quote on retaining walls

[Tuke]

my garden project needs removal of 100 cubic meter local soil and build 20 meter new retaining walls. 15 meter of those are 1.4meter high and the rest 5 meter 2.2 meter high. I have got a quote of 18k for the walls including footing and drainage to build reinforced retaining walls. I am from southwest and wonder what is the best price I should look for? there is a vehicular access to site for 8 ton excavator and material delivery.
thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What do your other quotes say? Has it been designed - are there some drawings that contractors can provide like for like quotes for? At that height there should be.

 

[Tuke]

Thanks Fred. I have got another quote for unreinforced wall which is only 6k. yes I have got the structural drawings with all the specifications from a structural engineer. I was wondering if the engineer over estimated the requirements to cover his back which result in high cost. excavation and muck away is about 7.5k so the garden may take me 25k.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

So if understand you correctly you have one quote for an SE designed wall at 18K and another quote for a non SE designed wall for 6K?

 

[Tuke]

sorry Fred I didn't make it clear. the first person I approached is a structural engineer and architect. who measured and designed the garden for me with five drawings showing the requirements and specifications. the drawings suggested builder to use either reinforced or unreinforced walls depending on builder's choice and I got quotes based on the five drawings from builders. quotes on excavation/muck away from several sources are about 7.5k. two builders gave me quotes on retaining wall building which are 6k for unreinforced walls and 1.8k for reinforced walls respectively. I am actually a little bit sceptic about the 6k quote given the scale of the project and safety of the unreinforced walls. but not sure 1.8k is a good quote.

 

[^woody^]

the drawings suggested builder to use either reinforced or unreinforced walls depending on builder's choice

LOL. What if he chooses to build a fence?

It either needs reinforcement or is does not, there is no choosing, and certainly no letting a builder choose.

I suspect that your enginner architect is one or the other or neither

Here is the concept - you decide what you want, the enginner designs what you need, and builders price for that - so that all the prices are comparable and they all price for the same things.

 

[wessex101]

A 2.2 metre high un-reinforced retaining wall? What construction has the "Archineer" specified?

 

[Tuke]

suggested 1.4 meter part can be unreinforced, the 2.2 part should be reinforced and have additional beams on top to create a cave underneath