ᐅ Plot with a change in ground level – boundary wall between neighbors – foundation?
Created on: 10 Jul 2017 19:20
D
DReffects
Hello!
I hope this is roughly the correct section for my question; if not, please feel free to move it.
Situation:
The neighbor’s plot is significantly higher than mine, and their garage was built just 20cm (8 inches) from the property line. Since the development plan actually requires that there be no sudden changes in ground level, the neighbor should have compensated for the height difference with a slope at about 45°. My garden level means there would be a roughly 1.5m (5 feet) wide slope here—of course, at the expense of their plot. So, we agreed that instead of the slope (and demolishing part of the garage...), the neighbor must build a retaining wall on the property line, which also ensures that drainage happens where it’s supposed to.
We have not yet set the final ground level on our side; we plan to lower it by about 70cm (28 inches). Now, the neighbor has dug a trench along the property line, poured concrete into it, and is building a wall on this foundation using hollow blocks that they also plan to fill with concrete later.
If I remove about 70cm (28 inches) of soil on my side, this will expose all but 30cm (12 inches) of their foundation. From my point of view, 30cm (12 inches) is not enough to support a roughly 1.8m (6 feet) high wall along with the adjacent garage and garden.
The neighbor disagrees. Therefore, my question: is there an online calculator somewhere that can determine the required foundation depth? I would rather not have the neighbor’s wall collapse on my children in a year... My construction company has also expressed concerns and does not want to carry out any further earthworks until the wall issue is resolved.
Thank you
I hope this is roughly the correct section for my question; if not, please feel free to move it.
Situation:
The neighbor’s plot is significantly higher than mine, and their garage was built just 20cm (8 inches) from the property line. Since the development plan actually requires that there be no sudden changes in ground level, the neighbor should have compensated for the height difference with a slope at about 45°. My garden level means there would be a roughly 1.5m (5 feet) wide slope here—of course, at the expense of their plot. So, we agreed that instead of the slope (and demolishing part of the garage...), the neighbor must build a retaining wall on the property line, which also ensures that drainage happens where it’s supposed to.
We have not yet set the final ground level on our side; we plan to lower it by about 70cm (28 inches). Now, the neighbor has dug a trench along the property line, poured concrete into it, and is building a wall on this foundation using hollow blocks that they also plan to fill with concrete later.
If I remove about 70cm (28 inches) of soil on my side, this will expose all but 30cm (12 inches) of their foundation. From my point of view, 30cm (12 inches) is not enough to support a roughly 1.8m (6 feet) high wall along with the adjacent garage and garden.
The neighbor disagrees. Therefore, my question: is there an online calculator somewhere that can determine the required foundation depth? I would rather not have the neighbor’s wall collapse on my children in a year... My construction company has also expressed concerns and does not want to carry out any further earthworks until the wall issue is resolved.
Thank you
Alex85 schrieb:
The general consensus seems to be that it will collapse soon.
So what is the concrete advice for the original poster? What can they do?
Go straight to the authorities and report it?Regarding the garage, I assume it was approved, built accordingly, and has additional pile foundations in this location. I suspect the wall to be an unauthorized structure from an official standpoint. If the garage is stable, the wall will probably hold as well—unless there is frost damage to the foundation. If the garage is unstable, the ground beneath the exposed area will settle, causing the wall to tilt. How severe this is depends on the soil conditions, precipitation, and frost. It could be that frost damages the foundation and the wall slips off. Or it could simply tilt by about four centimeters (1.5 inches) at the top edge over twenty years.
If the original poster now underpins the foundation or drives piles in front of the wall, the wall could be damaged in the process, and then they would be held responsible.
One option on their side would be to slope the foundation (possibly with an insulation layer) away from the wall.
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Now I understand it.
To make sure he understands it too, you would probably need to move the temporarily piled-up earth aside.
Warn your children about this area and then, the two of you should take another look at the wall—hoping that it doesn’t tip over immediately.
Best regards in brief
To make sure he understands it too, you would probably need to move the temporarily piled-up earth aside.
Warn your children about this area and then, the two of you should take another look at the wall—hoping that it doesn’t tip over immediately.
Best regards in brief
toxicmolotow schrieb:
Can you remove that pile of soil there with relatively little effort (maybe a small excavator on site)? That should open everyone’s eyes.
Is the garage already built?Everything is already there.
11ant schrieb:
I really hope the basic drawing is incomplete at this point. If the garage in this location only has strip foundations, I can see it soon leaning downhill. I only saw it "from the outside," but that’s how it looks to me.
Alex85 schrieb:
The impression is that it’s going to collapse soon.
What is the specific advice for the original poster? What can they do?
Go directly to the authorities and report it? I’d rather not report it—I want to handle this properly.
tomtom79 schrieb:
Talk to the neighbor, get a structural engineer involved, and if that doesn’t help, go to the building authority. Thanks for the tip!11ant schrieb:
Regarding the garage, I assume it is permitted, built accordingly, and in this location has additional pile foundations.
I suspect the wall is an unauthorized structure from the official perspective. If the garage is stable, the wall probably will be too—unless frost damages the foundation.
If the garage is not stable, the ground where it’s unsupported will settle and the wall will start to lean. How severe that is depends on soil conditions, rainfall, and frost. Frost may damage the foundation and cause the wall to slip off. It might also just lean at the top by four centimeters (about 1.5 inches) over twenty years.
If the original poster now tries to underpin the foundation or drive piles in front of the wall, it might get damaged and then the poster would be blamed. The building application was submitted and approved as a free-standing structure. I don’t want to install any posts on my side now to support the neighbor’s garage. It’s really not my responsibility. I’m also concerned about the risks involved.
ypg schrieb:
Now I understand.
To make sure they understand, you’d probably have to move the temporarily stored soil pile aside.
Warn your children about this area and then, together, take another look at the wall—hoping it doesn’t fall over immediately.
Best regards Right now, I don’t want to touch my soil with a ten-foot pole. The foundation was poured without formwork, and at least half of the concrete at the top edge is on my property. If I use an excavator on it, I might accidentally take the whole wall down.
Our construction company has also said they will only go up to 1.5m (5 feet) close to the wall at most.
DReffects schrieb:
The building application was submitted as a detached building and was approved accordingly. This also involves plans that must be followed. Less foundation than in the plan is immediately unauthorized construction – the approved scope was something different.
DReffects schrieb:
And here again, I am somewhat concerned about the risk. Exactly, your jackhammer might cause more crumbling than the frost.
Do you possibly share another common language besides German, such as sports or music, so that after the eighth round he might understand what you mean?
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11ant schrieb:
This also happens with plans that must be followed. Less foundation than in the plan equals illegal construction – something else was approved. Exactly, your jackhammer might crumble more than the frost The submitted plan specified a foundation for the garage of 110cm (43 inches), with about 30cm (12 inches) below ground level. On the side facing me, the rest of the garage foundation is exposed. The plan comes from an architectural firm. Somehow, I get the impression they are not aware that there is no soil next to the foundation. In my opinion, the garage is also built about 60cm (24 inches) too high. But oh well.
Do you possibly share a different common language better than German, such as sports or music or something similar, so that after the eighth round he understood what you meant? That’s an interesting approach! I will look into that.
DReffects schrieb:
That is an interesting approach! I will look into it. Maybe you are also a bit handy and could help him a little with his building? - that way you would surely gain a fellow self-builder.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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