how much is it likely to cost to strengthen a wall??

joshtbh

Hi all,

At the back of a garden in a house I am looking at, it has a wall which separates the boundary with a park. There's a steep drop over the wall and the park is lower down.

I have been told the wall needs strengthening as it shows signs of collapsing. Its about 8 foot tall by 15 foot wide, any idea how much that would cost please?

jc808

Are you part of a terrace? ie does this wall contuinue along the neighbours gardens and does that need replacing too?

Who owns the wall?

Sounds expensive and a can of worms!!!!!!!

cyclonebri1

Is that 8ft on the low side or the high side???

It is in effect a retaining wall and the foundations need to be a substantial depth beneath the low side. The wall would likely be at least 12" thick up to your side ground level and then 9" from there on up.

Last time I did one of these I did 4" stone facing and 4" block back side and then an infill of 4" wet concrete to form a 12" sandwich.

Cost, I'm unsure off, I reckon £1k in materials and 2 to 3 in labour, that being a very reasonable quote.

Now, you also need to consider the party wall act, which strangely enough covers boundary retaining walls, in effect you have to serve notice of your intentions to the other party, in your case likely the local council.

joshtbh

jc808 wrote: »

Are you part of a terrace? ie does this wall contuinue along the neighbours gardens and does that need replacing too?

Who owns the wall?

Sounds expensive and a can of worms!!!!!!!

I own the wall. not a terrace - detatched house, nowhere near any neighbours.

cyclonebri1 wrote:

Is that 8ft on the low side or the high side???

I just went to examine and in actual fact it's only about 4 ft high, it's made from breeze blocks about 4 blocks high which are falling down slightly. The movement has been over 20 years, and hasn't done a great deal so I don't think it's an urgent matter - although the patio has moved slightly presumably because of this. The bank still think the house is worth the asking price though despite this, I'm just keen to see how much it would cost to get it fixed.

One thing I'm concerned by is that under the wall I can see a great big hole. it's hard to describe but the wall is built at the top of a really steep soil bank.

iamcornholio

Who told you that it needs "strengthening"? A professional?

Normally retaining or other walls can't be practically or economically strengthened, and some or other rebuilding is required

Also, walls built on raised land or a bank, will always move unless the foundations go down to the lowest ground level, or some other engineered foundation solution is used

cyclonebri1

joshtbh wrote: »

I just went to examine and in actual fact it's only about 4 ft high,
.

Again, high or low side????????????, bearing in mind it's now shrunk by 1/2

joshtbh

iamcornholio wrote: »

Who told you that it needs "strengthening"? A professional?

Normally retaining or other walls can't be practically or economically strengthened, and some or other rebuilding is required

Also, walls built on raised land or a bank, will always move unless the foundations go down to the lowest ground level, or some other engineered foundation solution is used

It was a homebuyers report on the property

@cyclonebri- not entirely sure what you're asking mate. If you mean is 4 foot a conservative or liberal estimate I'd say I'm pretty sure its 4 foot after having a good look at it today from the park side of the property

iamcornholio

joshtbh wrote: »

It was a homebuyers report on the property

We'll take that as not a professional then

cyclonebri1

joshtbh wrote: »

@cyclonebri- not entirely sure what you're asking mate. If you mean is 4 foot a conservative or liberal estimate I'd say I'm pretty sure its 4 foot after having a good look at it today from the park side of the property

In your 1st post you said "At the back of a garden in a house I am looking at, it has a wall which separates the boundary with a park. There's a steep drop over the wall and the park is lower down".

or if I'd put it another way, is the wall 4 feet high max or min, and by how much?

but from your last post I get it.

Should think the lower end of my estimate to be honest but doing things myself I do tend to under estimate casts in some areas.:D

joshtbh

cheers cyclone, wish I'd have just got a structural survey now, I promised myself after my last house I'd get a structural survey next time and I did my penny pinching again.

Stupid question time then: What sort of trade do I look for recommendations for then, a brick layer?

Or would you favour asking a structural engineer his opinion before I get any work done?

B'stard

In this day and age where everyone has mobile phones with cameras, and a raft of websites offering free online storage for their photos (which can be deleted from your posts after receiving replies)...why don't people post a photo showing what they are talking about...it would make it a whole lot easier for people to give an informed reply