Retaining driveway wall

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Hi all

We have a retaining wall that retains next doors driveway as we live on a hill. It's approx 5ft high and about 40ft long total. Picture complete with dog for reference. View media item 75794
This was replaced a few years ago and loos in good condition. There is the brick front with a cavity behind and breeze blocks behind.

When replacing a wall light earlier today I note the breeze block wall behind is very wet. There are no weep holes in the wall and I'm thinking I need to put some in?

How can I go about it? If I take the Sds drill and just go straight through I'm assuming ill just end up with mud being put through?

Can't really get behind the blocks to put any shingle in and the soil here is mostly clay.

Thanks guys
 
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The wall may well be drained on their side, there could be a land drain pipe at the base which discharges to a soakaway or similar.

Indeed it would be wildly irresponsible to build a 5 foot retaining wall on a boundary without adding proper drainage or weep holes.

A wall like that should have been designed by an engineer ideally, if you have concerns perhaps mention to the neighbour and check how the wall was constructed as it will be in their interest to know too.
 
Ideally something like this, have noticed the neighbour car is higher up and hope the footing is done correctly to take the weight

wall_retainer.gif
 
If it has survived the recent Winter intact without weep holes the it may survive many more.
 
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Thanks guys

We had the wall built as a replacement about three years ago as the other was very damaged and bricks had their faces falling off from frost. If I remember correctly the old wall had gaps in for weeping.

Our garden which is about 5ft away from the wall is always sodden after rainfall.

We had a builder do the wall. I guess if it all falls in that's why we pay insurance, but would like to maintain if possible
 
compynei, hi

Hate to be a killjoy, but it id highly unlikely that your insurer would pay out for a repair to the type of wall you have described.

Reason is that in virtually all policies there is a specific exclusion for poor workmanship and design defects.

Insurers and their field staff as well as the Contractors who work for them all have been well warned about the problem of lack of weep holes in Retaining structures.

just to compound the issue, there is a further little known exclusion as regards external boundary and other walls, that tends to be that unless the property [meaning the house itself] is damaged at the same time and by the same event there will be no cover for damage to an external wall, this exclusion generally appears in the Subsidence specific exclusions sections.

All a part of the get out of jail Free exclusion small print that accompanies all or nearly all insurance policies.

Ken
 
I think your wall looks ok , but what stops the neighbour/friends from getting out of the back door of the car in the dark and impaling them selves on your gates when a bit ****ed.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, will leave it and see how it goes then. Its not moved / cracked overly damp / crumbling ... infact it doesn't look much different than when it was built so hopefully should be OK.

Will keep an eye on it.

Had never thought about them falling over the edge as its only 2 courses high on their side. Guess they will have to be careful :LOL: - they're all the same around here. A fence does run further along their drive but there is a gap you can see.
 

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