Retaining walls - whats the most cost effective method?

[royq]

Hey guys,

Over the last few months I've cut down and removed 30 palms from a small section of my front yard (I now have ocean views!!!), and now I need to build a retaining wall on the boundary so that I can make that part of my yard useable. I've built walls in the past from treated pine sleepers, concrete sleepers with gal posts, sandstone quarry logs and a couple of other methods. However I'm looking for a super cheap method, I've heard of stacking and filling old tyres, has anyone tried this? It'll be about 20m long and 1.5m high, my neighbour will be planting a hedge in front of it so it doesn't matter what it looks like.

Any ideas?

P.S don't stress about the palms, I have another 90 spread over my property

Thanks, Roy

[Jason]

@royq

I understand you're thinking about something "super-cheap", but you still might be interested in these previous retaining wall discussions on Workshop:

• Replacing or building a post and rail retaining wall

• Retaining wall project using Gabion cages

Good luck with the project. I hope Workshop members will be able to assist.

Jason

[royq]

Thanks @Jason

I had a look through the gabion discussion, this might be the way to go. I have a few contacts for sandstone ballast that are pretty cheap. I'll do some estimating and see what I can get the square metre rate down to. The big saving with these is that there's no piers in the footing like there is with timber walls.

Coincidentally I found a page about tyre retaining walls. They won't do for the height of wall I'm working with here.

http://www.gabion1.com.au/gabion-pic-info-39/

Thanks again, Roy

[BIM_Engineer]

@royqtry post and rail
It will also require Certified Engineering Details submitted to your local Council

[royq]

Thanks @BIM_Engineer,

I've started costing things up and I am finding that the pine sleeper post and rail wall will be marginally cheaper than gabions. Still not sure though, gabions seem a lot easier.

I was wondering about the engineering and approval side of things, how high can you go with a wall without needing council approval? In the past I have only ever replaced existing walls so the engineering had to be done but we didn't worry about council approval.

Cheers, Roy

[BIM_Engineer]

@royqI have all the engineering & construction data used in costings, unfortunately it had to be Blurred..for Professional & Other reasons. Regarding Gabion Walls Labour & Placment on your Sloping block would be very expensive even tho the cage and fill may be cheap.. do the sum$
Some Councils want an engineers certification for Boundary retaining walls higher than 1m? so please check with your councils website Under
Building Approvals->checklists-> retaining walls
Cheers

[royq]

Thanks @BIM_Engineer, You're spot on, I just looked it up. I might be able to put a 600mm wall on the boundary and then a 1m one set back from the boundary to get around it. What do you think?

I'll be doing all the filling myself to keep $ to a minimum so it'll just be materials that I have to take into account.

Cheers, Roy

[BIM_Engineer]

@royq
Terracing logic ...Sounds good to me
You will need to set back 1.2 (min.)  x the walls height for each terrace. hth

[royq]

@BIM_Engineer thanks for your help! I won't be building the wall for a few months but I'll keep you updated.

Cheers, Roy