Replacing wooden retaining wall without spending £7k :O

[chalkywhite]

Hi, a very well respected tradesperson visited today and quoted £7k (inc VAT) to replace sleeper retaining walls (pics attached) which help terrace a large part of our garden, with a blockwork solution that i could paint, render or clad. I appreciate that it's a lot of labour and a ton of blockwork, digging out the existing, putting in footings etc etc

I wonder what other options might work? i like this idea, and could perhaps have a go at this myself, placing the new solution just infront of the rotting existing walls: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LAcAAOSwVxZfUkqy/s-l1600.jpg

My wife likes these, but i wonder how rust-free these things are? https://cdn.manomano.com/gabion-basket-galvanised-steel-200x50x100-cm-L-356281-5610587_1.jpg

The first solution only appears to be available from very few firms too, whereas the gabions are available all over the place.

Anyone have any experience of either/both option and can please advise?

Thanks, Tony

 

[mikeey84]

The gabions will be made of galvanised or similar, so unlikely to suffer rust any time soon, given they are designed to be dug into the ground.

Your sleeper option would work- you could just use an appropriately sized RSJ and slot the sleepers in- ive seen this used a few times and it works well.

Whichever you choose, I would remove the previous wall

 

[Old Salt]

My daughter has gabions. Been in about 5 years and no signs of rust. As her outside wall at the back she has some heavy duty H section ally beams and concrete sleepers with wood graining. Both look okay once they have been in a while and settled in.

 

[chalkywhite]

Thanks Old Salt, may I ask where these were bought from please? The H beams only appear to be available from one firm in Bury St Edmonds. Cheers

 

[chalkywhite]

Whichever you choose, I would remove the previous wall

Hey Mikeey, may I ask why? Wouldn't the existing wall just turn to mush and I could cover it with shingle?

Ta, Tony

 

[Old Salt]

Thanks Old Salt, may I ask where these were bought from please? The H beams only appear to be available from one firm in Bury St Edmonds. Cheers

I shall ask her.

 

[mikeey84]

Hey Mikeey, may I ask why? Wouldn't the existing wall just turn to mush and I could cover it with shingle?

Ta, Tony

If you use wood, then a load of rotting wood just behind it is going to shorten the life of the new wood.

For the gabions, they are likely to be much deeper, so you would lose quite a bit of space if you didn't dig them back into the retained soil a bit

 

[chalkywhite]

If you use wood, then a load of rotting wood just behind it is going to shorten the life of the new wood.

For the gabions, they are likely to be much deeper, so you would lose quite a bit of space if you didn't dig them back into the retained soil a bit

Looking at non-wood sleepers now, and space is not a problem with gabions

 

[Old Salt]

My daughter got hers from a supplier in Wales, she will have a look to see if she still has the details. But don’t hold your breath as they are in the middle of a kitchen revamp.

 

[Old Salt]

http://www.teameliteconstruction.co.uk/

My daughter thinks this is the company they used

 

[chalkywhite]

Brilliant, thank you

 

[johnny2007]

I would leave the sleepers where they are and build a brickwall to cover them, so on the outside.
You would avoid dismantling what's there and have a better look.
Steps would be 4 inch smaller though.

 

[chalkywhite]

Thanks Johnny, this builder wants to replace steps in order to remove replace the existing sleepers. Are you suggesting build onto existing steps? They are firm so could be an option. Thanks

 

[johnny2007]

Yes, i don't see why not.
The only downside is that the steps will be 4 inches smaller, but the whole project would cost a couple of hundreds instead of £7k.
£7K?!?!?!
Why are you even contemplating it?