Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 21, 2011 8:39 am Hi,
I am planning to replace a failing 12mx1.3m retaining wall in my back yard, and I am hoping to understand how the different walls solutions compare from a cost point of view. Can anyone help me sort the following from cheapest to most expensive? The options (so far) are: -treated pine sleeper -concrete sleeper -boulder -mortared besa block wall -Interlocking link type blocks (note: at 1.3m this option will require additional concrete support) -Any other options? Thanks, Michael *** UPDATE *** The following section contains some of the results into my research into my retaining wall Linked Walls sites - http://www.nuway.com.au/products/?c=h-retaining-walls Engineered Plans *Quote 1 - $700 (includes site visit, plans and preparation of Form15). Requires me to provide soil report, site plan, and final decision on exactly what type of wall I want Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 2Sep 21, 2011 2:28 pm Hi, a few questions for you which will affect the cost. DIY or Contractor built? What is the access to the site like? (Could rule out the Boulder idea) To contain costs you may be able to salvage and re-use some of the materials of the current wall if they are indeed re-usable. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 3Sep 21, 2011 2:40 pm I have the ability to DIY the timber/concrete sleeper and linked block options. As for the boulder and besa block walls, I'd most likely get a contractor in. The house has good side access. A medium truck, bobcat or small excavator will have no problems accessing the wall. The existing wall is a mortared besa block wall. I wouldn't think these blocks would be reusable, as they'd be filled with concrete. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 4Sep 21, 2011 2:50 pm IMHO (in order of increasing cost - assumes that site access is easy and no complicated gradients): (1) treated pine sleeper (2) concrete sleeper (3) boulder (basically crane hire is the main cost) (4) mortared besa block wall (needs a good footing for wall stability) (5) Interlocking link type blocks (note: at 1.3m this option will require additional concrete support) - not recommended for a 1300 high wall. I think you already had sorted this out in your original post - I just added a few notes clarifying the cost.... Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 5Sep 21, 2011 7:45 pm xanthrope IMHO (in order of increasing cost - assumes that site access is easy and no complicated gradients): (1) treated pine sleeper (2) concrete sleeper (3) boulder (basically crane hire is the main cost) (4) mortared besa block wall (needs a good footing for wall stability) (5) Interlocking link type blocks (note: at 1.3m this option will require additional concrete support) - not recommended for a 1300 high wall. I think you already had sorted this out in your original post - I just added a few notes clarifying the cost.... The next questions are; What aesthetic finish is your preference? and What will your budget stretch to? Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 6Sep 21, 2011 8:47 pm I paid $385m (1m of length and height) for a treated pine and gal steel post wall. Some other costs you will run into are getting an engineers design for a wall above 1m height (you will need it even if you are replacing an existing wall) and also a permit for the wall (required with any wall over 1m also) If you got the same price as me it would cost $6006 to replace your wall + engineers design of $434.50 + building permit (around $250?) My wall went on our house permit so it was not an extra cost. I'd say just under $7k for a fully built treated pine sleeper and gal steel post wall. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 7Sep 22, 2011 10:34 am What aesthetic finish is your preference? No timber... other than that, to be honest, I really don't have an aesthetic preference... that's more my wife's department What will your budget stretch to? Shooting in the dark a bit here, as I'm still researching... but $5000 ish would be ideal, stretch to $8000 ish. I may discover though that I'm way off. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 8Sep 22, 2011 12:16 pm I did 34m long x 1m high Tasman block wall on a concrete footing for a touch over $6K. All DIY though. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 9Sep 22, 2011 12:53 pm I found a place in QLD that does 1.75(L) x 50(w) x 290(h) concrete pre cast sleepers for $33.10 each. 49 of those + 8 2.6m gal steel posts will set you back around $2800-3000 depending on the prices you can get. on top of that add concrete for setting the posts, building inspectors visits, permits and drawings. You should get in under $5k if you can DIY it all. Thats also providing you can get a hold of an Auger capable of doing the holes for around $300 I don't think you'll get near it if you can't. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 10Sep 22, 2011 2:15 pm KnockItDown I did 34m long x 1m high Tasman block wall on a concrete footing for a touch over $6K. All DIY though. I was quoted $15,000 for my retaining walls using Tasman blocks, if I was to do it DIY it would probably be around the $6k mark too. My problem is access and removal of old boulder walls. Re: Retaining Wall Price Estimate Comparison 11Sep 28, 2011 11:39 pm If you live in WA, you can get limestone second blocks pretty cheaply from Archistone. Hi, I'd like some advice on the best option please on the estimate options we've been provided from our builder. This is for the… 0 4057 Thank you again Simeon.. I will call my certifier for that. Have a good day 4 5108 Thanks for the insights, that makes perfect sense, and yeah, I will be leaning on the experience of the excavator operator entirely. 6 16048 |