Concrete retaining wall

[Tul]

Thanks Oldun, another comprehensive reply that adds up. The Cut back at both ends of the RC is in the plan so you nailed that one right. Doing the house found first I hadn't thought of but makes sense.thanks we'll do that. The house has a workshop and the overall length to the front is 20m we will go + 3m past one end and + 7m the other for parking plus the cutbacks gets us to 33m, the section covers the house 20m the other 13m will not have the layflat block wall. Most of the stone for the wall will be recycled from the old wall that is there, we have lots of "blue'ies" up here which are pigs to cut (I believe they are hard volcanics from the Borrowdale volcanic group further south which were deposited during the last ice age after being rounded off on their journey) therefore we will alow for 300mm stonework to reduce the cutting, the new wall has to look like drystone walling for planning. Once this 33m section is complete it ties back in to the rest of the stream wall which we are just going to refurbish and add to where necessary. Beefing up the house layflat wall to 300mm again adds up, I think that had to be an oversight on my part as we will need 300mm for the above ground cavity anyway, thanks again for that. Once my SE gets back from holiday I'll cover the actual cavity size for the RC wall with him at the moment he has it at 150mm but it could go 200mm without much cost. Thanks again for you input it has been really helpful.
Tul

 

[Static]

To add to what i said theoldun i agree that blockwork in a house can outlast some turtles but this is not a house.. the blockwork may be subject to constant contact to water and be well within a the frost zone during the winter.. but i dont know the exact details of the construction im only guessing.. most cavity retaining walls are "100 block - 150 concrete - 100 block - render" course the concrete width varies depending on height etc..

IF the external blockwork is actually the stone cladding then there is only the maintenance issue with the stonework which you would get with both walls so no issue at all..

 

[Tul]

Sorry if this sounds a bit basic but just trying to work out my logistics timings. I can only build the cavity wall for the RC 4 to 5 courses right! do I then let the wall harden off for a couple of days then fill with concrete, and then build the next 4 or 5 courses, wait and fill...or... can I build the lower part of the cavity, leave overnight, build the next part of the cavity, let the whole wall cure off properly and then fill the entire cavity in one go? Concrete is a very heavy liquid and as such not sure if the pressure at the base of the wall would be too high if I built the whole wall before filling, however if I could it would be a big help. Hopefully the answer is a no-brainer to one of experienced guys.

Thanks
tul

 

[theoldun]

Will put yer wise on conny blocks to morrow. Wanna watch football tonight.
old un..

 

[theoldun]

Concrete block, bricklayers nightmare, 100mm block weighs in at say 20kg, 18.9kg to be exact. Weight laid 204kg m2.
How many a day should bricklayer lay? How much metre for labour. Any other rate , I can usually give you straight away, but not conny blocks. To many factors involved, you got to take the job in question.The trouble with conny blocks. Yer days work is governed by the length of run as you can only go 4 course high, 900mm when laid on edge, then due to no suction and the weight,, they start swimming everyway but which. Some days depending on weather and by playing around with the muck you may get five. On a 300mm wide wall two flat and one on edge you can usually get five 1.050m high .Bump yer flats up a touch and grind yer one on edge a touch.
Now I am talking price work lads, who know how to get a wriggle on, not your normal jobbing bricklayer.
Labour on conny block work is worth £12 to £15 ms. If you can only, work a one and one as in your case you may have to pay over the top.
Take yours, you want wall height of say 1.8m you want to run 11m runs. Take foundation wall first say 10m run by 1.800 high gives yer 54ms mass block, 540 blocks. A good trowel and ballerina, on a lay flat will give you 27ms in a day, providing the brickie gives the hoddy a bit of lift up first thing in loading a few out.
Next day, they have band stand scaffold to erect and dead start so once again brickie to give a hand to bump few blocks down on to scaffold. Will give you about 20ms that day. Next day, finish wall, 7ms, drop scaffold and clear away. half day gone. Rest of day, fly 3 board long 5 board wide scaffold over stream, ready for retaining wall.
Wage bill. 54ms block at £14= £756.00 Bandstand scaffold up and down £50.00. Scaffold over river say £100.00. Total for three days £908.00
Three days work even split equals £151.00 a shift. We could just about get away with that in our neck of the woods, but do not know what lads are looking for up your way. If you can get away with less then adjust prices accordingly.
Two important things with conny blocks. Unload as near as poss to point of use. Some hoddies can manage to carry 3 for first couple of hours to get decent start, but then drop down to 2. Most lads will only carry 2 all day. If blocks are 20 metre away instead of 10 metres, will take hoddie twice as long to move em. Cover every block every night, including any walling that you will be laying on next day. If you don’t yer won’t be laying next day, if it’s rained heavy that night.
Can not tell yer best way to do retaining wall, as have no idea of what yer SE has drawn up for yer skeleton. There are three ways he could have done it and that means three ways of building yer wall and strengthening her up sufficiently for your pour.
Give me some idea of skeleton and whether she is tied into cranked starter bars and will finish of for you.
old un.

 

[Tul]

Oldun, Ta for that, managed to follow it OK (2nd reading). My SE is back from hols on Monday and has promised me the sketch and steel schedule that week before he heads off again...SE's must make good dosh!!
Will make another entry when I get the doodle.

Thanks
Tul