Retaining Walls in Mount Ousley

Yes, steep-block work is exactly what we do on the escarpment. We cut into the high side, build up the low side, and hold the soil with structural walls to create a level yard, driveway or building pad. On the steepest falls we build tiered, stepped walls rather than one tall wall, which is more practical and easier to engineer and approve. We assess the slope and soil at the free quote and design the retaining to suit how you want to use the block.

Almost always. Structural walls, tiered walls, walls over about 1 metre, and any wall carrying a surcharge such as a driveway generally need engineering design to AS4678 and often council approval or a Complying Development Certificate via a certifier. On Mount Ousley's steep ground most walls are structural and fall into this category. We build to the engineered design and can advise on arranging the engineer and certifier; they design and approve it, we construct to that design.

Because the escarpment sheds heavy runoff and the steep ground moves water fast, drainage is critical here. Water trapped behind a wall builds hydrostatic pressure, the number-one cause of walls failing, and on such steep blocks a failure can be serious. We install an agi drain, free-draining aggregate, geofabric and weep holes on every wall so water is carried away rather than held behind it. On escarpment sites, the drainage is as important as the structure.

Cut-and-fill means excavating soil from the high side of a sloping block and using it, or engineered fill, to build up the low side, then retaining both with walls to create level ground. On Mount Ousley's steep blocks it is usually the only way to win a usable yard, driveway or building pad. The cut and the fill each need proper retaining and drainage, and often an engineered design. We plan the cut-and-fill to suit your slope at the quote.

Concrete sleeper with galvanised steel H-posts is a durable, cost-effective system for steep structural walls, and taller walls often use segmental block, such as Versaloc or Allan Block, with geogrid soil reinforcement for extra strength. Sandstone and gabion suit the natural escarpment setting and drain freely. Timber sleeper is cheaper but has a shorter service life and is less suited to tall structural work on this terrain. We match the material to the slope, load and budget.

Steep, structural and tiered walls vary widely in price, driven by height, length, material, engineering, drainage and how accessible the site is, and access on steep escarpment blocks can add to the work. A guide figure would be misleading on ground this demanding. The accurate price comes from a free on-site measure and quote where we assess the slope and soil. Call 0407 204 572 to arrange one.