Steviekid Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I was going to build a retaining wall in my garden so I could build one end up slightly then ultimately monoblock the whole lot to get three cars off the road. The wall at it highest point will be around a metre, and pretty much flush with the ground at the other end. The guide I was using said the thickness should be a quarter of the height so I was going to make it out of two rows of bricks with 450mm wide foundation. I've since had loads of conflicting advice from neighbours/friends etc that it needs to be much more substatial (one row of bricks and two breeze blocks wide with two foot wide foundations!). I've currently dug the foundation 450mm wide and down 16 inches below ground level. Does this sound enough? I'm now planning to build it from a single row of hollow concrete blocks tied in with rods and filled with cement. Will that be strong enough? What sort of depth of concrete foundation will I need? Cheers for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozz Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Can't help on the foundations but have you checked with your local planning department? I'm not sure if you'd need planning but worth checking as you are altering water courses potentially and sometimes councils are funny about people altering front gardens in estate areas. Last thing you want is some nosey neighbour phoning them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steviekid Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 Can't help on the foundations but have you checked with your local planning department? I'm not sure if you'd need planning but worth checking as you are altering water courses potentially and sometimes councils are funny about people altering front gardens in estate areas. Last thing you want is some nosey neighbour phoning them! AFAIK it needs to be over 1.2m high to need planning. My neighbours are helping me build it so don't think they'll complain!! The council doesn't actually control the area anyway, it belongs to a housing association as I found out when getting the kerb dropped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozz Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I'm sure JamieP will be along shortly but from my limited building work I think its largely due to the surface you've excavated to, ie, if its still loose soil it would need to be deeper. However, when I built my games room (log cabin) i set it on 9" hollows filled with concrete less than a foot down and its not moved at all - and thats with a 12 foot slate bed table inside as well so I'd have thought you would be okay. The load was spread though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz1 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 600mm deep concrete foundation and hollow concrete blocks with rods and filled with concrete will be more than sufficient for that job, just make sure you put in weep holes every 1200 mm untill the wall to ground hieght is less than 450mm, also if your planning on having a car tight to the wall i would suggest you widen the foundation to 900 with the rest of the foundation on your side so it acts as a cantilever untill the wall height is reduced to 450mm also;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steviekid Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 600mm deep concrete foundation 600mm? I was planning on about 6 inches (around 150 mm)!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz1 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 600mm? I was planning on about 6 inches (around 150 mm)!! 150mm is not enough, if depth is a problem then 300mm with a top layer of mesh would suffice, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Gaz is right, if you are parking cars there you want a decent footing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Dunno if its different in Scotland, but here, if you are removing grass/gravel and building a non-water permeable surface, you now need planning approval if its draining onto the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steviekid Posted May 8, 2010 Author Share Posted May 8, 2010 150mm is not enough, if depth is a problem then 300mm with a top layer of mesh would suffice, Ok will go for that option. Will I need to go deeper than 16 inches (around 400mm) then? The car won't be tight up against the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz1 Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Ok will go for that option. Will I need to go deeper than 16 inches (around 400mm) then? The car won't be tight up against the wall. that should be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steviekid Posted May 8, 2010 Author Share Posted May 8, 2010 that should be ok Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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