Actually, my husband told me I had the $ wrong. It was about $200 for materials.
It has been a godsend to know people who are helping to keep our costs down. We are good friends with the guy who owns the landscaping company so we feel we're going to get a beautiful backyard.
My father was a custom home builder and my husband worked with him in the early years of our marriage. He learned a lot also, and that's why he's so handy now.
It definitely helps to have connections.