Thoughts on retaining below neighbours fence

[silly_savage]

I'm digging out for a concrete path down the side of my house. Ground was up to the DPC in places so it's getting dropped 150mm +100mm slab and 100mm sub base.

Issue I have is my neighbour's house is about 1m higher than mine. Her fence (yes it is hers according to the deed plans) already has a concrete gravel board 300mm high and get soil almost to the top, but it only comes down as fast as my DPC. So if I'm dropping the path I need to drop the retaining too. Board can't slide down any further, I'm not convinced the posts are even in the ground that far. I haven't discussed it with her yet.

I know the proper thing is to replace her posts lower down with another row of boards or build some kind of retaining wall + drainage but that's scope creep. Does anyone have any other ideas about how to tackle this?

Compounding factor is her sewer line runs right next to the fence so I'd bet nervous about digging deeper posts in too for fear or smashing the pipe.

 

[ericmark]

Last house, had a problem due to neighbours garden level. The had added soil improver etc. And the result was my garden was often flooded.

When my son bought my house from me, he added sleepers and soil improver, so now problem is reversed. Their garden gets flooded.

Current house we use brick sets, so water can drain.

 

[Odds]

I'm digging out for a concrete path down the side of my house. Ground was up to the DPC in places so it's getting dropped 150mm +100mm slab and 100mm sub base.

Issue I have is my neighbour's house is about 1m higher than mine. Her fence (yes it is hers according to the deed plans) already has a concrete gravel board 300mm high and get soil almost to the top, but it only comes down as fast as my DPC. So if I'm dropping the path I need to drop the retaining too. Board can't slide down any further, I'm not convinced the posts are even in the ground that far. I haven't discussed it with her yet.

I know the proper thing is to replace her posts lower down with another row of boards or build some kind of retaining wall + drainage but that's scope creep. Does anyone have any other ideas about how to tackle this?

Compounding factor is her sewer line runs right next to the fence so I'd bet nervous about digging deeper posts in too for fear or smashing the pipe.

Are you hooked on the idea of a concrete path?

Maybe gravel would be another way to do it, giving better drainage and avoiding standing water in a small area.

 

[silly_savage]

Are you hooked on the idea of a concrete path?

Maybe gravel would be another way to do it, giving better drainage and avoiding standing water in a small area.

Not especially, gravel might work. The drainage is less of a concern though, that can be dealt with easily, the main issue is how to retain my neighbours garden without losing to much width.

 

[JohnD]

Concrete cribs would do it, though they would take up width in your garden, or your neighbours under the fence. A metre is not much for them.

i suppose you could buy some, and keep ready for the day her garden collapses onto yours, then use them to rebuild.

otherwise you could build a RC toe wall, which I think will be harder and more expensive, even if you use precast sections.

I doubt you do do sheet piling.

 

[JohnD]

I suppose you could build a L-shaped retaining wall using the new concrete path as the horizontal. It would need to be reinforced concrete, there must be plans and calculations around.

You will not want to be digging it up, ever, for pipes and cables.

 

[Odds]

Could you 'float' the walkway level with next doors gravel boards?
I'm thinking a wooden walkway, using patio boards.

 

[silly_savage]

Could you 'float' the walkway level with next doors gravel boards?
I'm thinking a wooden walkway, using patio boards.

Would be a bit of a death trap I think, and not particularly long lasting, that spot gets about 0.5hrs of sun a day and I'm in the UK's wettest city!

 

[silly_savage]

I suppose you could build a L-shaped retaining wall using the new concrete path as the horizontal. It would need to be reinforced concrete, there must be plans and calculations around.

You will not want to be digging it up, ever, for pipes and cables.

Is this not what the RC toe was is?

 

[JohnD]

I couldn't attach pics

Goggle "toe wall" and "L shaped retaining wall"

 

[JohnD]

Is this not what the RC toe was is?

The toe goes under the soil bank, so it's weight presses it down. But you can also build an L wall with the horizontal outside the bank.

They are calculated in ways I don't know, but pretty common. Your retainer is quite small.

 

[Charlie George]

Flag retaining wall would be ideal here, wont take up much room.

Flag-on-Edge Retainer

The use and construction of flag-on-edge retainers in hard landscaping

www.pavingexpert.com

 

[silly_savage]

Flag retaining wall would be ideal here, wont take up much room.

https://www.pavingexpert.com/featur06[/UR

I think this has to be the best result for least effort. Possibly using 300 high gravel boards as the flags, should be able to set the bottom part within the slab as a haunch.

 

[Odds]

Would be a bit of a death trap I think, and not particularly long lasting, that spot gets about 0.5hrs of sun a day and I'm in the UK's wettest city!

Moss will grow on concrete just as easily, making it just as slippery in wet weather. Every year i will salt-and-sweep it to stop the moss from spreading...(thanks for the reminder). A floating slab-path could work, too.