Thanks for the reply!
Here's more info:
I called the town building inspector and was told any retaining wall above 4' requires a permit, so I don't need a permit. Nothing else is required.
The gully I'm talking about is more like a hole/depression, not a trough. I call it a gully because it's more oblong than round but it's 60% contained, and has it's lowest point (close to the property line) within my backyard. The other 40% of this oblong depression is the higher part and is in my neighbors backyard, so it slants down into my yard. It's a natural depression that turns into a pool (in my backyard only due to it's lowest point) whenever we get 8" or more of rain in any 48 hour period (a ~10 year storm). So if anything it's a cause of flooding in *my own* yard. It does absord and will not start pooling all rain from a lesser storm.
It needs to be ~50' long and 4' high.
I'm planning on filling all but the last 18-24" of this hole (property line side of which will be the retaining wall) with sand per suggestion from a builder friend of mine, so drainage shouldn't be a problem. It should actually help keep water away from the foundation of my house by preventing it from traveling horizontally in the ground during those mega-soaker rain storms. The sand will draw it straight down. I suggested stones but he said sand would work just as well and be alot cheaper...no?
Getting materials and fill into the backyard won't be a problem. I'm installing a 12' wide chain link gate and am buying a SCUT Kubota to do this job as well as a few others like a paver patio, stump removal, lots pf tree work, etc.
A tree fell on my chain link fence and gate two weeks ago so I'm replacing my ~40" gate with a 12 footer. I should be able to drive my pickup back there let alone a little Kubota.
Not yet sure what brand of retaining blocks I will use but I'm thinking nothing greater than 80 lbs per so I can manuver them manually without breaking my back. So I have yet to pick those out.
Compacting/grading and proper drainage behind the wall is information I can use.
Whatever I can't do with the Kubota I will do with other rental equipment or hire out since it'll be possible to get a bulldozer back there if need be. But I would like to learn how to do this properly.
Installing behind the wall drainage is another thing I'll need to learn.
DT.
Quote:
Originally posted by Lanelle
A wall of that height will usually require a building permit and depending on local ordinances, material used and site conditions may require an engineer's stamped design. You mention a gully along your property line--is this actually a drainage swale that moves water across or away from your property and toward a storm drain? You have to be careful not to negatively impact the flow of water on your neighbors' land. As in, you can't increase the amount of water runoff that they experience.
You haven't mentioned what sort of retaining wall that you are interested in building and that will impact the difficulty. Also, how long will the wall be? Getting multiple truckloads of soil to the rear of your property could be easy or impossible depending your site conditions. Getting it properly compacted and graded takes some expertise. Installing drainage behind the wall and stabilization systems such as geogrid takes considerable knowledge. Don't have any idea of your skills, but this isn't a Sunday project.
|
Similar Threads
Retaining wall install, how difficult?
