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Hi Team,
I have a backyard retaining wall that is beginning to lean. Would like to get the job done without needing to sell a kidney. The wall is about 12.3 meters long and 1meter high. The galvanised post at the neighbour fence end is a corner post that supports the retaining wall for our fence line. As we need to fix it, would love to add stairs from paved area into garden. Would it be best to remove all other posts and wooden sleepers, offset holes and put in new posts and cement sleepers and calculate gap to insert stairs or would retaining blocks be a cheaper option? Thoughts??
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @sammyj1. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about repairing a retaining wall.
It looks like the wall is a bit past the point of "beginning to lean" and is actually at the stage where it could collapse entirely. Given that, I’d strongly encourage you to keep the area clear of people, especially children, until the issue is resolved. A leaning retaining wall is a safety hazard, so it’s important to get on top of the repairs as soon as possible.
As for the best approach, it really depends on whether you’re planning to tackle the work yourself or hire a professional. If you’re doing it yourself, rebuilding the wall with galvanised posts and timber sleepers would likely be the more cost-effective option for materials. The process involves removing the old posts and sleepers, setting new posts, and adding sleepers in between. The posts need to be installed securely, and the sleepers should be spaced appropriately for stability. Adding the stairs would also require careful planning to make sure the gap between the new wall and the paved area is right for the stairs you want to install.
On the other hand, if you’re considering using retaining blocks, the material cost can be higher, and you'd also need to prepare a solid foundation for the blocks to sit on. While blocks are often easier to install than timber, they do require precise stacking, alignment, and often a concrete foundation for stability, especially for a wall that’s about 1 metre high.
If you’re thinking of hiring a professional to handle the work, I’d recommend getting quotes from a few different contractors, as prices can vary widely depending on the scope of work, materials, and the complexity of the job. They’d also be able to advise on what’s the most practical and cost-effective option for your situation.
Remember to check with your local council as to whether a retaining wall of this height needs engineering in your location.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Afternoon @sammyj1
Instead of a post and timber/concrete retaining wall, how about a Gabion styled wall? No footings needed other then compacted ground, allows water to travel through easily. Can be capped with a timber top if you want an even steps can be built out of them 
Large gabion retaining wall This I built a few years back and is still going strong, very little movement other then a section I had dug out for a stormwater pipe.
And Gabion steps (project yet to be posted)
You can fill your cages with pretty much anything, I liked the industrial look of the concrete but I also have sandstone faced ones. I have seen timber freestanding cages as well. You can have rubbish fill such as concrete and then face with rounded stones for a more uniform look.
With the cages you could build them in front of your existing wall and then pull out the old wall afterwards. Or remove the wall and bump up against the soil. I line the rear of the wall with some geotype cloth to stop fines entering the cages.
Dave
