Retaining Wall Issue

[jaspn]

I have my eye on a property and aren't far from starting negotiations. However I've run into a small wall - pardon the pun. The strata unit is 8.5m in width with a retaining wall running along the back fence, which extends another 8.5m into the next strata property, so a total of 17m. I estimate it's 50-75cm high. The wall has quite a bad lean and needs repairing to be safe. See photo.

I've been told by the body corp management company it's probably an issue for the owners, and not the BC, as it's on both owners property and not the boundary or common grounds. I'm just awaiting confirmation on that one. So it appears the buyer (me) will have to share the cost with the owner of the other unit to replace it. I really have no idea what it'd cost to repair so I can't make an offer until I have at least an estimate. I've contacted three local landscapers and currently waiting to her back. Time is of the essence so it's a bit of a stressful one. Has anybody had any similar issues? What figure would you put on repairs?

 

[The Fence]

I can count 3 full blocks high plus the capping so that's 650mm high.

Need much more info/photos before can give an estimate.

Things like how long the wall is, what's it holding up, access to the site etc etc.

Best to wait for your quotes to come in but I dare say it wont be pretty.

There is no "repairing", it's a knockdown/re-build and that fence just may go with it.

That's from what I can see at this stage anyway.

 

[maloo]

200 series $5 or so to lay = 130*5=$650
caps $5 or so to lay =42*= $210

So allow maybe $1000 on just the blocklayer

Demo do it yourself-----tip fees and the likes

Supply blocks and caps- $3 a piece + delivery = $600
Supply sand, cement - =$200

I would imagine you have to ask yourself why it failed in the first place. This is where cost could increase. Maybe moisture behind so on the new build seal the blocks and put some slotted agi pipe to help fight the water/moisture.

Maybe they need to be core filled? So starter bars drilled in to your footings rio added to help cope with the weight it is retaining. $$$$

Maybe the footings are trash and have collapsed? $$$$


Like the previous bloke said hard to price something up from a photo. But my rough estimates above are relevant to what I can see.

You may well find a bricklayer in QLD cheaper than what I have quoted above.........this is what is charged in and around the ACT.

 

[handyandy]

The reality is that you can just repair your section and leave the other unit owner to do what they want.

I would think that it won't be a strata issue unless there are also strata units at the back of you. Even then in one TH complex I own in they have excluded our back steps because the strata plan didn't include that in the outline.

Cheers

 

[Scott No Mates]

As pointed out above, the wall will require demolition but the cause will need to be determined eg poor drainage, trees, load on the other side of the fence etc.

Generally, if it is only holding back dirt/next door gardens, and the wall is below 1m it will not require an engineer's design and may be erected by a landscaper or bricklayer. The new wall will require drainage (ag drain or similar).

As the owner of the land below the property, you may have to foot the entire bill as the other owner enjoys a right to support of his land. The adjoining owner would have to pay half of the fencing cost.

 

[twobobsworth]

$5000 - $6000.

 

[The Fence]

Not sure about QLD but some (if not all) councils in NSW have a need for engineering for anything over 600m high.

And, you can see why in the photo.

It really needs investigsting on site to determine the best action to take.

 

[datto]

Insufficient or lack of footing. this will cost $.

 

[jaspn]

I've held off on negotiations until I can obtain a clearer answer on costings. I've received an estimate for a local landscaper - 15k assuming an excavator can be used, 17k if a dingo/bobcat has to be used, which would be the case.

The old wall has to be ripped out and replaced with a new wall with proper support and drainage. The fence needs to be replaced. This was only an estimate and not a quote.

If it were around 5k the figures still would have looked okay. At potentially three times that, they don't. I'd say this is why the property is still on the market so I'm looking at others in the same area.

 

[The Fence]

Makes a lotta sense...