"BoyPete" wrote in message
...
Can anyone give me a ballpark figure per sq. mt. to clear plants/lawn,
level, membrane and then gravel the area? Ta.

A porous membrane might prevent weeds growing upwards but it soes not stop
the roots of weeds from windblown seeds from growing downwards. Imagine a
clump of grass growing near the edge of a membrane and hanging on for dear
life when you try to uproot it. You would certainly lift the membrane
allowing lots of gravel to get under it or it might tear!

The cost of a porous membrane would be a significant proportion of the
overall cost so use that money to buy enough gravel CHIPPINGS to cover to a
depth of 10 cms (about 10 sq metres/tonne) and forget a membrane - do not
use nice rounded gravel or pea gravel. If you see a weed, a drop of "size
10" or whatever, soon puts paid to it!

Stack the removed grass turves upside down in a corner somewhere and cover
with black polythene (thick refuse bags cut open are ideal) and in a few
years time they'll be very useful potting compost for planters' pots on the
gravel. The soil under the grass can be used on other parts of the garden
or in raised beds in the gravelled area.

All this advice is given from personal experience not theory.

Regards

Geoff