[phototropic1]

Great looking wall!

I admire your attention to detail and your concern with building this wall so it will last. Hey, the next one will go up faster. And the next one after that even faster. And I seriously doubt you'll ever have to waste your time dealing with unsatisfied customers.

Keep stacking!

[site]

The only place that I can find fault is that you didn't sub out the trucking. Other than that it looks bulletproof.

[Stonehenge]

Yup - looks great. And I don't think anyone can accuse you of not using enough drainage rock behind the wall.

Hope you made a few bucks.

[jwholden]

I'll be talking to my materials supplier about trucking rates next week. If I compare my costs for trucking to their rates I suspect they will be cheaper and faster.

Thanks to all for their kudos on the job, part of my motivation for posting shots of my jobs is I love positive reassurance.

Members who offered differing methods get a big THANK YOU as well! Your ideas for installing this job differently give me, and hundreds of other members, options never before considered.

[jwholden]

I was in the neighborhood and visited this job today. A year later. There was not a single weed in the patio because of the polymeric sand and not a single block or paver moved a millimeter because of the excellent preparation. Here is how it looks today.

As an aside. I am seeing the benefits of ICPI and NCMA training. No doubt it is much more work to install materials the right way. I also have no doubt this job will hold up better and longer than had it been installed differently.

[EpicInterlock]

JW, Beautiful!! Just fantastic buddy! I love to hear about over engineering walls, steps or patios. I think you did a great job, with proof of what you did, as a homeowner, I'd be very proud of that wall.
In my jobs, I do the same thing, I over dig, and over engineer with geo grid if a wall exceeds 2 ft high.

I see you have a dingo... I definitely would've paid for a dump truck (or two) to dump off all 20 yards of the 3/4" crushed gravel and use the dingo to move all the gravel where needed. It's better than spending 45 mins one way from the gravel pit (yikes!!!), and you would've saved on gas, wear and tear on your truck, time, etc, etc.

Also, speaking of pricing.....I never ever price out a job according to square footage. I usually, as a rule of thumb, price out the materials, and double it. That's including labour for my guys and my own profit. So for example, this job, I imagine the materials alone must've cost about 5-8k, I would've doubled it to 12-16k....remember that's a very broad, ballpark estimate. I would definitely nail everything down to a science which I pretty much have now.

In any case, you make other landscapers look good! Excellent work!!!

[4seasons]

Congrats JW for getting this job pic in a trade publication! ( total landscape care pg.84)

[jwholden]

4Seasons,

Thanks for noticing. I am hoping to put that article to good use in my marketing campaign. I gotta run to the mailbox and pick up my subscription!

[4seasons]

can i ask how you got it in there?
did you send in pics yourself, and they picked them?