ᐅ Costs for Retaining Wall Made of Formwork Blocks

guckuck2 schrieb:

He shouldn’t skimp and should extend the waterproofing all the way under the top plates if it’s going to be covered by soil.

Definitely. All parts in contact with the ground will be waterproofed.

guckuck2 schrieb:

How can you actually picture that visually? Covered by soil, that obviously needs to be supported so nothing falls down. Will there be a fence or guardrail on top?

True to the forum motto “a picture is worth a thousand words,” here is a rough sketch of the plan. I left out waterproofing and similar details. The double-wire mesh fence is always installed directly between the lawn edging stones on top of the formwork blocks. Whether there is a better solution, I still need to check. This was the spontaneous suggestion from the landscaper last night.

guckuck2 schrieb:

What does the back side (facing the neighbor?) look like? If it’s just the plain formwork blocks, someone should do some finishing on it… plaster, wood cladding, …

The property line is on a corner lot, so the back faces a green area where—at most—a street might run right next to our property (according to the city, it’s not even certain if the street will be built at all). I won’t plaster it extensively at first. Maybe we’ll do that later on.

netuser schrieb:

If you are skilled with DIY and generally not afraid of doing your own work, building the wall is definitely not rocket science and doesn’t really justify a high price. Mainly because no extraordinary expertise is needed, just perseverance.

Manufacturers and suppliers of formwork blocks offer, for example, structural engineering calculations and give very precise instructions on how the foundation should be built, which blocks to use for different heights, and what reinforcement bars are needed…

I have already looked into the structural design. The requirements for how much reinforcing steel to use and when are really clear. For me, it’s mainly about making the foundation with rental equipment like excavators or compactors, and making sure there are no voids in the concrete inside the formwork blocks. I wouldn’t say it’s about “wanting to spend” the money. I can easily imagine using the money for something else 😀

Strahleman schrieb:

For me, it's mainly about constructing the foundation and renting equipment like excavators or trench compactors, as well as ensuring there are no voids or honeycombs in the concrete blocks. I wouldn’t say I "want" to spend money here. I can easily imagine other ways to use the money 😀

Trench compactor? What would that be for? 🙂

Taking care of excavators and the like is a bit more involved, of course, unless your foundation contractor (or someone from the neighborhood) can handle it. On the other hand, the effort is manageable and can even be quite enjoyable in the end....

If you fill the formwork blocks row by row (or up to two rows, for example) yourself using a concrete mixer, the risk of voids or honeycombs in the concrete should be very low!?

Keep the fence in mind when considering the structural calculations from the manufacturer. What height do you want it to be, preferably with privacy slats?

Also, for the structural calculations, take into account that you are not creating the standard case, but that you will be adding 25 cm (10 inches) of additional soil above the actual wall.

Your plan is unlikely to meet the manufacturer’s standard structural specifications.

Strahleman schrieb:

But it would be my first formwork block wall, which is supposed to withstand the earth pressure from part of our property right away. That makes me a bit uneasy, as I’m worried the wall could collapse after a few years if I made a mistake somewhere.

I don’t see the anchor in the drawing. If this thing falls, it will topple lengthwise, like a tree.

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

Osnabruecker schrieb:

Keep the fence in mind when considering the structural calculations from the manufacturer.
What height are you planning, and ideally with privacy slats?

Also, when doing the structural calculation, consider that you’re not dealing with a standard case but adding an extra 25cm (10 inches) of soil above the actual wall.

Your plan probably won’t meet the manufacturer’s standard structural specifications.

In the structural table I have, there is a case with a slope over the formwork blocks (<30°) and a loaded area, for example, a parking lot. All versions use the same number of reinforcement bars in the wall (2 pieces of 8mm horizontally, 4 pieces of 8mm vertically). However, I would definitely have the landscaper double-check it before starting work.

11ant schrieb:

I don’t see any anchors in the drawing. If that thing falls over, it will topple lengthwise, like a tree.

Anchors are, of course, planned. I just left them out to show the general structure of the wall with the lawn edging stone. The formwork blocks will have reinforcement bars both horizontally and vertically, with the vertical bars extending into the foundation (at least 50cm (20 inches) deep).

Stupid question, but how are the lawn edging stones supposed to be fixed in place?