Any practical people out there ? Advice required.

[Peter Armstrong]

Im on the fence with this one..

 

[Radchenister]

I fall on the side of the occupant .... wahwahwahwaaaaaah ..

 

[Spinney]

There's a lot to be said for the kind of fence that has loose panels that slot into concrete posts (as opposed to being fastened to the posts). A gale might blow out the panel but is less likely to damage the post itself, and the panels are relatively cheap and easy to replace, unlike digging out the foundation of the post and setting a new one in.

Would be interested to know the eventual outcome...

 

[MacB]

There's a lot to be said for the kind of fence that has loose panels that slot into concrete posts (as opposed to being fastened to the posts). A gale might blow out the panel but is less likely to damage the post itself, and the panels are relatively cheap and easy to replace, unlike digging out the foundation of the post and setting a new one in.

That's what we did along with concrete baseboards, it's not foolproof thanks to a neighbour attaching so many plants to his side that I couldn't lift a panel when it went down. But the posts were ok, the panel is replaced and we have an 'understanding' about not screwing hooks into my fence for his plants to climb on.

 

[pubrunner]

Ta for all the advice fellas - what a great forum this is !

The NHBC Claims Dept., suggested that I contact my house insurance company . . . . . . . but I'd put money on this sort of thing being outside their range of cover.

 

[Spinney]

Probably, but worth asking.

 

[ASC1951]

Unless your deeds say something else, Pubrunner - and they might - the legal presumption is that a retaining wall belongs to and is the responsibility of the land it retains. If the fence above it was built at the same time, the assumption again is that it goes with the ownership of the wall below. And another assumption is that the good side of a fence is on the owner's side, because the fence posts usually go on the boundary and the fence is fastened to it by the owner from his own side.
The easiest way to check what your deeds say is to download a copy direct from the Land Registry here http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/public/online-services £3 for a copy of the registers and £3 for the title plan (which may but won't always show boundary ownerships).

On a practical point, a solid fence in that location with those mountings is never going to stand up to every gale. The sensible solution is not to strengthen the mountings but to reduce the load by perforating the fence.

 

[fossyant]

How practical are you ? Wouldn't be too tricky to dig a hole and sink a fence post in at the end and you can fill with the instant fence post concrete (fill hole with water, pour in, stir and let set). And I'm sure you could repair that bit of wall.

PS I've got my fingers crossed my fence doesn't fall to bits. Usual concrete posts with panels, but one panel has rotted quite badly behind some climbing ivy, and it's the ivy holding one end together. Been in 18 years though. Only issue is they are 8 foot panels, so would need making to order.

 

[rich p]

What Fossy says. It's not worth getting your knickers in a twist for a £30 repair job. Dig a hole 14" square, 18" deep, position new, longer fence post in it, pour in half a bag of dry postcrete, add water, stir, add the rest of the mix and water again. Solid in no time.

 

[Radchenister]

Which is pretty much where we ended up after a phone chat, except it needs more than half a bag .

PS - existing post going back up.

 

[rich p]

Which is pretty much where we ended up after a phone chat, except it needs more than half a bag .

PS - existing post going back up.

...did you miss, "add the rest of the mix"

 

[Radchenister]

I'm from the school of 'that's not going anywhere' engineering!

 

[Archie_tect]

Problem identified from the photos is that the retaining wall concrete block core doesn't extend to the end of the retaining wall structure so it is defective... straight back to the NHBC with the photos to show them and demand the retaining wall is constructed fully to the end of the plot as you can demonstrate that where the posts are bolted direct to the concrete block core the fence is still intact so it isn't the wind affecting the fence along it's length which it would if it was just the wind strength alone, its the post fixing to the defective part which has failed where it is solely a 215mm wide brick retaining wall...

 

[snorri]

When a wooden post that has been set in concrete rots, it can be a struggle getting the stump of the post out of the concrete. You may have to remove the lump of concrete too. Better to put a longer post deeper in the ground, I think.

 

[ayceejay]

The wall is not adequate for the job. It looks like it is 3 feet plus high and made from 4" concrete blocks faced with bricks (another 4") the wall is further compromised by having a fence fixed to it and not anchored in the ground therefore guaranteed to blow over (leverage and all that). Furthermore: the discolouring of the bricks suggests that there is no drainage or geo-textile behind the wall.
Perhaps rebuilding entirely is not an option even if it is the best solution, what I would suggest is that you have battered brick piers built, perhaps at every other post making sure that these have a proper footing and perhaps re-enforcing. Whoever does the work should give you a contract stating exactly what they will do and what guarantee, any repair that follows the existing pattern will have the same result.