Top 4 Considerations for Your Residential Landscaping Project

If you want to start a landscaping project to improve your home, it is important to plan effectively. This will ensure that your final result matches your vision, without having to compromise due to a lack of preparation. Whether you want to create an area for summer barbecuing, turn your yard into a beautiful garden, or build a new deck, here are some questions you need to ask yourself to help bring your dream to reality.

1)  What is the purpose of the area?

If you enjoy hosting parties, you will likely desire an outdoor space that is inviting and convenient for accommodating a large number of people. If you’re looking for something to enjoy alone or with family, perhaps you’d like to landscape a small area to create a relaxing atmosphere for reading or sharing meals. When considering a landscaping project for your residential space, make a decision on how you want to use the space.

2)  What design should be prominent?

Everyone has a certain taste, even in landscaping. If you decide on a style or design early in the project, you’ll be able to make sure all the components of the process work in unison to create that design. This includes the plants you choose, the pavers and retaining walls, and all the details that will create the larger picture of your new outdoor space.

3)   How much maintenance will be required?

A great outdoor space can add considerable value to a home and property by increasing the amount of usable space. However, if it is hard to properly maintain, it can end up being more hassle than it is worth. Your ability to maintain the space once it has been completed is a key element in the type of landscaping you choose. Whether this means bringing in a professional on a regular basis or doing it yourself, if you under-estimate the time and effort required to keep it looking great, you will find your design becomes a hindrance to your property.

4)   What is your budget?

Of course, budget is usually the first concern when planning for home improvements. Your budget will determine the quality of the materials you choose and the size of the developments you make. An important aspect of the process is prioritising the elements you need to spend the most money on, versus the ones that you want to spend the most money on. Creating an accurate, realistic budget is a major factor in the success of your landscaping project.

Landscaping the yard is a fun way to change up your home for the new season. By making decisions on how you plan to use the area, deciding on a specific design, accounting for the required maintenance, and establishing a budget, you will save yourself time, money and the headache of an incomplete project.

Shop Locally to Build Strong, Thriving Communities

Shopping locally is essential for the prosperity of your community and the world as a whole. It increases revenue, creates more jobs for citizens and fuels the growth of the local economy. By focusing your money on maintaining local revenue circulation, you can help support the economic and environmental prosperity of your local area, as well as act sustainably in the interests of the whole world.

Build and support your community

Shopping locally is more than simply supporting the shop you buy the product or service from. There is a wide array of businesses that are engaged by the local business you buy from, with they themselves using the services of the community around them to create the end result that you have purchased. For example, they may hire designers and tradespeople to build their premises and the fixtures, use the services of local accountants, insurance brokers, marketing companies and IT specialists, as well as source materials from farmers and manufacturers, to create an ecosystem that supports and perpetuates the local business community. When a large retailer moves in, they often have established suppliers from outside the area from which to source their materials. Their nation- or worldwide presence enables them to price aggressively to freeze out smaller operators and remove competition, to the detriment of the community.

Sustainable solutions

The transportation systems employed in local businesses differ drastically from those found in large, international companies. Local businesses require less travel to and from the area of production to the place of sale, which results in a smaller carbon footprint and greatly reduced energy usage. Using local produce and services reduces the need to import goods over great distances, with limits fuel consumption and reduces the business’s carbon footprint.

Build a community with character

Local character is driven by the businesses and the support they receive from the community. No one ever says that the local Starbucks is their favourite café, instead it is the locally owned and operated one, where they remember your name and spell it right on the cup. Their food tastes fresh and is made on-site using ingredients from the other local businesses. This is an idealised view of the process, however it is the businesses that engage with the locals that create a community, whether it’s a small town by the coast, or a large suburb like Carlton in Melbourne.

Give the people what they want

At the heart of it, people want to live in communities that are safe and prosperous. Shopping locally ensures that businesses can make a living, stay open, and support each other. The knock effects go far beyond simply allowing a business to make money, instead they create an entire structure of support, both for the other businesses around them, and the people that they attract.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

At Gosford Quarries, we are committed to business practices that are environmentally sustainable as we offer high-quality sandstone. Resistant to weathering and highly durable, sandstone is ideal for use in the construction of buildings and outdoor projects. From the beginning to the end of our manufacturing process, we promote sustainable business practices through conscientious sourcing, reducing waste, employing the local community, and providing a quality product. Because thoughtful ethics are a cornerstone of good dealings, we put our values first in everything we do.

We Consider the Source

The earth creates sandstone on an on-going basis. A natural stone, sandstone comes from a readily-available source and its production uses much less energy than does the production of brick and concrete.  Because sandstone is so easily reusable, we are proud to say that nearly one hundred percent of excess sandstone is recycled into another project.

We Strive to Waste Not

Sandstone is already a highly reusable material. It can be used again and again to build new projects or as part of the foundation for restoring an old project. Very little water is used to manufacture sandstone and we are careful in our manufacturing process to be conscientious of areas in which we can conserve even more of the earth’s natural resources, wasting as little as possible and recycling every material we can.

We Employ the People

Providing jobs for local Australians is one of our deep core values. People are the future. We believe Gosford Quarries was built upon a commitment to the people, so we strive to continue that legacy by building our future around quality people and a quality product.

We Provide Quality

Quality should never come before environmental sustainability. In fact, we believe a quality product is, by definition, one that promotes sustainable living in every possible way. Sandstone is one of the most beautiful and useful natural materials on the planet, arming architectural spaces with both elegance and durability. We are serious about maintaining a stellar production process that sustains the natural beauty of the stone while perpetuating the material’s most winsome qualities.

The earth is the source upon which we depend for our sandstone product, which is one of the many reasons we believe in nurturing it. We honour the source of our materials by striving to waste little, to provide work for the community, and by defining quality as a product produced sustainably.

Reasons to Choose Sandstone for Your Next Project

From restorations and sculptures to commercial venues and residential beautification, sandstone is one of the most well-loved materials to complete an architectural design. This natural material is versatile enough to make the most humble of walkways more elegant and the most gorgeous of buildings more winsome. Thanks to its quality, sandstone is also long-lasting and scores high on the eco-friendly scale. Here are some reasons sandstone should be your first choice.

It’s Versatile

Versatility is important. Because so many styles are available, it’s easy to jump on one design without really considering the other options. Sandstone can be used to create many of the looks accomplished with other materials, but sandstone provides greater quality and longer-lasting results. The material offers color variation to oblige even the most deliberating of tastes.

Well-suited to be used in many different projects and architectural designs, sandstone can be used to create stunning facades, arched interiors, patios, walls, barriers, and much more. Whether you’re looking to complete a space with a carved sandstone sculpture, enhance a walkway with sandstone paving, or finish a wall with cladding or solid sandstone block, Australian sandstone will add the perfect polish to your design.

It’s High Quality

Though it’s common to go for more common materials, you’ll get more value and long-term satisfaction from sandstone. Because it’s so long-lasting, the material is likely to be enjoyed for many years and will hold up nicely against much use. The trustworthy material is known for its durability and non-slip quality as well as its ability to lend a more sophisticated ambience to patios and pool decks. Whether small or large, almost any architectural project can benefit from being made with natural sandstone.

It’s Eco-friendly

Australian sandstone is a very earth-friendly product. Locally sourced, the material is readily available and is manufactured without the use of any chemicals. Because its processing results in no chemical waste, a large amount of water is also saved. Not only is the material local, chemical-free, and conserving of water, sandstone is also extremely easy to reuse in new or existing building projects.

Since sandstone is one of the most versatile building materials on the market, it might come as a surprise that it holds so many other desirable qualities. Should you choose natural sandstone for any commercial, residential, or landscaping endeavors, you will find satisfaction in knowing you’ve invested in one of the highest-quality and most environmentally sustainable options to upgrade your space.

RobArch Expo Sydney

Gosford Quarries are proud to be involved in the 2016 RobArch Expo at Pier 2/3 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, 18th March 2016.

As leaders in sandstone fabrication technologies, Gosford Quarries and Sydney University are collaborating on exciting new research in the development of the application of Australian sandstone as a prominent architectural material. 

With the latest range of state-of-the-art technology, we are proud to be at the forefront of design and innovation and are focused on developing solutions and flexibility to designers, builders and Architects to achieve the most complex of concepts and designs.

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10 reasons why Gosford Quarries remain the leader in Australian sandstone supply

At Gosford Quarries, we have a very strong history supplying Australian sandstone to iconic building projects all over the country. We offer sandstone for a variety of purposes, from residential, commercial, civil and landscaping to high-profile heritage restorations. Here are 10 true blue reasons why we continue to lead sandstone supply in Australia:

#1. We have a lot of experience in the stonemasonry industry – 100 years’ worth, in fact. Actually, we have even more when you take into account our merger with the Sarkis Bros. Pty Ltd in May 2014! Not to mention the accumulation of technical know-how that occur when two industry powerhouses join together and pool their resources.

#2. We use cutting edge technology, not just keeping up with the latest machinery, but innovating so that our processing methods continue to improve, providing more product flexibility and design options.

#3. We are Australian owned and operated. As we source all our sandstone from the best Australian quarries, choosing not to import material or export labour, we support the Australian economy and provide job opportunities for fellow Aussies.

#4. We have high standards. At Gosford Quarries, we are committed to providing the best quality product possible. We are constantly testing our sandstone to determine the accuracy of our geotechnical results.

#5. We take pride in our craft and support the industry by employing Australian apprentice stonemasons from Miller TAFE, thereby ensuring the longevity of a specialised and traditional trade.

#6. We are efficient. Due to the fact that we are a local business, we have the advantage of greater efficiency in delivery times and clear communication without the potential complication of language barriers and time zones.

#7. We are environmentally friendly. Naturally occurring sandstone is actually a very eco-friendly building material, with a relatively low carbon footprint compared to man-made concrete or brick.

#8. We offer a superior range of colours and finishes to suit every kind of sandstone application, including paving, cladding, solid block walling, carving and profiling, as well as split and raw material.

#9. We offer unique building restoration abilities. Wondabyne Quarry is the oldest operating sandstone quarry in Australia, and produces the best match to Sydney Yellow block sandstone, perfect for restoration of Neo Classical and gothic Architecture. With the most sophisticated new profiling technologies there is nothing Gosford Quarries cannot restore or recreate.

#10. We supply sandstone internationally. While we have developed a reputation for excellence in Australia, we have also initiated exciting international projects, with our sandstone featured internationally in England, China, Japan and The Middle East. 

Why sandstone is actually the building material of the future

It may seem an odd proclamation for such an old and ‘traditional’ building resource, but here at Gosford Quarries we are reinventing sandstone. It is not only great for architectural restorations, but with so many design and finish options these days and its kindness to the planet, sandstone really is the avant-garde building material.

The eco-friendly choice

You may not realise it, but natural sandstone is actually a very eco-friendly building material. This is for several reasons:

·         It has a relatively low carbon footprint as it uses a very small percentage of the energy needed to create man made stone like concrete or brick.

·         No chemicals are used in the production or processing of sandstone, so it creates pretty much no chemical waste.

·         All water used in producing the stone can be recycled and reused.

·         Gosford Quarries are located so close to our main target market (Sydney CBD) that we don’t require excessively large amounts of fuel for transportation of our product.

·         Natural Stone is very easily recycled, with sandstone reclaimed from old building sites and quarries. Gosford Quarries’ use of powerful machinery and better extraction techniques aids the commercial sustainability of salvage-quarrying in Australia.

A designer’s best friend

With Gosford Quarries’ commitment to improvement and innovation in stonemasonry technology, sandstone is now capable of accommodating a wide range of intricate and detailed designs. Gosford quarries offers:

·         The largest variety of sandstone colours in Australia sourced from a combination of famous quarries in NSW and QLD. Colours include brown, pink, whites, creams and gold.

·         Finishes in a variety of textures and styles, such as bull-nosed, rock faced, diamond cut, hydra split,  sparrow pecked, gang sawn or boasted/chiselled.

·         Processing for a variety of different uses such as for paving, cladding, solid block walling, carving and profiling, and in split and raw material form.

·         Utilised for different purposes, including retaining walls, pools, garden edging, flooring, walling and facades.

·         The latest and most sophisticated processing machinery and technology in Australia.

From this brief exploration of new developments in sandstone design and preparation as well as the material’s innate environmentally friendly properties, it is clear that sandstone is fast emerging as the building material of the future. Add to these the timeless benefits of sandstone, including its durability, strength and slip resistance, as well as its continuing increase in value over time, sandstone proves itself as a versatile and useful stone.

To see our full range of sandstone options, drop into a Gosford Quarries showroom/sales yard near you!

Gosford Quarries sandstone now even easier to specify with BIM/REVIT Download!

Gosford Quarries is making it easier for Architects and Interior Designers to visualise and specify Gosford Quarries Sandstone products in their BIM/ Revit workflows by providing Revit Materials and a sample Revit Project.

You can also call or visit any of our showrooms to speak to a sandstone specialist or our in-house architect! 

Download it here!