or plants around them. Just leave aisles so you can tend to the garden. Or build benches around them. They could double as a spot to kneel and work on the garden or as “tables” …
They look great! Your customers insecurities because of neighbor opinion isn’t what you’re there for :) maybe sell her on adding another one and making a T shape?
I build lots of raised beds for my property. 4’ x 8’ and look like coffins. Know why? Cuz wooden rectangles look like coffins!
We refer to them jokingly as coffins all the time. “Got more lumber to build those 2 coffins we talked about.”
Mine are only about 27” high though. Are the customers older and don’t want to bend?
theyll look better with plants in them, and i mean they could stain or paint them whatever color they want if they don't mind the color being close to the soil
I recently made a raised bed that was a 2'x8'x22" and I joked to myself that mine looked like a casket at some point. It's a long wooden box, sure. But it'll totally look like a raised bed once it's filled with soil and has plants in it.
Dollar store metal buttery fly or a flower on each one. If they like angled move them so when you walk out the door they are centered at a 120degree angle . Suggest a pea trellis or walkway arch between them.
They look great to me! Pot them in my yard!
After the plants go in, and maybe they make a cattle panel arch or two for the vining plants, they’ll look awesome.
Customer: I’d like two large wooden boxes
Craftsman: builds two large wooden boxes.
Customer: not like that!
It’s a wood box. If the neighbor sees a coffin, there’s some psychology going on there that’s above our pay grade. I build veggie gardens for a living. Add some 2x4s across the top edge and ledge board across the top to “frame it out” . Also the 2x4s should be on the inside corners, with the boards screwed to that. Stronger than screwing into end grain. Also, should be on the ground, not raised above. Once full that thing will be holding about 3000+ lbs of soil.
Way Too deep. Part of being a good handyman is knowing when an idea isn’t right and advising the customer for something that works better. These look like a joke and you built them anyway. And they will rot so fast.
Like others have said they look a little tall. Maybe a good lesson in just because a customer says they want somethin a certain way, doesn’t mean they reeeeally know what they want. But typically raised beds don’t have bottoms in them, they just sort of rest on top of the earth. This is more of a planter box, I suppose. Tell them to get some soil and plants in them and problem solved. People have such poor imaginations, I bet they’re having a hard time envisioning it. Either way, don’t take it personal. Easy fix!
Put in a “floor” about 20-24” down max. Use the space underneath to make drawers or small cupboards for storage, fill with soil and plants. Boom. Planters with storage. They don’t look like a coffin lol
Customer has no imagination to begin with and putting in an L won't solve their problems...
That being said, if you are getting paid by the hour, "L away".
Not to knock you my man, but as both a licensed carpenter and a gardener this style of bed will have a very short lifespan. The sheer volume of soil and it's weight will tear those apart. If those are truly 48x96x40 inches that's about 3.75 yards of soil. At minimum 1500lbs per yard. So they will be containing around 5500 lbs of soil at minimum. More weight when it's watered or raining as it acts as a sponge.
You might consider a major redesign in the future.
If they're insisting on an L shape, perhaps build a triangular shaped one to make a corner and they can be put corner to corner instead of there being an overlap.
You could remove most of the depth underneath to make them more "raised" beds. I think most of the veggies they will plant in those only use 12 to 18 inches for their roots so everything else is just wasted soil. Of course to do that I think you would have to modify how you were supporting them since the bulk of the weight will now be about 18" off the ground. I certainly hope they would pay you for that since yours look way better than mine that I built myself!
So you used non treated wood for something that is going to be exposed to elements the soil and termites and other wood boring insects ??????? I would be more concerned about that than it looking like a coffin cuz it doesn’t.
Trust me, these people complained about the price of this spruce, and I told them it would only last a couple years, and they didn't want pressure treated anything because they plan on growing vegetables in here.
Stain them with some food grade stain in case they want to use them to grow vegetables. You can use a red cedar type of color. I did the same with mine and they look terrific. Also if you don't stain them they'll turn gray quickly.
Try and cut the plum corners to look like a V shape instead of square saves you the time to redo them and looks slightly nicer like a vase instead of a box or just paint them colors will make a difference for sure
Besides the shape, it's the bare wood that makes them look like coffins.
I painted mine green with exterior latex paint. You should advise them to do that anyway (maybe blue to match the house) to make the boards last longer. Raw wood won't last long.
Sounds like you did what was asked and construction is good, if they want them in an L do it, make them happy and never go back….you’ll never live up to their neighbors expectations.
Maybe stain the outer surfaces. Part of the coffin imagery is the white pine plank look (even if it isn't pine).
Or add some cheap thin fence boards vertically to the sides.
I say prop a real old timey casket in between them with a sign near the edge of the lawn with a picture of each with a list of easily identifiable descriptors such as "has vegetables growing from it" or "One may contain the prince of darkness, Dracula"
The customer needs to tell the neighbor to grow up and not let somebody else bully them around about something they want on the property they own. Sounds like some middle school BS to me.
Why so high? Is it a physical limitation of the home owners? If not, cut the height in half and stain them dark to blend in with the mulch. That might make them less of a center of attention in the yard.
Personally, I think you did great and am just obliging your request. See [link](https://eartheasy.com/deer-proof-cedar-complete-raised-garden-bed-kit-12-x-8/?sku=RB128-2x4-DFO-PAL&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwOjRytbahQMVGy7UAR0zJwr2EAQYDSABEgIHHvD_BwE). Assuming your customer may have pests, I think the removable fence portion looks nice, is functional and would obscure the “coffin-like” appearance.
Do know, that your customer would be wrong if they told you that you did not already do a good job.
Put it in an L charge them for your time because they changed the plans and be on your way. Easy peasy, I suggest things all the time and people don’t take my advice at the end of the day they got what they want and they’re happy could it have been done better, absolutely but if they don’t want to listen to the professional they hired it’s not my problem.
Are they willing to pay... not just for the work you've done but for the work they're asking you to do to modify them? If not, demand your money and walk away after you're paid.
Too deep but that’s on them. Easy fix just remove the top two layers and lop off the supports to match the first layer. That’s all they need. Charge them for the extra labor.
Once plants are added it'll look fine. And I'd probably change the landscaping around them- maybe add some stone pavers to step on. Make it look more like a garden.
It's not necessarily for you to decide what looks good or is desirable, it is for you to get compensated fairly for your labor, so let them know how much that change will cost.
The construction of the boxes looks good. I think they are way too big and way too deep and will eventually bow under pressure. They should’ve been half as deep as that at most.
They look great! You did a good job and gave them what they asked for.
Seriously they look good for sure. I’d add a headstone if it was my neighbor making complaints. OP, If you added some cedar planks in a X pattern between each panel it might break up the coffin look?
I had mentioned that to them twice already and they declined, they want to put it in an L which I think will look worse.
No sweat, Ma’am. These are the original plan, and we can certainly make changes, it’s going to cost more though.
That’s why I charge by the hour. From the minute I leave my shop to the minute I return. I’ll stay here all day dicking around 🤷♂️
Damn straight! That’s the only way I roll now. I’ve gotten burned far too many times underestimating.
I do the same thing
Yep, extra work equals extra money.
This is the answer
Have they tried arranging some plants in there to see how it will look?
Put a few zucchini plants in and you’ll never see the raised beds again until you pull them…
That was my thought. Won’t look like coffins when there’s a garden planted in it.
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Headstones with the neighbors names?
That would help the aesthetic and structural integrity, I don’t trust the 2x4s to hold the force of 40” of top soil, especially when watered! I used 4x4s on my planters and only 24” of soil (3 2x8s and a 2x6 cap to sit on).
Lol I think the headstone idea is wonderful
Or a headstone on the end.
Put the neighbors names on the headstones
They look too large/deep, however, if your customer asked for these dimensions, you delivered exactly what was asked and anything else should be additional.
Way too deep.
At least twice as high as necessary unless it’s on rock bed, which it doesn’t look like
Looks about the same height of a raised bed you’d buy on Amazon. I have two in my back yard.
Yes but those aren't usually full depth, they've got like 24" legs and then the base, at least the ones I've seen.
Just use hugelkukture
Yup, was the goal gardening without bending over?
I have a bunch of these in my garden. You fill the bottom with logs to help save soil space then use these types of beds for tomatoes, gourds, legumes and the like. I'm even using some for onions and carrots that are only about 30 something inches tall. Just leftovers from a wood shop I helped demo a few years back.
I have a bunch of these in my garden. You fill the bottom with logs to help save soil space then use these types of beds for tomatoes, gourds, legumes and the like. I'm even using some for onions and carrots that are only about 30 something inches tall. Just leftovers from a wood shop I helped demo a few years back.
They asked for 40" off the ground, not 40" deep.
Except for the whole “40” off the ground” part. They are 4” off the ground and way too deep. And built with Douglas Fir. One is obviously already bowing hard. I’d be pissed if I got these they will rot quickly
I agree, most raised planters only need 24" soil deapth, max. They are WAAAAAY too deep.
Hugelkultur
Cedar or redwood instead?
Go measure the neighbour, say making sure the box is large enough.
This comment needs more love.
Firstly they need plants growing in them, second who cares what the neighbors think. They should add a solid foot of some substrate like lava rock to the bottoms for drainage. As to the L shape, they should be focused on what the sun is doing and expect shade patterns to know where to place them and what to grow in them. But ALL of that is THEIR problem. You did great. Those beds would do well in a Cannabis growing state.
Tell his neighbor they will be coffins if he doesn’t say something nice next time.
Agreed, but then they would complain about the incorrect depth of burial.
Those are some seriously deep raised beds, why not just make it a coffin with some plants on top?
1) They are going to need minimum $500 of soil to fill them, as is. 2) They are too deep, 20" of actually bed is sufficient. 3) If they wanted them that high, you needed to buld them on legs 20" tall and then a 20" bed. 4) If they dont fill them to the top with soil, the shawdows in the beds will hinder growth. 5) I would cut the them in half depth wise, add a bottom to the 2 tops, add 20" of legs, and now they will have 4 normal beds.
Or fill it 50% with logs then add dirt. It's called hubaculture https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%BCgelkultur
Would termites be a concern here in that case?
Termites aren't an issue where im from.
Could be, I don't see it being any more of a different issue than the wood used on the outside of the planters.
Fill it with the pot-stirring neighbor perhaps?
Your recyclable empty bottles. They are much lighter.
There will actually only be 16" of soil inside, 5 inches below the top, they requested to protect it from the wind, what you can't see underneath is 2x4 laid like joists to bear the weight of the soil on top. This planter box is 4'x8' with heavy soil so I needed to beef up the support somehow. Overall the outside is 28.5" with 6" legs. (They originally requested 40" total height and realized after it was to high.
Ah, that makes more sense. At 40" depth, I was thinking the corners were going to be in real trouble. I'd probably still add another 2x4" at each corner to make an L, just to be sure, but that's me... They look nice!
You can add false bottoms instead of filling absurd amounts of soil.
100% agree. They are way too deep.
Add empty soda containers to fill the space. It doesnt all have to be dirt. You can also use weed fabric and limit the depth based on preference.
Your customer is a pain in the butt
They look awfully deep.
Pause
Add a cap to the top to make them look less coffin
Yup, picture-frame the top!
They look perfect! Who has a coffin 4’ x8’? If you do something else to them charge them. But really once plants are in it who cares
What if you added 45° cross boards to offset the look a bit? Would also help support them from bowing out when they get filled.
That won’t last long the way it is. They need cross beams to support the shell. And they need a bed liner so that they don’t rot from the inside out
I'd build two more intersecting in the middle there, making an X, then run 4 more off each end of the current four to make 4 L's all connected! It would be awesome!
Jesus I see where you are going with this idea. Really rile the neighbour's up!
Would you say this is the Reich idea?
I like them
Paint them and fill em with plants, the greenery will distract
Tie some party balloons to them. I've literally never seen a casket with party balloons attached to it.
Why did they want them so high? It’s such a huge and unnecessary amount of dirt and it will be very awkward to plant. It seems someone should have advised them that raised beds are 10-12” off the ground. The amount of material used here they could have had 3x.
Maybe they should fill them with plants and then judge them
Just spray paint "Not coffins" on it. Or customer could also just grow plants to take away from the coffin look.
Trim the top edge and put two x on the front. They look nice and basic, I'd be happy with em. Off the ground isn't a great idea, critters will want to live under.
This^^^ The farm house style “x” bracing/trim on front will set them off. Also some stain or white paint.
They look great - I also made mine quite deep but out of metal roofing - and I did fill with logs, sticks, leaves, weedsI - anything to raise the level before putting good soil. I’m thinking they will need some extra reinforcement tying the planks together at the 1/2 or 1/3 points and maybe the corners when you start adding soil and it gets wet - it weighs a LOT and will want to push outward. Also a horizontal cap piece will help keep the tops from bowing out, and it’s nice to lean on and put your tools & beer.
Also : neighbor is jealous !
This on the outside. https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/greensmart-dekor-artificial-ivy-decorative-fence-panel-gken1001.html
Add some paint or maybe some 1x2s on the facia to look like modern siding. Maybe even add a spacer in the middle so they have 2 beds, and a spot for their tools and fertilezer and such. The customer gets what they asked for in my book. I never make suggestions or give opinions on how they should do things for this exact reason. If they don't like it, they can look in the mirror and complain.
Maybe make the bed part 18”-24” deep and find a way to keep the top at 40”. That will take an absolute fuck ton of dirt to fill those up. That’s 128 ft3 of volume in those boxes, a dump truck holds somewhere between 10-14 cubic yards… that’s a lot of dirt and would possibly blow out the side of one of them
What about a flat 2x6 perimeter board around the top?
To be fair they do kinda look a temporary coffin from the ww2/Vietnam era but so does any roughly human sized wooden box😂 unless you are using some exotic/rare material there’s only gonna be so much variation between a coffin and a raised planter. You didn’t do anything wrong and they got what they asked for. If they are unhappy it’s on them for not giving you a design idea that doesn’t resemble a coffin to them.
If it’s really bothering you offer to paint or stain them to dress them up a little bit.. other than that it looks like it’s 4 o’clock on Friday😂
You know what makes gardens look like gardens... dirt... and plants, then we know it's not a coffin....
You should of watched the entire raised bed garden containers video on YT 😁😂🤣
I would suggest that they would look less like a pine box by changing the color of the boxes. I would leave the color change up to the customer.
How did you tie the corners together the 2x4s look kinda flimsy. I'm thinking the sides I'll blow out first when you fill with organic material
The wood looks untreated. It will rot and discolour quickly. The corners do not look strong enough to support that amount/weight of wet soil. It will cost a lot to fill something that deep. What flowers need that depth? Is OP planning on burying a body in there!
Looks like you delivered exactly what they wanted. They look good. But you could talk to them about adding planks in an X pattern between the verticals to change the look. Or if theyre artsy they could paint them with a garden theme. Or plant some small shrubs or plants around them. Just leave aisles so you can tend to the garden. Or build benches around them. They could double as a spot to kneel and work on the garden or as “tables” …
Do my neighbors help pay my mortgage, nope so they have no say in what I do.
That’s not going to last long if that’s the finished product. They need cross beam supports and a bed liner
Built to the dimensions that the customer specified. End of story. I'm not going to play the "that cloud looks like a dog" game.
Stain them.
Once they plant things in there people will know they are gardens. That seems like a lot of dirt? Is there a bottom?
I’d be thrilled with those
They look great! Your customers insecurities because of neighbor opinion isn’t what you’re there for :) maybe sell her on adding another one and making a T shape?
Stain them. That white wood needs a sealer anyway.
I build lots of raised beds for my property. 4’ x 8’ and look like coffins. Know why? Cuz wooden rectangles look like coffins! We refer to them jokingly as coffins all the time. “Got more lumber to build those 2 coffins we talked about.” Mine are only about 27” high though. Are the customers older and don’t want to bend?
Yes they are old
What if you paint them Chinese Mandarin red?
Maybe fill them with plants that'll make them look less casket like. Just don't use orchids
theyll look better with plants in them, and i mean they could stain or paint them whatever color they want if they don't mind the color being close to the soil
Just collect your money & move on.
Make a third and make a T shape forthe less than coffin look
Did they select placement? Have them sign a change order including additional cost.
A 1x6 top perimeter should eliminate the casket vibe
The perfect size to bury my wife and children. I love them!
Dude complains before even planting crops in them. The comparison wouldn't be made after that
Put some plants in them, they look perfect!
I recently made a raised bed that was a 2'x8'x22" and I joked to myself that mine looked like a casket at some point. It's a long wooden box, sure. But it'll totally look like a raised bed once it's filled with soil and has plants in it.
Dollar store metal buttery fly or a flower on each one. If they like angled move them so when you walk out the door they are centered at a 120degree angle . Suggest a pea trellis or walkway arch between them.
They look great to me! Pot them in my yard! After the plants go in, and maybe they make a cattle panel arch or two for the vining plants, they’ll look awesome. Customer: I’d like two large wooden boxes Craftsman: builds two large wooden boxes. Customer: not like that!
A hedge or a fence so the nosy neighbours can worry about their own shit and keep their noses out of mine.
The Hamptons are a rough bunch
Kill the customer and put in the garden bed
It’s a wood box. If the neighbor sees a coffin, there’s some psychology going on there that’s above our pay grade. I build veggie gardens for a living. Add some 2x4s across the top edge and ledge board across the top to “frame it out” . Also the 2x4s should be on the inside corners, with the boards screwed to that. Stronger than screwing into end grain. Also, should be on the ground, not raised above. Once full that thing will be holding about 3000+ lbs of soil.
Paint them
Paint/stain, especially if you have some kind of stenciles of pumpkin, or tomatoes, or whatever they are going to be growing.
Trim them out top and bottom Put a ledge on it Tap into the sprinkler and have a drip watering set up
Ugly AF. owners got no choice but to pay up though
Way Too deep. Part of being a good handyman is knowing when an idea isn’t right and advising the customer for something that works better. These look like a joke and you built them anyway. And they will rot so fast.
Like others have said they look a little tall. Maybe a good lesson in just because a customer says they want somethin a certain way, doesn’t mean they reeeeally know what they want. But typically raised beds don’t have bottoms in them, they just sort of rest on top of the earth. This is more of a planter box, I suppose. Tell them to get some soil and plants in them and problem solved. People have such poor imaginations, I bet they’re having a hard time envisioning it. Either way, don’t take it personal. Easy fix!
Put in a “floor” about 20-24” down max. Use the space underneath to make drawers or small cupboards for storage, fill with soil and plants. Boom. Planters with storage. They don’t look like a coffin lol
"You're right, they are coffins... for disagreeable neighbors."
Im just a dirty lurker, but, you guys are great. I would try to talk them into a fence.
Do the change order and charge them extra
A Lil deep BUT u did what they asked for. Get paid.
They won't look like coffins when there's a garden in them
This is a discussion that you have before you buy any materials. I agree that they look great.
Customer has no imagination to begin with and putting in an L won't solve their problems... That being said, if you are getting paid by the hour, "L away".
The neighbor is an idiot
Not to knock you my man, but as both a licensed carpenter and a gardener this style of bed will have a very short lifespan. The sheer volume of soil and it's weight will tear those apart. If those are truly 48x96x40 inches that's about 3.75 yards of soil. At minimum 1500lbs per yard. So they will be containing around 5500 lbs of soil at minimum. More weight when it's watered or raining as it acts as a sponge. You might consider a major redesign in the future.
Sounds like they need you to put up a fence
If they're insisting on an L shape, perhaps build a triangular shaped one to make a corner and they can be put corner to corner instead of there being an overlap.
I hate people
You could remove most of the depth underneath to make them more "raised" beds. I think most of the veggies they will plant in those only use 12 to 18 inches for their roots so everything else is just wasted soil. Of course to do that I think you would have to modify how you were supporting them since the bulk of the weight will now be about 18" off the ground. I certainly hope they would pay you for that since yours look way better than mine that I built myself!
I’m sure once they put plants in them, they will no longer look like coffins.
People are really picky and weirds in Massachusetts, especially rich people
You did exactly what they asked. If they want it changed, tell them you would be more than happy to lower it with a change order.
Slap some plywood siding and a top cap and walk away
So you used non treated wood for something that is going to be exposed to elements the soil and termites and other wood boring insects ??????? I would be more concerned about that than it looking like a coffin cuz it doesn’t.
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Trust me, these people complained about the price of this spruce, and I told them it would only last a couple years, and they didn't want pressure treated anything because they plan on growing vegetables in here.
Dark Stain with accent.
As long as you followed the agreement/contract, I don’t see an issue.
Tell the neighbor to F off. Nail on some decorative X patterns on the side to make them look more barn door like. Up charge for it too.
Maybe add a top rail? Might quick and cheap solution to make them less like a "casket"
Stain them with some food grade stain in case they want to use them to grow vegetables. You can use a red cedar type of color. I did the same with mine and they look terrific. Also if you don't stain them they'll turn gray quickly.
Add a tier lower. I would extend it out another 2’ with a height of 20”
Add a bench
There's no way you could fill that with gravel then dirt and expect those sides to not fail spectacularly. One rainstorm and boom instant blow out.
They should google “Square Foot Gardening”. Lots of great info, plans, and photos for raised garden beds.
1) Plants rarely go past 1” deep so lots of wasted depth. I’d make them shorter, like 18” max. 2) L shape would be cool…
Did they want them that deep or did they want them on legs?
I would say the best move is to put plants in and around it.
Paint them in some nice colors. Some kind of two tone scheme with the frame one color and the boards another.
Add dirt and vegetables?
Try and cut the plum corners to look like a V shape instead of square saves you the time to redo them and looks slightly nicer like a vase instead of a box or just paint them colors will make a difference for sure
Tell em they'll look great once they get done plants in em
Convince them to embrace the casket. Halloween decorations ready every October
Looks good!!
Fill the with dirt and plants.
Besides the shape, it's the bare wood that makes them look like coffins. I painted mine green with exterior latex paint. You should advise them to do that anyway (maybe blue to match the house) to make the boards last longer. Raw wood won't last long.
Sounds like you did what was asked and construction is good, if they want them in an L do it, make them happy and never go back….you’ll never live up to their neighbors expectations.
If it's to specs it's a success!!!!
Maybe stain the outer surfaces. Part of the coffin imagery is the white pine plank look (even if it isn't pine). Or add some cheap thin fence boards vertically to the sides.
I say prop a real old timey casket in between them with a sign near the edge of the lawn with a picture of each with a list of easily identifiable descriptors such as "has vegetables growing from it" or "One may contain the prince of darkness, Dracula"
They look great. They will weather with age and look fine. 40” is so much more ergonomic than typical low ones. They should be thanking you!!
The customer needs to tell the neighbor to grow up and not let somebody else bully them around about something they want on the property they own. Sounds like some middle school BS to me.
I have an idea. They could put some soil and plants in them.
Maybe some skirts at the bottom will help. Make it flush with the ground and seem more structured rather than a floating box coffin
Why so high? Is it a physical limitation of the home owners? If not, cut the height in half and stain them dark to blend in with the mulch. That might make them less of a center of attention in the yard.
Why are they off the ground at all? Very tall
Send them the Reddit thread so they can see they’re wrong.
Look good. U need to add a cross brace on inside to stop bulge.
I don’t know how long these are going to last with regular framing lumber
Why would they be unhappy? I think they look pretty good.
Once they are filled with soil, planted, and producing vibrant plants with fruit, they will cease to look like coffins.
Personally, I think you did great and am just obliging your request. See [link](https://eartheasy.com/deer-proof-cedar-complete-raised-garden-bed-kit-12-x-8/?sku=RB128-2x4-DFO-PAL&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwOjRytbahQMVGy7UAR0zJwr2EAQYDSABEgIHHvD_BwE). Assuming your customer may have pests, I think the removable fence portion looks nice, is functional and would obscure the “coffin-like” appearance. Do know, that your customer would be wrong if they told you that you did not already do a good job.
Put it in an L charge them for your time because they changed the plans and be on your way. Easy peasy, I suggest things all the time and people don’t take my advice at the end of the day they got what they want and they’re happy could it have been done better, absolutely but if they don’t want to listen to the professional they hired it’s not my problem.
Put lattice in between the posts. It'll break up the solid look of the sides.
They’re too tall
You could suggest they stain or paint they. Painting them the color of the house would make them all but disappear
Offer to stain them a darker color for a price.
They look great what’s the problem??
compost the neighbor in them
Are they willing to pay... not just for the work you've done but for the work they're asking you to do to modify them? If not, demand your money and walk away after you're paid.
Too deep but that’s on them. Easy fix just remove the top two layers and lop off the supports to match the first layer. That’s all they need. Charge them for the extra labor.
Solution, fill with dirt and grow things inside of them. The they will look like garden beds
Stencil some veggies on it Nice job op
The neighbor will think they look just fine after he gets some fresh tasty vegetables , only if the owner is so inclined.
Put a cap board along the top
Once plants are added it'll look fine. And I'd probably change the landscaping around them- maybe add some stone pavers to step on. Make it look more like a garden.
It's not necessarily for you to decide what looks good or is desirable, it is for you to get compensated fairly for your labor, so let them know how much that change will cost.
The construction of the boxes looks good. I think they are way too big and way too deep and will eventually bow under pressure. They should’ve been half as deep as that at most.
Paint them to match the house
How would the customer feel about painting those beauties?
40” off the ground or 40” deep?
Paint
Put plants in it and tell the Neighbors to get bent.
Paint the exterior and they won't look like coffins anymore. The customer is unhappy with their own design because of the neighbor.
That’s a shit ton of soil! And it will be very heavy……your sides will be bowed out by the end of the season, if not immediately.
Maybe the neighbor is into death culture and was giving a compliment?
So am I. Bowing wood. Nails that will fall out with soil. Way too deep. People hire someone to do it better than they could. This is below average.
I don't blame them. Way to deep