Retaining walls that hold

Why retaining walls fail

Most walls that lean or crack fail for the same reason: water building up behind them. We build every wall on a footing sized to the job, with an ag pipe at the base and free-draining gravel behind it, so the pressure has somewhere to go.

Walls we build

Sandstone and natural stone walls

Sandstone suits Sydney like nothing else. It can be laid as split blocks, sawn blocks or rough-faced boulders, and it ages well. It’s heavy and strong, which makes it a good choice for taller walls and terraces when it sits on a proper footing.

Rendered block walls

Reinforced concrete block walls, core-filled and rendered to match the house. They give a clean, modern finish and can be built to a height an engineer specifies.

Sleeper walls

Concrete or timber sleepers between steel posts set in concrete. Concrete sleepers come in timber-look and stone-look finishes and won’t rot. Sleeper walls are a cost-effective choice for lower walls and long runs.

Garden and planter walls

Low walls that edge garden beds, create raised planters or seats, and tidy up level changes around paving and lawn.

Terracing for sloping blocks

A series of lower walls instead of one tall one. Terracing turns a steep block into level, usable areas for lawn, garden beds and entertaining, and lower walls are often simpler to approve and build.

How we build a retaining wall

1. Set out and levels. The wall line, finished heights and what sits above and below it are confirmed first.
2. Excavation. Digging out for the footing and the drainage zone behind the wall.
3. Footing. Concrete footing sized for the wall’s height and what it holds back.
4. The wall. Stone, block or sleepers built to line and level.
5. Drainage. Ag pipe at the base, wrapped in geotextile fabric, with free-draining gravel behind the wall, connected to a proper discharge point.
6. Backfill and finish. Compacted backfill, capping, render or planting, and the area around the wall made good.

Height, approvals and engineering

Low garden walls usually don’t need approval. Taller walls, walls close to a boundary, and walls that hold up a driveway, a building or a pool often need an engineer’s design and council or certifier approval. The rules depend on the height, where the wall sits and what’s above it. We’ll tell you at the site visit what applies to your wall, and arrange the engineering when it’s needed.

Fixing or replacing a failing wall

Signs a wall is in trouble:

• Leaning or bulging out at the face
• Cracks through the blocks, render or mortar
• Water seeping out at the base after rain
• Gaps opening between the wall and the ground above
• Rotting or bowing timber sleepers

Some walls can be repaired, for example by adding drainage behind them. Others need rebuilding. We’ll tell you which, and why.

What affects the price

• The height and length of the wall
• The material: sandstone, rendered block or sleepers
• Access for machinery and materials
• How much soil has to be dug out and taken away
• Drainage, and where it can discharge
• Whether an engineer’s design or approval is needed

Every quote is itemised, so you can see where the money goes.

Part of the bigger picture

A wall changes the levels around it. We plan the steps, paving, drainage and planting next to it, so the whole area works together.