I have an appalling lawn. It is mainly mud and brown patches with some tatty
grass. One of the previous house owners apparently grew trees and has left
really poor soil under the lawn. I have tried the usual lawn sand,
fertilsers etc over the past three years but nothing works. I think it is
time to destroy the lot and reseed or turf to create a tough lawn. I would
like a little advice on the best way to do this.

Should I rotovate the entire lawn area, add lawn fertiliser/compost and then
seed it, or strip off the lawn and then rotovate the soil and seed it? Or is
there a better way of doing it. This is also a chance to try and remove some
of the raised areas in the lawn to make it more level.

I am trying to create a tough rather than luxury lawn, so hardwearing grass
will be the preference.

Nick