ᐅ From what height difference are L-shaped retaining walls / barriers required?
Created on: 1 Jan 2017 22:10
H
Henrik0817123
Hello everyone,
We are currently planning the groundwork on our purchased plot, and one of the questions is whether the terrace should be level with the house floor or if there should be steps leading down. We would prefer to raise the entire garden, including the terrace, as high as possible since a lot of topsoil will be excavated during the groundwork and can then be redistributed. Also, the house sits relatively high, so raising the terrain makes sense if everything—floor, terrace, garden—can be on the same level.
However, this would make our plot higher than the neighboring property, and I would like to know up to which height difference work can be done “simply and cost-effectively,” and from when it becomes more complicated, for example requiring L-shaped retaining walls.
Alternatively, two levels could be created so that the terrace is still at the same level as the house (referring to the finished floor level), and from the terrace a step down leads to a second level that aligns with the neighbor’s property height. This would mean some topsoil still needs to be removed, but it might be cheaper than raising everything and using many retaining walls.
Here are a few numbers for a better idea of the heights:
Finished floor level: 62.46
Current ground level in terrace area: 61.47
Height at boundary with neighbor: 62.20
Of course, the whole situation is more complex, and the groundworker and later the landscaper will need to plan and measure in detail, and there are more sides of the house involved. But I just want a rough idea as this is important for the groundwork as a basic terrace preparation—whether the terrace will be at a height that allows a step-free exit from the house or if there will initially be a significant step down. We want to avoid steps for aesthetic, practical, and other reasons, especially since the house is quite high and there will be a lot of topsoil available to potentially raise the entire garden to this level.
Thank you and best regards!
We are currently planning the groundwork on our purchased plot, and one of the questions is whether the terrace should be level with the house floor or if there should be steps leading down. We would prefer to raise the entire garden, including the terrace, as high as possible since a lot of topsoil will be excavated during the groundwork and can then be redistributed. Also, the house sits relatively high, so raising the terrain makes sense if everything—floor, terrace, garden—can be on the same level.
However, this would make our plot higher than the neighboring property, and I would like to know up to which height difference work can be done “simply and cost-effectively,” and from when it becomes more complicated, for example requiring L-shaped retaining walls.
Alternatively, two levels could be created so that the terrace is still at the same level as the house (referring to the finished floor level), and from the terrace a step down leads to a second level that aligns with the neighbor’s property height. This would mean some topsoil still needs to be removed, but it might be cheaper than raising everything and using many retaining walls.
Here are a few numbers for a better idea of the heights:
Finished floor level: 62.46
Current ground level in terrace area: 61.47
Height at boundary with neighbor: 62.20
Of course, the whole situation is more complex, and the groundworker and later the landscaper will need to plan and measure in detail, and there are more sides of the house involved. But I just want a rough idea as this is important for the groundwork as a basic terrace preparation—whether the terrace will be at a height that allows a step-free exit from the house or if there will initially be a significant step down. We want to avoid steps for aesthetic, practical, and other reasons, especially since the house is quite high and there will be a lot of topsoil available to potentially raise the entire garden to this level.
Thank you and best regards!