Friday, May 21, 2010

Build over existing retaining wall?

We have a cinder block wall about 50 feet long by 3-4 feet high as a retainer. The wall has been leaning forward for several years. We talked to our landscape person and he said he could put a river rock retainer with concrete over the existing cinder block wall to hold the old wall in place and give it some opposing resistance. The river rock retainer will also be dug down 1 or 1 1/2 feet with under the ground foundation. We went to his house and he showed that he did it with his old cinder block wall and it looks incredible. In your opinion, do you think that this is okay to do. Is there anything we should make sure of before we do this? We dont want to spend 20K ripping the old one out when we could just retain this one with the new river rock wall. Also, the wall had a bunch of oleanders on it and other trees which we are having taken out as we speak.

Build over existing retaining wall?
My Grandfather with my brothers help built over a retaining wall. At the base they made it about 3 feet thick then tapered it thinner as it went up. We live in Earthquake prone California. The building inspector said it would take a quake large enough to level the entire town before that wall could ever sustain damage.
Reply:The wall was built in 1965-in San Fernando, CA. and was not damaged in the 1971 earthquake centered in Sylmar (2 miles away) or the 1994 Northridge quake. It is still doing the job with no damage to this date. Report It

Reply:sounds like he know what he's doing.
Reply:I believe that this could be done and have a fine result. You just make certain that your contractor is licensed and insured.

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