Retaining Wall, would it put you off buying.

JJR45

Hi,
We have looked at a property that has been built recently (about 2016) but it has a large retaining wall at the back of it, bottom of the garden (timber crib wall).  This runs for the length of around 15-20 houses/ gardens).
There is a fee for the estate to maintain the wall but would it put others off buying, it is around first floor window height (at a guess around 12ft) and around 30-40ft away from the house.
It is this style of retaining wall. (but no plants on it yet)

princeofpounds

You would want to have a clear understanding of who owns it and how maintenance will be funded. I assume when you say it is the length of 15-20 houses that is not all within your huge garden?! 

But with satisfactory answer to that as a given, no it wouldn't necessarily put me off. They can be attractive features if done properly. Can you be overlooked by the higher ground? How does drainage work? Is it secured by more than just the timber (probably)?

Unicorn_cottage

Yes it would 100% put me off. How much will it cost when it needs to be replaced? Note they have used the cheaper timber crib wall system instead of other more expensive and longer lasting options. Imagine it in 10 years time when it looks a right mess and you are arguing with the people doing the maintenance of the estate. 

JJR45

princeofpounds said:

You would want to have a clear understanding of who owns it and how maintenance will be funded. I assume when you say it is the length of 15-20 houses that is not all within your huge garden?! 

But with satisfactory answer to that as a given, no it wouldn't necessarily put me off. They can be attractive features if done properly. Can you be overlooked by the higher ground? How does drainage work? Is it secured by more than just the timber (probably)?

Hi,

No cant be overlooked, no not one huge garden it runs the length of 15-20 houses
I am in contact with the management company now, the site is around 80 houses and all houses have to pay in to manage and repair the wall. At the moment they have £80K  a year going into the slush with a expected life of the wall being 60 years.

princeofpounds

Having thought about unicorn's comments - the timber is an issue. I can see it looking perfectly nice for quite a decade or so, but eventually it will rot. If you don't control it, then you won't be able to force cosmetic improvements, and because it will be higher than any fence you may choose to put up, you'll have to look at it. 

JJR45

Unicorn_cottage said:

 Note they have used the cheaper timber crib wall system instead of other more expensive and longer lasting options. Imagine it in 10 years time when it looks a right mess and you are arguing with the people doing the maintenance of the estate. 

It was an example, it is a wood based system called permacrib with an expected life of 60 years.
I believe this is it https://www.phigroup.co.uk/expertise/techniques/permacrib-timber-crib

Martin_the_Unjust

Unicorn_cottage said:

Yes it would 100% put me off. How much will it cost when it needs to be replaced? Note they have used the cheaper timber crib wall system instead of other more expensive and longer lasting options. Imagine it in 10 years time when it looks a right mess and you are arguing with the people doing the maintenance of the estate. 

This ^ 

or the price of the house would have to be right (very right)

AdrianC

JJR45 said:

I am in contact with the management company now, the site is around 80 houses and all houses have to pay in to manage and repair the wall. At the moment they have £80K  a year going into the slush

Or, to look at it another way, £1k/property/year going into a savings account to fund minor works...

with a expected life of the wall being 60 years.

SIXTY years...? For timber in contact with wet earth? Yeh, right.

For that to be anything remotely approaching reasonable, that timber would be so heavily treated with serious chemistry that I really don't think I'd want it in my garden.

moneysavinghero

JJR45 said:

princeofpounds said:

You would want to have a clear understanding of who owns it and how maintenance will be funded. I assume when you say it is the length of 15-20 houses that is not all within your huge garden?! 

But with satisfactory answer to that as a given, no it wouldn't necessarily put me off. They can be attractive features if done properly. Can you be overlooked by the higher ground? How does drainage work? Is it secured by more than just the timber (probably)?

Hi,

No cant be overlooked, no not one huge garden it runs the length of 15-20 houses
I am in contact with the management company now, the site is around 80 houses and all houses have to pay in to manage and repair the wall. At the moment they have £80K  a year going into the slush with a expected life of the wall being 60 years.

You have to pay £1,000 a year towards maintenance? That might put some people off.

JJR45

AdrianC said:

JJR45 said:

I am in contact with the management company now, the site is around 80 houses and all houses have to pay in to manage and repair the wall. At the moment they have £80K  a year going into the slush

Or, to look at it another way, £1k/property/year going into a savings account to fund minor works...

with a expected life of the wall being 60 years.

SIXTY years...? For timber in contact with wet earth? Yeh, right.

For that to be anything remotely approaching reasonable, that timber would be so heavily treated with serious chemistry that I really don't think I'd want it in my garden.

I think you may have to read the specs, the image is just a picture, it is on a concrete pad with drainage, the back is lined and the infill is graded stone.https://www.phigroup.co.uk/expertise/techniques/permacrib-timber-crib
But the general scaring of people is what I am looking for, as many will not read the info, look it up before making a decision.

oystercatcher

Unless it was a very special house I would avoid. As well as maintenance issues as above  the garden will be very shaded .