Retaining Wall Advice

bains1010 · 8 Apr 2012

Hi

My house is just over 7 years old and I have an issue with a retaining wall which was put in by the builder.
The builder has used some logs to keep the soil back, the issue i have is most of the logs have rotted and I have had to nail pieces of wood across them to stop them from all breaking away.
I am pursuing the issue with NHBC as i don't think the correct materials have been used, I would have expected a retaining wall to last longer than 7 years.
What hasn't helped is a large fence has been fitted to the logs and this is causing a big strain on the logs. I am not to worried about the fence as I could easily fix this, my concern is the logs are going to give way soon!
Please take a look at the pictures and let me know your thoughts on this?

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mikej2005 · 8 Apr 2012

Those logs are not substantial enough to hold back that amount of soil IMO - my daughter's school has logs holding back a similar amount of earth and they are about 2-3 times the diameter.

The problem is that it's not if logs in contact with the ground like will rot, but when. The smaller the diameter, the quicker they'll rot through and any pressure exerted from the ground above may make rotting, thinner logs snap prematurely.

Using logs that small in diameter and then fixing a high fence to them is just asking for trouble too.

Does external work like this come under any building guarantees you got when you bought the house ? It sounds sensible to pursue this if so - it's going to take a lot of work to put it right.

Kent2020 · 28 Jul 2013

Hi - we are suffering with same issue - how did you get on with NHBC? All advice welcome

freddiemercurystwin · 28 Jul 2013

Read your NHBC small print.

bains1010 · 29 Jul 2013

didn't get anywhere as they said it's not structure so I'm not covered.
It's happening to all the houses around ours, there is definitely a problem with how this was constructed but the NHBC is useless.

Deleted2797112 · 29 Jul 2013

Have you looked at what was approved in the planning application for the properties. I can't see that would have been approved.

bains1010 · 30 Jul 2013

Hi Ceres

Do you mean you don't think the wall would have been approved in the planning application? What could I do if that were the case?

thanks

Deleted2797112 · 30 Jul 2013

I would have expected Planning to require and only give approval to a structure suitable for safely retaining the banks. Most councils have PAs online now, although they may not be from 7 years ago. If that's the case, you'll have to visit your local planning office and eyeball the plans in person. If they have breached the planning consent, you may be able to get planning enforcement involved. Is the land behind the tall fence also being retained? If there's a public safety issue, they may sit up and take notice.

bains1010 · 30 Jul 2013

yes up to the bottom of the fence is also being retained, there is wood land for about 8 meters then a busy A road.

I will investigate the planning application, thanks for the advice.

Skimmers · 1 Aug 2013

you need to use a membranegravel then the retainer ie logs railway sleepers block work iv done alot of these walls and find block work or sleepers

freddiemercurystwin · 2 Aug 2013

The planning issue is a moot point and will be a hiding to nothing. Even if a particular type of retaining wall was conditioned as part of the approval the planners will not spend public money pursuing this. Never in a million years.

Retaining walls like this are not even controlled by Building Control, they are external works and not subject to inspection.

Better to just move on and rebuild it properly.

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Retaining Wall Advice

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