need engineer for retaining wall (California: renting, buy, contractor)

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

Poured concrete is something of a last resort, it needs very careful design. You're basically building a dam without the ability to see how much water is really behind it. Basically those are done only when there's very high value property behind that you can't access for whatever reason.

Hopefully OP is ok with me asking this, since you seem really knowledgeable. I want to do poured concrete for a smaller application (~6ft high x 15 ft wide on one side, stepping to ~3ft high by 20 ft long at a right angle). The purpose would be to level my small yard and more importantly have a fence built directly into the wall to maximize my small space. Can you think of any major drawbacks to this approach (if engineered and installed correctly) or any alternatives that will allow a fence to be installed in the wall or within a few inches behind the wall?

Note: this exact project is something I have been looking for an engineer to do. I started making calls in March, and still have no takers.

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by WhoIsStanwix?

Hopefully OP is ok with me asking this, since you seem really knowledgeable. I want to do poured concrete for a smaller application (~6ft high x 15 ft wide on one side, stepping to ~3ft high by 20 ft long at a right angle). The purpose would be to level my small yard and more importantly have a fence built directly into the wall to maximize my small space. Can you think of any major drawbacks to this approach (if engineered and installed correctly) or any alternatives that will allow a fence to be installed in the wall or within a few inches behind the wall?

Note: this exact project is something I have been looking for an engineer to do. I started making calls in March, and still have no takers.

Unfortunately I haven't worked in your end of the state in a number of years, try calling the architect in Indiana (post #7 if it stays) for possible references. I can understand the frustration with the phone book in such circumstances.

The segmental concrete block walls certainly could be designed to allow fences, utilities, and the like. Many commercial developments have iron fences or guide rail installed behind the cap block, with the geogrid extending many feet landward behind the fence. With segmental concrete block, differing heights and angles can be accommodated. You can even make part or all of the wall into a planted "living" wall, for floral display or just hiding it behind greenery.

If poured concrete is worth doing given the current state of practice, you're dealing with much higher value property than I've got.

[Catia]

whoisstanwix: Look into gabions-seriously. They are perfect for that type of project.
They don't have to be the ugly penndot ones (usually Maccaferri makes those, or Terra aqua).
You can face gabions in pretty stone & just fill it w/4b limestone/riprap behind the face stone.
*OR* you can choose to plant in them & they become a more living wall.


FYI, Boston Ballfield park (on the yough just off the bike train, under the Boston Bridge)is built on gabions--go down & check it out-you can't see them because it is covered with a ball field, but if you go down by the boat ramps you can see some of the metal cages sides that the dirt eroded away from due to flooding etc--but my point with Boston is-you don't need to see them.


Edited to add: PS: you can stick your fence posts inside the gabions, in front, or behind.




You should go over to CMU & see their finished project here's link to the pic, but you really should check it out in person.
https://www.cmu.edu/cohon-university...ens/index.html
They faced theirs in setts (aka Belgian block in this region)


Please check out your many other options before considering a poured concrete wall in this climate. It is not a matter of *if* it will crack, ALL concrete cracks, ALL, & our freeze thaw cycles are really hard on them, no matter how much rebar & what a contractor tells you.
I've never seen 1 that looked good after 10 years-not residential anyway, but I have seen properly done ones by the railroad...




Check this out, this is where I'm buying my gabions from, an engineer created the company because he needed a solution for his own retaining walls, gabions themselves have been used since ancient times, it's not new technology & it's proven to last:
https://www.gabion1.com/


Just trying to give alternatives-there's more than one way.
Gabions don't usually need footers, just a compacted gravel base. They remain dynamic & won't have heave.

[Catia]

Same topic, different subject.
Had a no show for an excavation estimate today after work.
House is in a semi rural area.
Man (owner of company) said he was there & looked & didn't think he could get his equipment into my yard, so he left.
I told him that was BS.
Then he said he never got out of his truck because he got freaked out & thought I might be some crazy lady from the internet.
I said:
"Did you hear the theme song to Deliverance playing? I ain't telling you I'm not crazy, but I ain't from the internet! How many prank calls do you get for excavation?"
I was pretty p*ssed, so I laid into him with multiple expletives among other things.
Then he starts laughing & apologized. He promised me he's not some metrosexual fairy landscaper afraid of using heavy equipment, said he's a real cowboy. Whatever that means.
He said he'll be back to do a proper estimate, with a friend who does heavy highway gabions.
Guess I just needed to add my 'finesse' & speak his language.


***I am now, however, trying to figure out how to get "Dueling Banjo's" to play using a motion sensor & remote outdoor speakers***
I have decided it is a must have for the property. That will be what goes off as my security alarm, in quadrophonic sound echoing off the mountainsides.


I thank this man for the inspiration, if nothing else, cuz I ain't holdin my breath for an estimate.

[Catia]

***PROGRESS***
Got a voicemail while I was at work--the excavator actually went back over to the property & looked it over & said he can get his equipment in behind the house & that my project is do-able!!!


He said that we both gotta go over & meet to discuss what/where thing need to go & how far back I can cut into the hillside, because there may be some limitations.


Clearly this was the whole point of me calling & setting up an appointment for an estimate in the 1st place, but he had that whole "Deliverance" thing going, on & left.


I should add, I've called this project a 'hillside with a steep slope', because I'm from Pittsburgh, & we call everything here a hill.
The more correct term is probably mountain.
The slope is too steep to climb, & at least twice as high as my house. I don't understand completely how they calculate degrees or grade, but if you looked at a protractor, it's probably somewhere around a 70 degree angle.


He said at this point, depending on where I want the face of the new wall, he doesn't feel I need an engineer, but it will depend on what I want cut out.


Next week we're gonna meet up & discuss & then he can give me some estimates.


This is as close as I have gotten to something REAL actually happening. Hopefully he can give suggestions outside of what I've dreamed up, cuz I like to have options/choices. Plus, he has actual experience, owns his own equipment etc.
Fingers crossed that he knows easier/more efficient ways to get the job done.


I really needed to step outside of landscapers who say they do 'hardscaping' & move up to the big boys that actually do excavation.

[Catia]

Guess I'm just posting to follow up with my latest experience, not trying bump my own stuff on purpose.


let me 1st say, I'm a pretty tough woman. I've got thick skin, can take a joke, & don't get shocked or caught off guard easily. I tended bar for many years in both Pittsburgh & Philadelphia, so have seen more things than most lol.


The estimate appointment with this excavator ended on a bad note after more than an hour of him trying every which way he could to figure out how much money I have. It ended with me walking 15 feet away from him after he started yelling at me & I ended the appointment, but he kept doing the last word thing 3 more times, only I wasn't speaking. I felt like I was thrown to a wolf. He yelled at me like some abusive boyfriend type of scene from a movie.


I politely did not answer about money, more than 15 times. It was worse than a used car salesman, & it was like a game or a challenge to him.


He did not answer 1 question straight, kept trying to divert from legitimate questions, such as, 'who is responsible if the hill slides during excavation?'.
He did not actually look at my scaled drawing, though he took it from my hand & held it sideways, didn't ge to show pics from completed projects, and it didn't seem he had any idea what I wanted. But he told me he did, at no time were we on the same page on the project. It was just an awful experience that let me shaking & sick to my stomach.


I think he mostly talked to hear himself speak.




There was a bit of inappropriate snapping & over reaction that just bordered on psycho, when I said I would clear an area of fence posts & fence I put in temporarily. He did not want to move the fence posts, I explained they were only temporary until the wall work was begun & that the fence line was supposed to change & that my X & I would remove them before the work started, because I only tamped them in.
He snapped "Your x? your x?! why would your x help you do that???!!!"
It was like an accusatory jealous boyfriend type of reaction. Then there was a rage type of look right through me.
Totally creeped me out.


I understand contractors want and idea of budget, this wasn't the case with his fishing.
It became clear to me that he was going to base his price on what he thought he could get me to spend, not what the job would or should cost.
There are going rates for certain things & he refused to tell me any of his. Couldn't even give me a ball park idea, but kept trying to intimidate.


He also said he had an engineer who would spec everything for me when we spoke on the phone. That's the ONLY reason I called him back.
I had to ask him 5 times about the engineer, he kept avoiding answering me. I asked if I could have his engineers info, he said I couldn't afford him. I asked the price & he said he did not know. ???
Never got the engineers info, & doubt he actually has one he works with.


This was feeling more shady by the minute.


I'm done with appointments for now.
I'll pick it back up later.

[villageidiot1]

Your post caught my attention because I have been through this with landscape contractors. I need a small retaining wall and some type of system to divert water away from my basement entrance. I spent a lot of time calling contractors, having them look at the project, and not getting back in touch. I was ready to go with one contractor. I called him to make one change and never heard back from him. I still have not done the project.

I had never heard of gabions, so I looked into them. I had no idea of some of the projects they do with them.

Here is a link that might be helpful if you decide to contact other contractors:

Commercial Gabions in Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh, Western Pa. | The Blue Book Building and Construction Network

[Knepper3]

I had not heard of the either, thanks. Those would actually be good for my back yard slope that I still need to do someday. Seems perfect as I only need about 3 Ft high, lets water through and the mesh would quickly be hidden once ivy grows over.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

I had not heard of the either, thanks. Those would actually be good for my back yard slope that I still need to do someday. Seems perfect as I only need about 3 Ft high, lets water through and the mesh would quickly be hidden once ivy grows over.

Have you seen pictures of some of the gabion retaining walls? I was impressed at how they look.

https://www.google.com/search?client....0.1s5TYSt3jh4

[Knepper3]

I did, that's why I thought these would be a good option. I thought I might install on a lower level, our entire backyard is slopped but with levels that havent been maintained in some time. I was thinking of putting those in on the 2nd level then letting the ivy on the rest of the slope cover them but I also saw some really nice designs that had a wood top as a sitting/table area I think I might do.