Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 12, 2008 11:20 am Hi all,
Has anyone ever experienced a builder getting a hard time to get the permit b/c they haven't accounted for a retaining wall? It was drawn on the plans but it appears that the surveyor is saying we have to engineer and build it during construction before they approve the plans. So who pays here? I've signed a fixed price contract.... Contract variation?Should the builder have a duty of care to anticipate this cost? If so shouldn't they wear the costs? or at least some of it? Thoughts would be appreciated. thanks smeags. Re: Retaining wall question 2Aug 12, 2008 11:41 am Builder should have known that the wall would be higher than 1m, therefore requiring an engineer's design.
If the wall is less than 1m, then no engineers design is required. Re: Retaining wall question 4Aug 12, 2008 12:04 pm Our contract clearly states that any retaining walls required by council will be at the owner's cost. After 4 years - we're in! Re: Retaining wall question 5Aug 12, 2008 5:08 pm a wall that is under 1 meter and runs over or parallel to an easement has to be engineered even if it is 1 sleeper high (200mm)
if the retaining wall is under a meter and is closer than required council specs eg : 500mm to a boundary then the wall needs to be enigineered if the retaining wall is drawn on the plans, then 9 times out of ten it needs to be engineered it is the land titles holder responsibilty to cover all cost/s of retaining wall construction/s weather or not in the 'new' building tender contract (variation) the builder should have pointed the wall out to you but also when you approved the lot plans / building plans you should have also made yourself fully aware of all requirements, home work on exactly what is needed for your house to signed off. even though the builder did not bring this to your attention the cost will not fall on them. what the builder cannot do though is start construction without the engineered wall drawings, if in your case, the walls need to be engineered if the drawings are done then construction can take place without the wall/s being built as long as it dosnt contradict ohs requirements an engineered wall can be built by yourself as long as the total cost does not exceed $5000. if the total cost exceeds $5000 then a licensed dbl builder must install the wall if the total cost exceeds $12000 then the dbl holder must provide a 7 yr structural guarantee the above only relates to a wall that is deemed structural Da Vinci Outdoor Living Architectural landscaping http://www.davincioutdoor.com Thank you again Simeon.. I will call my certifier for that. Have a good day 4 5141 Thanks for the insights, that makes perfect sense, and yeah, I will be leaning on the experience of the excavator operator entirely. 6 16104 Hi All, I engaged a tradie to install concrete retaining wall 600-800mm high over 32 meters in Victoria. Sleepers are 200*75*2000 mm installed over 17 steel posts. I… 0 6888 |