Boundry Wall and drainage issues

[lizzyuk]

Hi,

I have a house which is on ground 1 meter higher than next door, although the their back garden slops up to the same level as mine. Over the last month next door have dug out their slopping garden to make it flat. Now their land is 1 letter lower all the way across than mine.

The first issue:

The path in my back garden (next to where they have dug out) runs next to their land. Do they have a legal duty to build a wall or something to stop my path collapsing in and falling on to their land?

The second issue:

Rain water from my garden naturally run and drained off into their garden area. It had always done this for 7 years that I owned the house. I believe it was like this for a lot longer. They never complained or objected to this in any way. Now they have built a way which presents the flow of water. The water used to just soak into a flower bed which had a massive long privet. Now due to their wall there is nowhere for water to drain and now puddles and floods my garden. As the way the water drained away as gone have they done anything wrong? Should they still allowed the water to drain the way it always had?

The third issue:

They have build a wall along the boundry line. It is over 2 meters high, in parts its around 3.5 meters high. It is build with a single line of breeze blocks. Is this safe? It is around 8-10 meters long with no proper pillers. What they have done is stacked breeze blocks up against it (11 blocks high). The blocks are cermented to each other but not the wall. Then they have grouted the gap between the column of blocks and the wall. There are 4 columns along the 8-10 meter wall. Is this safe???? They have little kids in the garden playing.. What should I do? I know I can report it to the council as its over 2 meters high. If I do what will/can they do?

The four issue:

I agreed at the start to go halves on the wall. I agreed a single thickness wall 4 blocks high from my side. At the start it was safe to build at mine site, until they dug away all the soil to flatten their garden. We talked about a wall 4 blocks high and 24 blocks long. Simple job that would have cost £200-300 to build. He as today given me a bill for £680, which included 12 days work. It seems if thinks I should cover the cost of half the wall when hes built it from a much lower level than we agreed. What do people think I should do??

I am a 57 year old lady and don't have much money. I guess I just need advise before I speak to him

Thanks

Lizzy xx

 

[big-all]

heeelllooo and welcome lizzyuk

not my strong point as a chippy buuuuttt

assuming its a back garden the maximum wall height is 2m from the natural highest point the ground used to be at but can be higher if the wall is level and the ground drops away
as far as i know they must maintain a wall able to contain your soil at the natural level
whose boundary wall is it??
what amount did you agree to
and how big where the foundations??

 

[r896neo]

First issue - Yes they must adequately retain your land if they chose to reduce the ground level.

Second issue. Your water is yours to deal with. Just because it previously ran into their garden is irrelevant, It's your responsibilty to discharge any water to a suitable place.

Third issue - the wall sounds woefully inadequate but also your description of it is very unclear so perhaps you do not have a full understanding of how it was constructed. It is perhaps worth voicing your concerns regarding its suitability.

Lastly the cost. If you agreed to pay for half and agreed a specification for this wall then your should not be forced to pay for a wall of a higher specification without agreement in advance.

Thats how i see it all anyway

 

[lizzyuk]

HI,

Really good to hear from you both and thanks for taking the time to reply

The foundations of the single thickness wall is one breeze block deep. The wall is supported at one side with a wall half the height coming off it at a right handle.

The wall was built by next door and seperates our back gardens.

I agreed to 4 x 24 block wall which costing £200-250, which I agreed to pay half. But he wants me to pay half of £1300ish. He wants me to pay for adequately retaining my land when they chose to reduce the ground level.

I am not sure how my description of it isnt very unclear - you never said in what way or what else you need to know??

Lizzy xx

 

[r896neo]

This is the bit that I'm unclear about?

What they have done is stacked breeze blocks up against it (11 blocks high). The blocks are cermented to each other but not the wall. Then they have grouted the gap between the column of blocks and the wall.

Is this a seperate wall or are these piers/ butresses. Why do you say they are simply stacked? do they have the concrete foundation underneath?


When you say one block do you mean on the flat so the wall is 9 inches thick or on its edge so it's only 4 inches thick?

As for the original quoted wall ,4 blocks high edge is nearly a metre high, on the flat its 450mm. An estimate of 2-300 pounds for either of these heights as a retaining wall 10m long is completely ludicrous It would not even cover the materials.

Who came up with this estimate?

 

[lizzyuk]

Hi,

Not sure about the first bit.

I I use the word simply as it seems to be the way they have done it is the most simple way possible.... and no not a concrete foundation.

I have attached a quick sketch - //www.diynot.com/network/lizzyuk/albums/

Cost why ludicrous? If you shop around you can get bargains !!

£69 for 100 blocks
£55 for everything else

In home base closing down sale.

3 days work at £40 a day.

Total £255

And I came up with this estimate

 

[taz123]

Hi,

Not sure about the first bit.

I I use the word simply as it seems to be the way they have done it is the most simple way possible.... and no not a concrete foundation.

I have attached a quick sketch - //www.diynot.com/network/lizzyuk/albums/

Cost why ludicrous? If you shop around you can get bargains !!

£69 for 100 blocks
£55 for everything else

In home base closing down sale.

3 days work at £40 a day.

Total £255

And I came up with this estimate

£40 per day labour?

 

[r896neo]

So is it a 4 inch or 9 inch wall?

 

[big-all]

a foundation needs to be a pad off concrete and rubble several inches deep and several inches wider than the materials on top the greater the load the greater foundations

in my opinion it doesnt sound like your wall will last the winter

at least it will probably fall the other way into there garden

 

[lizzyuk]

Well, I have reported it to the council and will not be paying anything towards the cost. Hopefully they will order him to rip it down and provide a proper support for my land.

Shame about the water drain away. I was sure that you are not allowed to divert water around your land when its naturally drained that way for over 6 years. Think I best speak with a solicitor regaring this legal issue.

Thanks for your help everybody

Lizzy

 

[r896neo]

Again is it a 4 or 9 inch wall?

A 9 inch block wall with substantial piers could retain a metre maybe 1.2m safely. In your original post you said your house is 1m higher but then that the wall is 3.5m high in one place?? how is this possible that is a massive undertaking and more akin to a civil engineering project.

Did you see the footings and early stages are you sure there is no concrete under the piers and could the wall have been backed up at the base with further blockwork making it deeper but not visibly from the front?

 

[simonjay]

Again is it a 4 or 9 inch wall?

A 9 inch block wall with substantial piers could retain a metre maybe 1.2m safely. In your original post you said your house is 1m higher but then that the wall is 3.5m high in one place?? how is this possible that is a massive undertaking and more akin to a civil engineering project.

Did you see the footings and early stages are you sure there is no concrete under the piers and could the wall have been backed up at the base with further blockwork making it deeper but not visibly from the front?

I am thinking maybe he means it would have been 2 metres high, but since it is built from their land that is now 1 metre lower, that makes 3 metres or so in total, i.e. first metre retaining wall, next 2 metres visible on his side

 

[lizzyuk]

Just a little update..

I have spoken with the council who have been out and said that the wall isn't suitable (this was their safty department and not the one that deals with planning permission) due to the thickness and lack of any proper foundations. There is now scaffolding supporting the wall. Which is a bit of a pain as the staff who work in the office downstairs at [removed] are finding it hard to get access down the path lol

Planning dept will be out in the next 2 week regarding the lack of application.

Thank you all for your help

Lizzy xxxxxxxx

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Link removed, mod 9

 

[CaptainCaveman289]

1)
If they undermine your land, they have to build a suitable retaining wall

2)
Your water, your problem.
They haven't diverted a natural stream around their fields, they've stopped your surface water getting dumped onto their garden, which it shouldn't have been doing anyway.
Put in a channel or French drain, what type of soil o you have?

3)
Yep, sounds like a crap wall.

4)
The costs for any retaining wall they build to accommodate their choice to even their garden is their problem, they'd have to put in adequate footings for this so the costs of any footings and retaining should be theirs.

Any privacy wall above this is your joint responsibility if agreed ahead, assuming it's to original costs,
agreeing to pay half of an unquoted cost is an invitation to be done over.

If they built it themselves then it's materials costs only, if they got in a builder, I'd get some independent quotes as backup if they choose to persue you for costs, although if it's all on verbal agreement they don't have a leg to stand on anyway.


May be worth a read.of the party wall act 96 as this may give some guidance.

Good luck.