🖼️
The project:
I saw wasted potential in the raw dirt slope under my house and built something extraordinary from nothing. With materials from Bunnings and a shovel, I carved bare earth and exposed posts into a striking, functional landscape. I engineered tiered timber retaining walls, laid gravel steps that now cascade down the slope, and planted vibrant bromeliad beds that thrive where weeds once ruled. I even concealed a massive rainwater bladder beneath the subfloor, the only piece not from Bunnings, turning dead air into smart storage. What was an eyesore is now a showcase of ingenuity, structure, and self built transformation.
- Materials:
Retaining & Structure
• Treated pine timber sleepers for retaining walls
• Galvanised steel posts and brackets
• Coach screws, bolts, and timber fixings
Access & Drainage
• Treated pine planks for steps
• Steel step brackets/stringers
• Decorative gravel for steps and ground cover
• Weed mat/landscape fabric under gravel
• PVC pipe and fittings for downpipe diversion
Landscaping
• Garden soil and mulch for planter beds
• Bromeliads and feature plants
• Timber edging for garden beds
Water Storage
• Rainwater bladder tank — the only item not from Bunnings
Tools & Sundries
• Tarps, cable ties, sealant, and general hardware
All structural timber, gravel, plants, plumbing, and fixings were sourced from Bunnings.
- Tools:
Earthworks & Site Prep
• Shovel and spade for digging and leveling
• Wheelbarrow for moving soil and gravel
• Rake for spreading gravel and soil
• Pick/mattock for breaking up hard ground
Cutting & Timber Work
• Circular saw or hand saw for cutting sleepers and step timber
• Chainsaw for clearing or trimming
• Impact driver and drill for fixings and brackets
• Socket set/spanner for bolts and coach screw
Measuring & Layout
• Tape measure
• Spirit level
• String line and pegs for alignment
Cleanup & Finishing
• Blower for clearing debris
• Broom for final tidy up
• Safety gear: gloves, safety glasses, ear protection
- Step 1:
Cleared the site: Removed weeds, debris, and loose soil from the slope under the house.
- Step 2:
Measured and marked levels: Used a string line, tape measure, and level to plan retaining wall heights and step positions.
- Step 3:
Excavated and leveled: Dug out the slope in tiers to create flat platforms for walls and steps.
- Step 4:
Installed wooden posts: Set and concreted galvanised posts to support the timber retaining walls.
- Step 5:
Built retaining walls: Cut and bolted treated pine sleepers to the posts to hold each tier.
- Step 6:
Constructed timber steps: Framed and fixed the gravel-filled steps between tiers using pine planks and brackets.
- Step 7:
Laid drainage and weed mat: Ran PVC pipe for downpipe diversion and rolled out weed mat before gravel.
- Step 8:
Spread gravel: Backfilled and leveled decorative gravel across steps and open areas for drainage and finish.
- Step 9:
Installed the water bladder: Positioned and plumbed the rainwater bladder tank in the void behind the walls.
- Step 10:
Landscaped and planted: Built garden beds, added soil and mulch, then planted bromeliads to finish the space
