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Topic:   Retaining wall - 260 visits (1 today, 2 this week)

Martin lehman
Member


Posts: 86
From:SAN DIEGO, CA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted July 26, 2005 03:43 PM            

This brand new 8ft. wall holds down a giant hillside right behind a brand new home.

It has a lare gutter around the entire area on top of the hill and it is protected by a water proof membrane and plastic and there are also drains underground.

It doesnt have any weep holes and it has nails in it near the bottom-- what is going on here?
Does it need to have weep holes?

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[This message has been edited by Martin lehman (edited July 26, 2005).]

Scott Patterson
Member



Posts: 2564
From:Ridgeland (Jackson), MS
Registered: Mar 2001

posted July 26, 2005 04:15 PM            

The way Y'alls hillsides slide around I would be hard pressed to give any opinion on a retaining wall with a hill behind it like that.

If you cut into a hill nature is going to try her best to fill in that cut!

Jerry Peck
Member



Posts: 5776
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted July 26, 2005 04:26 PM            

That's the time to recommend a soils engineer to either give their blessing or say "What were those guys thinking?!"

I would explain to my client that, "especially here in this area, dem tar hills gotz a tendency ta want to git to do bottom o' da hill, think "mud slide" and the house is a gonner."

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Jerry Peck
South Florida

Martin lehman
Member


Posts: 86
From:SAN DIEGO, CA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted July 26, 2005 04:54 PM            

Yeah, I think I will go ahead and recommend an engineer for that.

There was also a couple of bent posts in the crawl space and even one peir without a post!

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Rick Hurst
Member



Posts: 3164
From:Rowlett, TX
Registered: Oct 2003

posted July 26, 2005 05:20 PM            

Just looking at the size of those rocks embedded in the side of the soil in Picture 4, that retaining wall is not going to hold those back not matter what. Engineered or not.

Rick

Richard Rushing
Member



Posts: 2474
From:Duncanville, Tx.
Registered: Oct 2003

posted July 26, 2005 06:14 PM            

Yeah... what Rick said.

Try rolling one of them babies down the hill and see what happens.

Can you say, "Failed under testing"

RR

Jerry Peck
Member



Posts: 5776
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted July 26, 2005 08:07 PM            

I keep looking at that photo and thinking "I'd want at least as much space between the house and the wall as the wall is high ... and then some."

In the first photo, is that a case of the measles on that house?

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Jerry Peck
South Florida

Susan Cieslewicz
Member



Posts: 1455
From:Lake Villa, Il
Registered: Sep 2002

posted July 26, 2005 08:28 PM            

Martin,

Personally, I think it's best to have an engineer (or someone equally qualified) design any retaining wall over 4' in height. Chances are if it looks scary it probably is; just get a qualified blessing of it!!

Sue

Now that is one angle of repose!!! I have to confess that I only looked at a couple of the pictures before posting. I agree with Jerry; I'd want some distance between my house and that wall. That most definitely should have been engineered!!!!!! Very nice pictures!!

[This message has been edited by Susan Cieslewicz (edited July 26, 2005).]

Rick Hurst
Member



Posts: 3164
From:Rowlett, TX
Registered: Oct 2003

posted July 26, 2005 09:52 PM            

Jerry,

In picture 1 the walls are spotted. Wonder why?

Also I noticed in the same picture, it appears the dryer vent is within (4 ft.) of the condensing unit.

Just Observing,
Rick

Martin lehman
Member


Posts: 86
From:SAN DIEGO, CA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted July 27, 2005 06:52 AM            

The spotting on the walls is just the style of stucco.

In certain sections of the back yard(if you can call it a yard)the wall is about 5ft from the house, and the wall is at least 7 to 8ft high.

The hill is quite steep as you can tell. The home is half on a slab and half on pier and beam.

Rick Hurst
Member



Posts: 3164
From:Rowlett, TX
Registered: Oct 2003

posted July 27, 2005 10:09 AM            

And will be half way down the hill in the future. Maybe.

Rick Hurst
Member



Posts: 3164
From:Rowlett, TX
Registered: Oct 2003

posted July 27, 2005 11:40 AM            

You want a home with a view, check this out.

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Richard Moore
Member



Posts: 1064
From:Seattle, WA
Registered: Feb 2003

posted July 27, 2005 01:50 PM            

Wow Rick! That has to be one of the prettier areas of Dallas.

RM

Scott Patterson
Member



Posts: 2564
From:Ridgeland (Jackson), MS
Registered: Mar 2001

posted July 27, 2005 01:59 PM            

That must be North Dallas!

Rick Hurst
Member



Posts: 3164
From:Rowlett, TX
Registered: Oct 2003

posted July 27, 2005 04:16 PM            

No, thats just looking out my office window here in Rowlett TX.

That big bunch of rocks just heaved up overnight.

Looks like we had a little snow last night too.

Rick

Martin lehman
Member


Posts: 86
From:SAN DIEGO, CA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted July 28, 2005 06:57 AM            

Barry,

We sure dont see too much rain here in SD, however, this past rain season was a record breaker. There were quite a few houses lost to soil erosion.

The soil in many parts around here tends to be clay--very expansive and when we get a big rain, houses start to fall into the ocean or into other houses.