Does anyone here have Curb-crete/concrete edging?

The hubby and I want to have Curb-crete done as edging around all the flower beds in our front yard. I haven't called to get an estimate yet but another company that I asked about it said they don't put it in but that they know it's very expensive.

Anyone know about how much it costs per foot to have Curb-crete done? I know that hubby and I definitely want Curb-crete because of how long lasting it is and how fantastic it looks so unless it's some totally crazy, outrageous price (which I doubt) then we will be getting it.

is that the fancy concrete stamping looking stuff? i really like that look but it sucks if you ever want to change the shape of your beds... i need to fix all my front edging as the stuff i put up has been destroyed by the weed whacker and mower. might try to do the flagstone i used for the raised bed but not sure yet as i would have to dig it in.

Yes it's the concrete stamped edging. And yes, it is permanent but it also lasts forever!

Here's an example:


And it's because I plan to change the layout of the beds in the backyard that I only plan on having concrete edging done in the front yard which I do not intend to change.

I called a local company and they are going to try to come out this weekend to measure and give me an estimate.

yeah i love that look! check craigs list as well under services, that is where i try to find all the best deals, and some weird people! but i did find my handy guy there and he is great.

Okay so my HOA denied us permission on the concrete curbing saying it was due to it's "non-conformity with the design criteria that is acceptable to the Architectural Control Authority."

I've been on and off the phone with my architectural review contact with the HOA as well as the person who was supposed to put in our concrete curbing next week assuming we were approved. Long story short, we can appeal the decision via a written letter to the Architectural Control Authority for our community and wait to see what they say. Beyond that there is nothing that we can do if they deny us again.

So I've started making a list of reasons why the concrete curbing should be approved for our yard. I'd love some ideas from you folks to argue my side in case you guys think of anything that I miss out on.

Main points I'd like to drive home include:
-improves property value and curb appeal
-compliments existing landscaping
-no maintenance, durable, long lasting, not painted
-continuous edging offers smooth, clean curves and straight lines
-attractive, uniform pattern in earthy, neutral grey color to match home's exterior vinyl siding
-creates an effective root barrier and keeps mulch contained in beds
-decreases yard maintenance for the homeowner
-multiple homes in our community already have the concrete curbing
-more durable than other options (does not rust like metal edging, does not rot like wood edging, will not break like plastic edging, will not move like brick/stone edging)
-concrete edging is found in even the most exclusive, upscale communities

Any additional points that anyone can think of to further my case? If i get turned down a second time, I'm SOL so I really need to make a good case for this now.

I think you've covered a lot of great points!
I don't see why/how they denied you when there are OTHER homes with concrete edging!

Well she did tell me that no one else got approval for theirs, so if others have it they did so without permission.

And what's the others punshment for getting it with out asking first? Will it be removed, fined?
If nothing is happing to the other then maybe do it.

Can you take pictures of the other edging with out ratting the homeowner out? Can the guy who was gonna do the work include a letter? The points you hit are dead on. Is the edging easy to remove for a future homeowner that may not want it? Don't know why they would not but it might be a good point?...

Good luck!

Do you think the board of your HOA is so niave that it is picturing a big, nasty concrete road curb?

A "handyman" went through our neighborhood last summer building stone and mortar edging for multiple homes (I think other neighbors liked the look and ran over to meet the guy and hire him for their yardwork). These stone and mortar edges are no less permanent than your concrete ones. If the board would allow stone and mortar (or brick and mortar), the issue is probably not permanence but rather fear of unsightliness.

Have you submitted pictures? Pictures of edges done by the actual company that you have hired to do your work?

Good luck!!

I took pics and wrote down addresses for the neighbors who already have it to drive home a point. I also took pics of the crappy edging from various other homes in the neighborhood as a comparison for the junk that is already in the community to show what utter crap is already here and what an improvement the concrete curbing would be.

I don't know what would happen to those that already have it, I planned to follow up on that if they still deny us after our appeal. The guy who is supposed to do the work is more than willing to contact and speak with our HOA. I was just going to include his comments in my letter as well as his contact information so that the HOA can contact him directly if they feel the need to. I might see if he'd be willing to include a letter of his own.

Being concrete and "permanent" it would not be easy to remove unless you consider breaking up the concrete and removing it in pieces easy. But really, I haven't met a single person who doesn't love the look of concrete curbing. if anything I think it makes the house even more attractive, who in their right mind would want to get rid of it?!

My neighbor 2 doors down is planning on having the concrete edging done in his yard, I went over and talked with him this morning and he was actually going to mail in his application today. He said he was going to mail in the application and go ahead and have the curb-crete installed without waiting for an official approval because he didn't think in his wildest dreams that the Association would not approve it. As he said, he's owned 7 homes and has NEVER had a problem getting approval for concrete curbing even in neighborhoods with very strict HOA's. He was very upset when I told him about the issues we're having so we're both going to support each other on this and will both be sending letters to our HOA.

I need to get into contact with our home builder representative today and find out more info if I can on any restrictions that the builder in particular might have before I send out my letter. The builder rep comes to work at 11 am so I'll be calling them soon.

Lisa, I submitted a written description AND a photo example of what we want done in the exact stamp pattern and color that we wanted. There is no reason for them not to know exactly what we are talking about. I also took pics today of work done by the same person we are hiring (pending approval) to do the concrete curbing on our lot. I just really want my appeal to be super solid so they don't deny me again.

Val, i think the help of your other neighbor wanting the same thing and sending in a letter is going to help your case. i think you have plenty of solid reasons to send them and i can only image how much work this is taking you to put together, that alone should say something to them.

I was advised to send an email to our builder's division president to see if I can get some answers from our builder before sending in an appeal letter to the association. My main reason for asking the builders division president is that my contact with the HOA says that it was the builder, not the HOA, that denied us permission to install the curb-crete since the builder has the right to rule on structural changes like that. Hopefully I hear back from him soon so that I know where to go from here. I'm still going to get my appeal letter together (it's started already) so that I can send it in as soon as I hear back from the division president. *sigh* This royally stinks to high heaven.

i wonder how many homeowners are as head strong as you! i love it cause i would be doing the same damn thing if i was not approved. i just about gave up on the landscape part of it, i put the raise flagstone bed in with out asking... with one of the top 5 yards in the neighborhood they have nothing to complain about to me....

i have my fingers crossed you win this!

Thanks, me too! Oh I'm not dropping this until they give me some serious answers and explain why my neighbors can have it but I can't. And if the neighbors did it without permission, what are they going to do about it, etc. They are definitely not getting off easy with me, I will be a thorn in their side until I get what I want! It's not like I'm asking to put in some hot pink edging or anything!

Goodness...where do I begin?! Let me try to make this as short and to the point as possible. Got a reply back from the division VP, confirmed that the builder is responsible for denying the approval and that they will only allow edging and mulch that is natural in appearance and material in an effort to keep all yards as similar as possible to prevent a "hodge podge" look in the neighborhood. (What a load of BS!)

Sent him a reply back arguing that multiple home owners in the neighborhood have a variety of different un-natural materials and there is no uniform look, we already have a hodge podge basically and I included a list of addresses with descriptions of their edging and mulch/stone materials.

I've explained the situation to 3 of my neighbors who are friends and have asked them to email this guy as well arguing a case for our neighborhood being allowed to install concrete curbing. My one neighbor went so far as to call the head of our builder's parent company directly and not only explained the situation but also gave them a piece of her mind. To which they told her they'd look into it. I've asked them to email me the person's name and contact info that she spoke with at the parent company as well so they can expect to hear from me as well as soon as I get that information from my neighbor. My neighbor told me he's going to fight this tooth and nail if he has to...as am I.

Hopefully my other two neighbors will get on the builders case as well, couldn't hurt to have more people fighting for this. Anyway, that's where we are as of this moment.

Go Val! Sometimes you gotta kick and scream

You're on FIRE, Val! They chose the wrong person(s) to BS to!
I would fight this too!

Good luck! I hope with your neighbor on your side also fighting, you'll get to have curb-crete!

This is too funny and upsetting at the same time that I can't help but laugh, albeit uncomfortably.

So a little back history, the hubby and I moved out of Mukilteo, WA in September of 2008. Moved to Orlando, FL and weren't happy there. Moved to Charleston, SC in 2010 and we're not happy here either. Both of us consider Mukilteo, WA to be our true "home" so we've been talking about when we might seriously consider moving back to WA. At first we'd agreed on a 5 yr stay in Charleston. Then it got dropped down to a 3 yr stay and now we're seriously considering a 2 yr stay in Charleston. With that said, this month marks 1 yr in Charleston for all intents and purposes. So he's been networking with the guys in WA were he travels for work about 2 weeks of every month and talking to the group he used to work with in WA before we moved. He's definitely expressing his interest in transferring and moving back up there, and making some inquiries and doing his homework on finding out what can happen for us and all that jazz.

But that leaves us with a lot of plans of upgrades on our house and property that are in limbo. Like do we really want to sink a bunch of money in upgrades into this property (like the concrete curbing) if we are only going to be here another year or so? *sigh* Wouldn't that be humorous if we fight for approval on the curb-crete and then decide not to go through with it.

I think with all the landscaping that you've done, you've crated a lot of curb appeal and yard appeal already. As far as other upgrades, if you are possibly moving in a year, any other upgrades/investments that you do should be stuff that you will get your money back or stuff that would add equity to your home.

That would be ironic if you fought the HOA and then got their approval for curb-crete and then you decide not to go through with it because you're moving.

Well, we've heard back from the division President (both us and our neighbor) and he said that they absolutely will NOT allow the concrete curbing and there is no chance that they will change their minds. He said he will get back to me on what action they will take against our neighbors who have done whatever they want with their landscaping mulch/edging without approval.

So at the end of the day...we LOSE. Hubby says we might go ahead and get the backyard done in concrete edging at least...we'll see.

Maybe in a couple years when the builder turns over authority to the community HOA we could get the approval for the curb-crete but by that time we may be preparing to move or might already be moved out. We'd like to be moved back to WA in 12-18 months if at all possible.

I can't believe 'they' cannot see the value and curb appeal it adds to the neighborhood/community.

You're not a loser

Me neither...it is what it is. You can bet I won't ever buy from this builder again though, they've given us non-stop problems and trouble since the day we put a contract on the house. I have nothing to say for their customer service...or lack thereof...

This just gives us more motivation to leave SC though.

put that money for the edging into your moving back home fund then you will have the money to do it for your new place!
sorry for the loss by you did a lot and im sure it will not go to waste as your learning how to deal with the HOAs

That's actually a great idea! We should put that money that we would have spent on the curbing aside as part of a down payment for a house in WA since the cost of housing is so much more over there than it is here in SC.