Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
where?
The Home Improvement Thread
- Thread starter texasislandboy
- Start date
where?
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
I am not going to work on this. Out of my abilities and with how important this wall is I know when it's best to hire someone. Spending a little more now so I dont spend even more when it fails from my experiment failing to save a few bucks.
Got 3 more quotes lined up so we can do some comparisons.
Oswego
n00b
I planted some grass a little too early - ground temp is up but air temp down so for a week Ive been watering seed just so it doesn't dry out. What a waste of time and water, but better to be early than late. It won't take unless ground temp is between 50-65 and we are at 54* now. Last night was our last 30* night so time to plant here or wait a couple days. Dang cold snaps keep on coming
So much this. There is a lot that goes into a retaining wall that most people don't know or do when building them.
My plumbing superintendent built his own retaining wall (after ignoring my recommendations/advice on on how to build it) and the damn wall washed away during Harvey!
So he spent $3k in material and labor that got washed away.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
My old boss was building his house on Lake Travis many years ago. His dad was a custom home builder... anyhow they are doing the retaining wall and it collapsed under the fork lift (big hi reach model).. they were professionals and had done this for years. Luckily nobody was hurt. They fixed the issue by having the rods that go from the front of the retaining wall and into the dirt behind it longer, and more of them.
Yep, I wouldn't build one with a structural engineers drawing. Too much risk on my end.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
His house on the lake was amazing.. it was about 30' above the ground and it had an airplane hanger below it for his float plane.
Oswego
n00b
I just watched a acquaintance on fakebook building a retaining wall in his backyard on his own. Guys an engineer and I still didn't like the looks of it (built with crap big box store PT #2 pine wood). I give it 5 years max before its rotted away. Thing with retaining walls is.......they will all fail in time. I don't care how good you build it or what materials - nothing stops mother nature and nothing helps her more than neglect.
That said - Sucks you even need a retaining wall. Any way to change the land so it's not needed at all?
That said - Sucks you even need a retaining wall. Any way to change the land so it's not needed at all?
Oswego
n00b
Found it - so long as you or your sub don't do it this way you should be good
Whole lotta work and materials used in a poor design that will fail much quicker than if built with a proper design and the same materials I consider to be substandard (#2 PT Pine).
He has no pressure relief for the water build up (no drains). Kind of stuff you see from crappy flippers passing their troubles to the next homeowner. If I knew him better I'd PM him and point out some issues that if he resolved would help it a ton, but it's already done and I do not know him well so mumms the word
I like the plastic in the rear but thats a fail as well. Should be landscape fabric with 1-2' of loose rock behind it dropping down under the wood so water doesn't sit. Also maybe hooked to a french type drain to run it to the neighbors yard
Whole lotta work and materials used in a poor design that will fail much quicker than if built with a proper design and the same materials I consider to be substandard (#2 PT Pine).
He has no pressure relief for the water build up (no drains). Kind of stuff you see from crappy flippers passing their troubles to the next homeowner. If I knew him better I'd PM him and point out some issues that if he resolved would help it a ton, but it's already done and I do not know him well so mumms the word
I like the plastic in the rear but thats a fail as well. Should be landscape fabric with 1-2' of loose rock behind it dropping down under the wood so water doesn't sit. Also maybe hooked to a french type drain to run it to the neighbors yard
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
No way to change it so it's not needed. The redline is the wall. My house is too close.
Oswego
n00b
that sucks. your land is higher I assume? Just assuming the wall would not blow out if it had concrete on top of it limiting the water so your side thats open is higher.
The original developer should get his hand slapped for stuff like that unless it was done after the fact. Good grade job before they put the houses up could of remedied all that foever. One of the reasons I'm not a "build to code" fan. Code minimums blow and the amount of crap left to the next owner always adds up.
if your neighbors yard is pushing into yours and his driveways foundation is at risk it is much more important to him that it gets fixed, unless they would make you liable.
I H8 neighbors....never again for me after this place I swear
The original developer should get his hand slapped for stuff like that unless it was done after the fact. Good grade job before they put the houses up could of remedied all that foever. One of the reasons I'm not a "build to code" fan. Code minimums blow and the amount of crap left to the next owner always adds up.
if your neighbors yard is pushing into yours and his driveways foundation is at risk it is much more important to him that it gets fixed, unless they would make you liable.
I H8 neighbors....never again for me after this place I swear
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
How deep is your backyard from the back of your house to the fence?
Oswego
n00b
Looking into ICF forms, ICF walls, and quad deck roof for my new storm proof cabin design. Prob w/a solar heated slab. Very DIY friendly method with least amount of subs required that I can think of (concrete sub for finishing). A ton of ICF DIY jobs fail or look like crap, but those are typically youtube/hippy morons that can't hold a hammer, not people in construction industry with basic knowledge or professional companies that follow the instructions.
Was looking at spancrete stuff like Andrew C built on his castle but thats stuffs heavy and has no insulation
Was looking at spancrete stuff like Andrew C built on his castle but thats stuffs heavy and has no insulation
Nothing about that is a retaining wall. That's just a big ass garden box.Found it - so long as you or your sub don't do it this way you should be good
Whole lotta work and materials used in a poor design that will fail much quicker than if built with a proper design and the same materials I consider to be substandard (#2 PT Pine).
He has no pressure relief for the water build up (no drains). Kind of stuff you see from crappy flippers passing their troubles to the next homeowner. If I knew him better I'd PM him and point out some issues that if he resolved would help it a ton, but it's already done and I do not know him well so mumms the word
I like the plastic in the rear but thats a fail as well. Should be landscape fabric with 1-2' of loose rock behind it dropping down under the wood so water doesn't sit. Also maybe hooked to a french type drain to run it to the neighbors yard
View attachment 23244
View attachment 23245
Oswego
n00b
Yep, thats the problem. Well...... "problem" in 5 years.
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
My yard is higher than my neighbor. House was built in 1980 and this is how the land was done when it was developed. House on the other side of me is a little higher but not as drastic as this.
Back of my house is very close to my back fence. You can see the roof line of the back sunroom how close it is to the fence.
And Blake is right, I am in the man cave at the moment.
Back of my house is very close to my back fence. You can see the roof line of the back sunroom how close it is to the fence.
And Blake is right, I am in the man cave at the moment.