Need to keep the mountain where it is?

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IS YOUR RETAINING WALL ROTTING?

We understand how stressful it can be to see your home threatened with the prospect of a failed retaining wall, even a small one.

We have worked with many clients who now have peace of mind that their retaining walls will perform for many decades to come.

There are 3 Steps in the process;

1. We develop Structurally Drafted & Certified Plans with a Form 15 (we assist with this upfront design stage).
2. The Owner obtains Building Approval through an Independent Building Certifier (separate to us, but we can put you in touch with one as required).
3. The Construction takes place, typically by a Structural Landscaper (with Building Certifier to inspect at hold points during construction).

WHAT KIND OF WALL SHOULD YOU HAVE?

In most situations we recommend a Concrete Sleeper retaining wall, as it is generally more cost effective to build. They can also be made to look more appealing, as you can have optional finishes that look like Sandstone or Wood. For more information on Concrete Sleeper Retaining Walls, visit the Austral Website.

Blockwork retaining walls are also a durable higher end solution that suits applications where the end appearance is important. they can be rendered and painted.

HOW HIGH CAN I BUILD A RETAINING WALL?

Our designs go up to about 3m. You can build multiple tiers of retaining walls, and therefore accomplish an increased overall retaining height, but you need to space the walls out at least 1.5x the retaining height.

PROS AND CONS OF EACH WALL TYPE

Concrete Sleeper Retaining Walls

Pros - As we have already mentioned, these walls are generally cheaper to build and look great. You can also build them quite close to a boundary as they only require enough excavation to allow for bored pier footings, drainage pipes and gravel backfill. You can also build one yourself once you understand how to set up the Steel I-beams that hold the sleepers, and provided you have an owner builders licence from the QBCC.

Concrete Sleeper Retaining Walls are preferred by many landscapers and are often the least expensive option.

Cons - The bored pier footings are often quite deep. The sleepers themselves are quite heavy, and can require cutting to specific lengths, which requires a special saw.

Blockwork Retaining Walls

Pros - These walls are built from the same cement blocks you would build a house with. These blocks are often referred to as 'Bessa' blocks. They are designed to be reinforced and corefilled (filled with concrete) to perform as a strong retaining wall.

Cons - The reinforced concrete blocks on their own are not enough to retain large sections of earth. They must be used in conjunction with a substantial reinforced concrete pad or strip footing. Consideration needs to be given in the design for excavation requirements and the best selection of the pad footing orientation or strip footing design.

Blockwork retaining walls are usually the most expensive to build.

Interlocking Block Retaining Walls

Pros - These are probably the easiest of all the walls to build. You don't need any concrete, aside from the strip footing at the base of the wall.

Cons - They require extensive excavation behind the wall, as every 2nd layer of blocks requires an attached layer of geogrid (mesh) to be placed between the blocks and extending laterally behind the wall. A layer of earth is placed on the mesh, holding it firmly in position, which in turn anchors the retaining wall laterally, preventing it from moving.

1m Cube Concrete Retaining Walls

Pros - These wall are solid and dependable. They have no metal parts (apart from the lifting handle) and therefore are not prone to corrosion.

Cons - They are limited in the height they can safely retain. They also take up a large amount of space and aesthetically speaking are the least appealing of the retaining wall designs.