Silly question.... This is for PPOR in Melbourne west, new estate Concrete perimeter would cost us 3.5k and I, trying to see if there other things we can do our self Quote 1 -$8k Concrete perimeter, plain concrete 57sqm Site levelling (bob cat, half dig $750) Buffalo Grass approx 65sqm Not including retaining wall. Landscaper said he can’t quote until he dig and find out how tall the retaining wall is. If Full dig towards the fence he’s expecting 80cm tall. GST Registered with ABN Quote 2 -$7.7k Concrete perimeter plain concrete 55sqm $3740 Retaining wall heigh 20mx 40cm next to the perimeter $4000 Not including anything else Cash only .... Which one will you pick? I was told that I’ll need retaining wall either way. Hoping I can do some sweat work
Sorry, not sure if you're building a H post and treated pine wall or not.... With my own backyard retaining wall which was up to 1m in height, steel H posts and treated pine sleepers, I hired an excavation company to drill the post holes as the soil was heavy clay and the holes needed to be 1m deep. Then myself and some family set up the H posts, mixed our own concrete, and concreted them in, finally cutting the treated pine to size and slotting them in. Quote for a simpler and smaller version of the wall i ended up building was $18k. Built a larger and more complex wall for $12k. I got fleeced a bit by the excavation mob but you live and learn. Your retaining wall posts need to be dug into original ground, not fill. Your engineering drawings for the estate will tell you the 'finished' heights and the natural ground heights. this info may help you plan out your wall. Check council permits for your wall too. Above certain heights you'll need a permit. Good luck. its a BIG job!
Check easements too by the way and whether you can build over them. Wouldn't want to rip up a retaining wall to allow access to pipework!
@Steven_S we have quite a bit of fill so digging to original ground probably not practical (approx. 90 cm on highest fill area). The quote is for treated pine sleeper There’s 2m easement at the back I’m wondering if I should build retaining wall at the back right after the concrete perimeter and let the rest be flat. Landscaper said 80cm but I really think I can get away with 40-60cm. The land should only be cut by 40cm on the highes point May I ask how much the retaining wall cost you? Material wise and the excavator yep, and the first time he came he said it will be up to our neck in terms of height. Then 80 cm, then don’t know how tall until he dig I can’t be confident with such an wide approximate and especially when he said he can’t quote for it.
I cant stress the importance of cementing your posts into natural ground. A family next door to me built their wall in fill and it has been collapsing and required propping up ever since. Has given them no end of grief on their $20k investment!! Seek council advice before attempting to build over an easement. I have a 2m rear easement and chose to build at the 2m mark all the way along my rear boundary. Cost me about $12k (excavation, materials, food, beers and a pig on a spit for the boys) to build a wall that is about 50m in length and varying in height from 600mm to 1000mm, and with some stupid angles. 4 of us working on this wall for 4 consecutive weekends. Excavation cost me about $4.5k for post holes and some soil removal. My wall has a large terraced area that drops down 400mm. A bulk of the cost was to remove 400mm of dirt out of an area approx 50m2.
@Steven_S you made the $4k quote for retaining wall sounds like a bargain barely any excavation for this option though
