# Forum Home Renovation Retaining Walls  Help: Retaining Wall for Investment Property

## PerthReno2021

Hi All, 
Recently we bought a property and tidied the side of the house in the attached pictures. This is so we could fence off and lease the property to tenants. 
We will now be looking at retaining wall options. What materials and process should I discuss with my neighbour? He has suggested a Limestone retaining wall. However, I know this is the most expensive option and will really benefit him far more than me.  
I am a huge dummy and a bit of a pencil pusher so I will need real simple dumbed down explanations. (Apologies in advance). 
My questions:  *Whom I need to request quotes from and what I ask for? (An engineer, landscape designer followed by a retaining wall specialist?) 
What materials should I request quoting and heights of the wall. What are the most durable/cost effective materials for a retaining wall here?  
What backfilling would I need to do/should I do?  
Any other items I should be communicating to a potential contractor? 
How should I play it with the neighbour as I'm keen to find a solution?* 
Really appreciate any info that can be shared and dumbed down explanations for me. 
Thanks in advance,  
A very lost pen pusher  :Smilie:

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## Bart1080

...thats cleaned up a bit since last photo's.  Is there an access gate at the end? 
Probably need to have a budget in mind to then work out options as previously mentioned, your unlikely to get any change out of 10k
Is it just a retaining wall or are you also wanting to add a fence on top (how high)?  
If the latter, make sure the footings go down deep enough to handle the additional wind load on the fence.   
So once you've settled on a design or a couple of designs, simply get some quotes from those that are in the game (those that build retaining walls) as a starting point 
In terms of materials, backfilling (landscaping), the choices are endless and from memory as its a rental, you might have different cheaper solutions in mind rather as opposed to an owner/occupied. 
How high you want the wall which will also dictate engineering requirements (>500mm I think in WA looking at Marc's response last time??).  A good retaining wall builder will provide you with ideas and options to consider. 
Gal H posts with sleepers are my fav for ease of construction.  Line the inside with plastic before backfilling as it will last years longer for treated pine.  I do the same with concrete sleepers which are about 30% to 50% more expensive.  You will need drainage behind the wall - geo textile to wrap the slotted pipe, course gravel (scoria) although if its as sandy as it looks, I doubt drainage will be an issue 
You should lodge a DBYD inquiry as a starting point to see what assets are in the area.  Depends on whats supplied, you may then need to inquire further or see if the asset owner can supply a locator if assets are nearby - electricity, gas, telco, water, drainage, septic

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## droog

The first question is what is going to be the purpose of that area on your side of the fence? 
The fence itself does not require a retaining wall you can just landscape the area on your side to suit your needs, unless you want the entire area flat I would just terrace the area towards the back to protect your foundations.

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## joynz

Who is paying for the retaining wall? 
There are tricky regs about whose responsibility it is - based on who benefits.  Have you investigated this?

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## havabeer

talk to a landscaper, they're the people who would install heaps of retaining walls. 
if the new "black" fence at the rear is just a fence and not a gate I would just put a colour bond fence up with treated pine sleeper in the bottom gap and then the fence.

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## PerthReno2021

> ...thats cleaned up a bit since last photo's.  Is there an access gate at the end? 
> Probably need to have a budget in mind to then work out options as previously mentioned, your unlikely to get any change out of 10k
> Is it just a retaining wall or are you also wanting to add a fence on top (how high)?  
> If the latter, make sure the footings go down deep enough to handle the additional wind load on the fence.   
> So once you've settled on a design or a couple of designs, simply get some quotes from those that are in the game (those that build retaining walls) as a starting point 
> In terms of materials, backfilling (landscaping), the choices are endless and from memory as its a rental, you might have different cheaper solutions in mind rather as opposed to an owner/occupied. 
> How high you want the wall which will also dictate engineering requirements (>500mm I think in WA looking at Marc's response last time??).  A good retaining wall builder will provide you with ideas and options to consider. 
> Gal H posts with sleepers are my fav for ease of construction.  Line the inside with plastic before backfilling as it will last years longer for treated pine.  I do the same with concrete sleepers which are about 30% to 50% more expensive.  You will need drainage behind the wall - geo textile to wrap the slotted pipe, course gravel (scoria) although if its as sandy as it looks, I doubt drainage will be an issue 
> You should lodge a DBYD inquiry as a starting point to see what assets are in the area.  Depends on whats supplied, you may then need to inquire further or see if the asset owner can supply a locator if assets are nearby - electricity, gas, telco, water, drainage, septic

  Our handyman done a pretty decent job on tidying up. We have a few colorbond fence panels on the side so that the garden at back is enclosed for tenants with kids. Thanks so much for all that advice it is really helpful on materials and methods. Looks like a project for the new year. 500mm is the regulations with heights or you need the engineers sign offs.  
We really want to just get something cost effective in place that retains the ground. We may move into it ourselves eventually in a few years so having the area retained would be advantageous in that scenario also.

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## PerthReno2021

> The first question is what is going to be the purpose of that area on your side of the fence? 
> The fence itself does not require a retaining wall you can just landscape the area on your side to suit your needs, unless you want the entire area flat I would just terrace the area towards the back to protect your foundations.

  Thanks, so our intention is to eventually move to WA and potentially live at the property. With the side we would eventually like to have a gate and paved path at the side of the house if we live there. (Don't really care with tenants there)  
Can I ask when you say you would just terrace the area towards the back to protect our foundations what you mean by that? Do you mean build up the ground in that area? Sorry for the dumb question!

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## PerthReno2021

> Who is paying for the retaining wall? 
> There are tricky regs about whose responsibility it is - based on who benefits.  Have you investigated this?

  Generally, it is supposed to be 50/50. The owner on the other side was keen for 50/50 until he has seen the estimated cost. Plus he wants a limestone wall.
It's very tricky as the regs do not point to it being any one persons responsibility and the process for getting 50/50 is difficult. As he owner on the other side wants limestone, I want to get costs for a cheaper alternative and we can then discuss the difference. As you can see with the drop we will not get much value looking at the lovely limestone retaining wall on our side and he is angling for us to pay more. All a bit of a mess to be honest and something I would like to sort out now before we move over there eventually. Previous owner argued for years regarding it. So I just want to find a solution and move on. The owner on the lower side does too I think from conversations. I think we just need to find a win/win solution.

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## PerthReno2021

> talk to a landscaper, they're the people who would install heaps of retaining walls. 
> if the new "black" fence at the rear is just a fence and not a gate I would just put a colour bond fence up with treated pine sleeper in the bottom gap and then the fence.

  Seems like a good idea to get someone to look at the entire area and what we best do with it.

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## Bart1080

> so our intention is to eventually move to WA and potentially live at the property.

  
...so what ever you do here, make sure its only done once rather then having to pull it down....or not done at all and wait for when you move  :Smilie:  
If you havnt already given it some thought, is the side wide enough for a vehicle, trailer, boat, camper, van etc?  If so and you think you might get one or already have one of these, then perhaps the retaining wall needs to be of a height to allow for one of these to be parked up the side.
It looks like the dirt along the house wall could be lowered if it built up high which  (hard to tell from the photo) which potentially could work in your favour to minimise the height of the wall.  eg:  maybe the 500mm high will be fine (again hard to tell from the photo's) 
Also, if you place a gate (when you move there), it will allow for easy back yard access for what ever you need.

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## droog

> Thanks, so our intention is to eventually move to WA and potentially live at the property. With the side we would eventually like to have a gate and paved path at the side of the house if we live there. (Don't really care with tenants there)  
> Can I ask when you say you would just terrace the area towards the back to protect our foundations what you mean by that? Do you mean build up the ground in that area? Sorry for the dumb question!

  where all the pavers and blocks are currently, if you remove them it looks like the foundation will be exposed.
I suggest terracing the area so you have say three flat areas .

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## PerthReno2021

> ...so what ever you do here, make sure its only done once rather then having to pull it down....or not done at all and wait for when you move  
> If you havnt already given it some thought, is the side wide enough for a vehicle, trailer, boat, camper, van etc?  If so and you think you might get one or already have one of these, then perhaps the retaining wall needs to be of a height to allow for one of these to be parked up the side.
> It looks like the dirt along the house wall could be lowered if it built up high which  (hard to tell from the photo) which potentially could work in your favour to minimise the height of the wall.  eg:  maybe the 500mm high will be fine (again hard to tell from the photo's) 
> Also, if you place a gate (when you move there), it will allow for easy back yard access for what ever you need.

  Thanks, great idea regarding room for a trailer, vehicle at the side. I think we need to plan it out a bit with a landscaper and plan for the long term instead of doing a bit part solution like I was thinking of doing and just chucking a retaining wall in without any real planning.

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## PerthReno2021

> where all the pavers and blocks are currently, if you remove them it looks like the foundation will be exposed.
> I suggest terracing the area so you have say three flat areas .

  Thanks this makes sense as to what you are suggesting. Sorry for the dumb question and appreciate the feedback.

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