Good afternoon all
I live in a small detached bungalow on the grounds of my daughter’s house (sounds grand but it’s a garage conversion really). The bungalow is situated just above a drop that the local building control officer described as ‘precipitous’. My foundations are just higher than roof level of the houses below. Over the two years I’ve lived here I’ve noticed some soil erosion that is causing cracks to appear in the ground between me and the edge. I own the land below for sufficient distance to install a retaining wall. Unfortunately attempts by previous owners have been unsuccessful and various structures – concrete blocks, railway sleepers, scaffolding poles – are now leaning away from the bungalow and appear to be moving, albeit slowly, down the drop.
I’ve researched solutions and feel that a Gabion wall like the ones built beside motorways is a better solution than a traditional retaining wall. I have calculated that I need an eight metres length by three metres high so it’s not really a DIY project – particularly at my age. I’ve only managed to find one contractor with sufficient knowledge and experience to build it for me and his price is extremely high.
I am hoping that someone may have an alternate (more affordable) solution or could advise me on what such a structure should cost. The cost he quoted included backfilling with hardcore and providing a level surface for future topping. The property is close to Haywards Heath on the side of the valley that contains the River Ouse and the Weir Wood reservoir although they are both approx three miles away.
I live in a small detached bungalow on the grounds of my daughter’s house (sounds grand but it’s a garage conversion really). The bungalow is situated just above a drop that the local building control officer described as ‘precipitous’. My foundations are just higher than roof level of the houses below. Over the two years I’ve lived here I’ve noticed some soil erosion that is causing cracks to appear in the ground between me and the edge. I own the land below for sufficient distance to install a retaining wall. Unfortunately attempts by previous owners have been unsuccessful and various structures – concrete blocks, railway sleepers, scaffolding poles – are now leaning away from the bungalow and appear to be moving, albeit slowly, down the drop.
I’ve researched solutions and feel that a Gabion wall like the ones built beside motorways is a better solution than a traditional retaining wall. I have calculated that I need an eight metres length by three metres high so it’s not really a DIY project – particularly at my age. I’ve only managed to find one contractor with sufficient knowledge and experience to build it for me and his price is extremely high.
I am hoping that someone may have an alternate (more affordable) solution or could advise me on what such a structure should cost. The cost he quoted included backfilling with hardcore and providing a level surface for future topping. The property is close to Haywards Heath on the side of the valley that contains the River Ouse and the Weir Wood reservoir although they are both approx three miles away.