Consumer Homes.

Question:

I’m not a wall expert <g>.  How about talking to some local contractors with experience under your conditions. Soil conditions will count for a lot.  Does it freeze where you live?  Frost-heaving can ruin a stone wall in short order.  Will the runoff erode the area and cause early collapse of any type wall? Look at any reassurances from the builder with a jaundiced eye; he won’t be around in 10 yrs when things go wrong. Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > If the wall is on my property, I will be the one maintaining it.  Any > idea how long these walls last and how much it may cost to replace? > It’ll be about 80 feet long.  Maybe I can push the builder for a stone > wall. > Leo > I have another question (rather than an answer <g>): > Who will maintain the wall when it buckles/rots, > as it probably will.  Sounds like if they put it on your > property, it will be yours to keep up forever. > Jim > > I’ve purchased a new home in a new subdivision, and have a lot which > > on the left side borders property outside the subdivision.  There is 8 > > feet between my home and the edge of my lot.  There is another 3 foot > > wide strip of community property which runs along the entire left side > > of my lot. > > The builder offered $2000 in screening to put between my lot and the > > property next to mine.  They have just notified me that they need to > > put up a 2 foot wood retaining wall for stormwater runoff purposes. > > They are planning to put it on my property. > > I had planned to have screening put in on the community property close > > to my property (almost right on the line) so it wouldn’t be too close > > to the house. This no longer seems feasible with the retaining wall in > > the way. If I put the screening in the community property will the > > roots harm the retaining wall? > > If I put the screening on my property it would be close to or in a > > drainage swale – is it feasible to plant trees there or would there be > > too much water?  It would also be close to my home. > > How about a stone retaining wall? > > Any suggestions would be welcome. > > Leo

Response:

Is your land lower than the neighboring property? If so, research whether that 3 foot strip provides enough room to properly install deadman anchors for a wooden wall. For a clear discussion of stone wall guidelines, see http://www.madisonblockandstone.com/landscape/sitemapretaining.html Don – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’m not a wall expert <g>.  How about talking to some local > contractors with experience under your conditions. > Soil conditions will count for a lot.  Does it freeze > where you live?  Frost-heaving can ruin a stone wall > in short order.  Will the runoff erode the area and cause > early collapse of any type wall? > Look at any reassurances from the builder with a jaundiced eye; > he won’t be around in 10 yrs when things go wrong. > Jim > If the wall is on my property, I will be the one maintaining it.  Any > idea how long these walls last and how much it may cost to replace? > It’ll be about 80 feet long.  Maybe I can push the builder for a stone > wall. > Leo > > I have another question (rather than an answer <g>): > > Who will maintain the wall when it buckles/rots, > > as it probably will.  Sounds like if they put it on your > > property, it will be yours to keep up forever. > > Jim > > > I’ve purchased a new home in a new subdivision, and have a lot which > > > on the left side borders property outside the subdivision.  There is 8 > > > feet between my home and the edge of my lot.  There is another 3 foot > > > wide strip of community property which runs along the entire left side > > > of my lot. > > > The builder offered $2000 in screening to put between my lot and the > > > property next to mine.  They have just notified me that they need to > > > put up a 2 foot wood retaining wall for stormwater runoff purposes. > > > They are planning to put it on my property. > > > I had planned to have screening put in on the community property close > > > to my property (almost right on the line) so it wouldn’t be too close > > > to the house. This no longer seems feasible with the retaining wall in > > > the way. If I put the screening in the community property will the > > > roots harm the retaining wall? > > > If I put the screening on my property it would be close to or in a > > > drainage swale – is it feasible to plant trees there or would there be > > > too much water?  It would also be close to my home. > > > How about a stone retaining wall? > > > Any suggestions would be welcome. > > > Leo

– To reply by email, remove the postage.

Response:

If the wall is on my property, I will be the one maintaining it.  Any idea how long these walls last and how much it may cost to replace? It’ll be about 80 feet long.  Maybe I can push the builder for a stone wall. Leo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have another question (rather than an answer <g>): > Who will maintain the wall when it buckles/rots, > as it probably will.  Sounds like if they put it on your > property, it will be yours to keep up forever. > Jim > I’ve purchased a new home in a new subdivision, and have a lot which > on the left side borders property outside the subdivision.  There is 8 > feet between my home and the edge of my lot.  There is another 3 foot > wide strip of community property which runs along the entire left side > of my lot. > The builder offered $2000 in screening to put between my lot and the > property next to mine.  They have just notified me that they need to > put up a 2 foot wood retaining wall for stormwater runoff purposes. > They are planning to put it on my property. > I had planned to have screening put in on the community property close > to my property (almost right on the line) so it wouldn’t be too close > to the house. This no longer seems feasible with the retaining wall in > the way. If I put the screening in the community property will the > roots harm the retaining wall? > If I put the screening on my property it would be close to or in a > drainage swale – is it feasible to plant trees there or would there be > too much water?  It would also be close to my home. > How about a stone retaining wall? > Any suggestions would be welcome. > Leo

Response:

I’ve purchased a new home in a new subdivision, and have a lot which on the left side borders property outside the subdivision.  There is 8 feet between my home and the edge of my lot.  There is another 3 foot wide strip of community property which runs along the entire left side of my lot. The builder offered $2000 in screening to put between my lot and the property next to mine.  They have just notified me that they need to put up a 2 foot wood retaining wall for stormwater runoff purposes. They are planning to put it on my property. I had planned to have screening put in on the community property close to my property (almost right on the line) so it wouldn’t be too close to the house. This no longer seems feasible with the retaining wall in the way. If I put the screening in the community property will the roots harm the retaining wall? If I put the screening on my property it would be close to or in a drainage swale – is it feasible to plant trees there or would there be too much water?  It would also be close to my home. How about a stone retaining wall? Any suggestions would be welcome. Leo

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’ve purchased a new home in a new subdivision, and have a lot which > on the left side borders property outside the subdivision.  There is 8 > feet between my home and the edge of my lot.  There is another 3 foot > wide strip of community property which runs along the entire left side > of my lot. > The builder offered $2000 in screening to put between my lot and the > property next to mine.  They have just notified me that they need to > put up a 2 foot wood retaining wall for stormwater runoff purposes. > They are planning to put it on my property. > I had planned to have screening put in on the community property close > to my property (almost right on the line) so it wouldn’t be too close > to the house. This no longer seems feasible with the retaining wall in > the way. If I put the screening in the community property will the > roots harm the retaining wall? > If I put the screening on my property it would be close to or in a > drainage swale – is it feasible to plant trees there or would there be > too much water?  It would also be close to my home. > How about a stone retaining wall? > Any suggestions would be welcome. > Leo

I have another question (rather than an answer <g>): Who will maintain the wall when it buckles/rots, as it probably will.  Sounds like if they put it on your property, it will be yours to keep up forever. Jim

Response: