A bit early I know but as the Spring comes were starting to think about outdoor maintenance jobs on our house. Andy Hayes from Andy Hayes Construction gave me some tips on what to look out for if your retaining wall needs some attention. The first thing he told me was that climate change has disturbed the balance of some old retaining walls, the soil is now more subject to drying out or being very wet which increases pressures on the retaining wall.
If your wall needs attention here are some pointers to make sure it is done correctly.
First it is important to understand why the wall has become damaged so any necessary work to prevent future problems can be undertaken.
The next step is to consider the drainage. Good drainage is absolutely paramount to ensure long term good results.
Thirdly Good footings need to be dug, in general this depends on the condition of the ground but they should be around one metre deep.
Fourthly, Build the backing wall, this is normally done with breeze blocks.
Fifthly. Tank the back wall (this may as well be a foreign language to me but apparently it means ensuring all the water drains away down a soakaway or through weep holes)
Finally the front of the wall can be rebuilt.
If all these steps are taken then you can be sure that your newly built wall will stand the test of time.
Andy is an expert at retaining wall work if you want to find out more about him and read what people say about him then click here
