Retaining Wall - Co crete or brick

Jimbuck · Jul 1, 2015

I need to put in a retaining wall in my back yard. Average height is about 4 feet and the straight length of about 120 feet. Wife wants curves in it. Some grading required. Anyone do estimates? I am in Waldorf.

Thanks,

PJDiesel · Jul 1, 2015

I'll estimate if for you.

EXPENSIVE.

Wait,.... curves you say? REAL EXPENSIVE!

t84a · Jul 1, 2015

You can't use brick and concrete is ugly. Use this stuff:
http://www.pavestone.com/content/product-types/retaining-wall-systems/

It looms good and it's not overly expensive either.

Ifdot · Jul 1, 2015

t84a said:
You can't use brick and concrete is ugly. Use this stuff:
http://www.pavestone.com/content/product-types/retaining-wall-systems/

It looms good and it's not overly expensive either.

Whats not overly expensive?

outrider58 · Jul 1, 2015

Get a price on stone while you're at it. :shrug:

Trekker · Jul 1, 2015

I am also looking at a need to have a retain wall put in within the next couple years. It will be a replacement for an existing one 4.5-5.0 feet tall and about 50 feet of length. While doing some casual asking around a year or so back I believe I heard that over a certain height (4.0-4.5 feet) a retaining wall may require a permit or design plan from an engineer.

madmantrapper · Jul 1, 2015

Trekker said:
I am also looking at a need to have a retain wall put in within the next couple years. It will be a replacement for an existing one 4.5-5.0 feet tall and about 50 feet of length. While doing some casual asking around a year or so back I believe I heard that over a certain height (4.0-4.5 feet) a retaining wall may require a permit or design plan from an engineer.

Yea most now days need to be certified. Depends a lot on the county your in.

BossmanPJ · Jul 1, 2015

We had one done at work not long ago. I'll look for the pricing on it and give you a general idea. Ours was much larger then the one you want done.... But it will give you some thoughts.

Trekker · Jul 2, 2015

BossmanPJ said:
We had one done at work not long ago. I'll look for the pricing on it and give you a general idea. Ours was much larger then the one you want done.... But it will give you some thoughts.

Thanks, not to mention that it is always good to have a review on a contractor from an impartial source.

remodeler1 · Jul 2, 2015

Brick, stone, & concrete will be much more expensive than the stacked "paver" type walls as the stacked paver type walls don't require the substructure that the others require.

TNTBMXer · Jul 3, 2015

I believe anything over 3ft requires a permit.

Sgt. Psycho · Jul 3, 2015

t84a said:
You can't use brick and concrete is ugly. Use this stuff:
http://www.pavestone.com/content/product-types/retaining-wall-systems/

It looms good and it's not overly expensive either.

As an NCMA certified segmental retaining wall installer, I do not recommend Pavestone products. There is a reason that Pavestone is available cheap at places like Home Depot. I don't recommend EP Henry products either. For anything other than purely decorative (retaining literally nothing) look at Keystone or Techo Bloc products.

Trekker said:
I am also looking at a need to have a retain wall put in within the next couple years. It will be a replacement for an existing one 4.5-5.0 feet tall and about 50 feet of length. While doing some casual asking around a year or so back I believe I heard that over a certain height (4.0-4.5 feet) a retaining wall may require a permit or design plan from an engineer.

Depends on the Code regs in your county/city. Sometimes HOAs "require" copies of the design/plans, but usually no one on the approving board of the HOA has a clue what they are looking at. I have gone to the "Architechtural Review Committee" meetings for HOAs to explain engineering specs to them about what the homeowner is going to have built. They just sit there and nod wisely as if they know what I am talking about, then ask me kindergarten-level questions about what the wall is made of and what color it will be to try to look intelligent.

remodeler1 said:
Brick, stone, & concrete will be much more expensive than the stacked "paver" type walls as the stacked paver type walls don't require the substructure that the others require.

"Stacked" walls are not what you use if you want to retain anything behind the wall. You want a good segmental wall system using shear pins or similar locking devices - you do NOT want batter-block wallstone. Segmental retaining walls also require a properly engineered and installed leveling pad (base) and backfill with drainage, normal load, and surcharge all taken into account in the construction.

traveller · Jul 3, 2015

Sgt. Psycho said:
As an NCMA certified segmental retaining wall installer,

The things you learn, I didn't know that people like you exist ;-)

I have a project that would require a small retaining wall but I am at a bit of a loss as to what kind of contractor would be able to do this. I have two side-loading garages on a property that slopes down towards the backyard. The driveway needs re-paving anyway and I would like to extend it a bit past the garages to gain enough space to park two cars while still being able to get in and out of the sideloading garage. It would probably require a small L-shaped retaining wall (3-4 ft max), some back-fill and compaction followed by paving. I dont mind getting a permit and HOA approval, but I dont want to turn this into a multi-year million $$ project either. Please note the detailed drawing, red and brown are the components that would need to be built

What kind of contractor would be able to do this ?

Sgt. Psycho · Jul 4, 2015

traveller said:
The things you learn, I didn't know that people like you exist ;-)

I have a project that would require a small retaining wall but I am at a bit of a loss as to what kind of contractor would be able to do this. I have two side-loading garages on a property that slopes down towards the backyard. The driveway needs re-paving anyway and I would like to extend it a bit past the garages to gain enough space to park two cars while still being able to get in and out of the sideloading garage. It would probably require a small L-shaped retaining wall (3-4 ft max), some back-fill and compaction followed by paving. I dont mind getting a permit and HOA approval, but I dont want to turn this into a multi-year million $$ project either. Please note the detailed drawing, red and brown are the components that would need to be built

What kind of contractor would be able to do this ?

Any landscape or home improvement contractor with the requisite knowledge and skill, who won't cut corners, can do the work you want. An NCMA certification means that the contractor has had a certain pre-requisite amount of training in segmental retaining wall installation in order to be certified to the industry standards. In all honesty, I know of installers with no certification who perform retaining wall construction correctly. I have also repaired/replaced walls that were poorly built by certified installers who lacked knowledge/skill, cut corners, and did not guarantee their work beyond the minimum 1 year required by NCMA and MHIC. I guarantee retaining wall installations for 5 years against failure, as long as that failure is not due to material defects or circumstances unrelated to my installation.

The single most important document you should get from any contractor is a current and verifiable certificate of commercial liability insurance - and you can have the contractor's insurance company list you as an additional insured party on the policy for your job in some instances.

t84a · Jul 4, 2015

Sgt. Psycho said:
As an NCMA certified segmental retaining wall installer, I do not recommend Pavestone products. There is a reason that Pavestone is available cheap at places like Home Depot. I don't recommend EP Henry products either. For anything other than purely decorative (retaining literally nothing) look at Keystone or Techo Bloc products.

The contractor used similar stuff at my house at Deep Creek and they worked just fine and still are after 15 years. I'm not sure if you're talking about Pavestone the brand or all similar products. My friend also installed these types of walls for many years without issues as well. I stand by my recommendation.

Sgt. Psycho · Jul 4, 2015

t84a said:
The contractor used similar stuff at my house at Deep Creek and they worked just fine and still are after 15 years. I'm not sure if you're talking about Pavestone the brand or all similar products. My friend also installed these types of walls for many years without issues as well. I stand by my recommendation.

I'm glad that the product has worked for you. I base my recommendation on having personally seen and replaced both Pavestone and EP Henry products that failed due to defective products or were ill-fitted due to quality control issues such as variances in block size from block to block on the same pallet, or casting/forming defects. I have seen new pallets of Pavestone wall blocks with several broken blocks on the unopened pallets. The Pavestone blocks tend to be lighter for their size than those of other manufacturers, which makes it easier to handle and build with them, but the lighter weight is the result of a less dense product (more airspace within the cast concrete of the block), resulting in more forming defects, easier breakage, and less applicable density and weight for gravity wall systems.

As always, your mileage may vary.

Mr H · Jul 6, 2015

Dang, Sarge...

I might just have to get you to come out and do a job or two for me!!!

Oh, wait... I HAVE!!

This guy knows his stuff, folks. Just ask him!

He did a 25'x3' wall for us, and made it simple, to the point, and solid. Will be doing a set of stairs in the backyard soon, that I have every confidence we'll be just as pleased with.

tailboardtech · Jul 6, 2015

Sgt phycho= Dvshardscaper??? Is that you

Sgt. Psycho · Jul 6, 2015

tailboardtech said:
Sgt phycho= Dvshardscaper??? Is that you

Not me.

tailboardtech · Jul 6, 2015

Ok nevermind me than

Retaining Wall - Co crete or brick

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