pipex wrote:
:: I need to turn a area of approx 100 sq mtrs of compacted hardcore
:: in a lawn.
::
The first thing you'll need to do is to loosen the surface of the hardcore
to allow drainage....when you say hardcore, do you mean 'crush and run' or
broken bricks or what?

:: How much top soil would I need to lay before turf, or is it
:: cheaper to use more top soil and grass seed.
::
I'd recommend about a 100mm (4 inches) of topsoil...when you purchase a
tonne bag, it's approximately a cubic metre, which makes calculations fairly
easy - you will get 10 square metres from each bag @ 100mm thick, whether
you use seed or turf is up to you and both have their merits - I'm no expert
in this feild but I think seed will struggle at this time of year as we are
unlikely to get much more warm weather required for germination....if you
use turf, you may want to lose 25mm of topsoil per sq M, meaning you should
get about 14 sqM per tonne..if the hardcore mentioned before is very loose,
you will lose some down any gaps etc which are present.

:: Does anyone know of a reliable supplier of top soil in somerset?
::
Unfortunately not, I live 300 miles further North but we have adverts in the
local press every week, you can also order it through builders merchants
(sometimes expensive) or have a look in the yellow pages.

HTH