How to remove a retaining wall?

[toffeeapple]

Hi All!

Back here again looking for some advice.

I have recently purchased a property (villa, 2 dwellings side by side) and it's under strata.

I came to inspect it today and looking to remove old retaining wall timber and extend the courtyard (will be looking to remove and relay pavers). Also looking to remove clothesline from middle and moving it somewhere else (I'm reaching out to strata to put a new fence dividing the two properties as that is also timber fence that is leaning.

There are huge tree trunks and roots that you can see on the wall and the roots run on the pavered area (some pavers are lifted).

The backyard neighbour also has the fence leaning (again strata issue...).

Any assistance? I want to d.i.y but my wife is hesitant. Apparently this is not common property and I can do what I want in my own courtyard (just need approval for fence).

Dividing Fence (clotheslien attachedSee backyard neighbour's fence leaning..See backyard neighbour's fence leaning..

[Jason]

Hi @toffeeapple,

Congrats on your new purchase.

What are your plans for replacing the retaining wall? From your photos it looks to be a significant structure and likely to require professional expertise to replace. 

Let me tag some experienced members such as @TedBear and @Nailbag to kick off the discussion.

Jason

[toffeeapple]

Hi Jason 

I'm looking to have the retaining wall closer to the fence and extend the courtyard paved area.

[AlanM52]

Hi @toffeeapple,

That is a major project and I am siding with your missus not DIY but... maybe you could do some of it yourself?

Get someone in to see what needs to be done (in particular the fence work) and provide drawings with a quote - you will get back to them.

Armed with that info review the project with the missus to see what you can DIY.

Come back here to discuss and then get another quote minus the DIY stuff but don't mention that, you are postponing to a later date.

Cheers

[Dave-1]

Good afternoon @toffeeapple 

I was scrolling through the questions and saw yours I love Gabion walls and think you could replace your existing one with them, even a stepped one depending on how high you want to go. 

If you are wanting to move closer to the fence then it would change the sizing eqations for the baskets, the higher the wall, the wider the base.

Gabions dont need a concrete foundation, tho do need compacted earth. They allow free draianage through the cages as well.

Getting them to line up equally can be fiddley biut isnt supper hard.

Large gabion retaining wall as an example of what can be done. If you look at my bookmarks there are a lot more different sizes as well.

Dave

[Nailbag]

Hi @toffeeapple 

The old leaning treated pine pole wall is retaining substaintial ground, which is giving way in the corner which has impacted the rear boundary fence. above. This is definitely not a straight forward DIY project. The easiest method is to build a new wall in front of the existing, using galvanised posts and 75mm thick TP sleepers. In order to provide additional strength, I would angle the wall a few degrees back off plumb to add additional strength, which is a common design aspect with this type of retain.

Due to its height, the posts are going to be significantly deep into the ground, and that alone is going to be a major challenge without using a powered post holder digger and the back of a machine. 

If you really want to move it back, then it's going to get very complicated as there will be no way to retain the soil without some very clever and expensive engineering. And thats not a DIY project.

As @Jason has suggested, my advice would be to get several quotes on a professional build, retaining in front of the current.

Regards Nailbag

[toffeeapple]

@Nailbag 

So there is no chance for the courtyard to be extended? 🥺.

I received a couple of quotes and they are 30k minimum 

[EricL]

Hello @toffeeapple 

I'm in agreement with the majority in regards to your retaining wall plans. This is a very involved project and looking at the number of tree roots to be removed it will pose a major challenge. I propose putting this project on hold so that you can gather more information about. 

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @toffeeapple 

I can't see any other way unfortunately to extend the courtyard is to move the retaining wall back, and as you have already discovered its a very expensive exercise, albeit a lot more than. I expected.

Nailbag

[toffeeapple]

I have put out quotes for below but my uncle who does and did a few of these said I should do it D.I.Y lol. He sent me an inspiration photo. I am just worried about collapsing my neighbors fence if I take out the existing timber wall (I'm hoping the neighbours fence is atop of an existing brick wall)