Any practical people out there ? Advice required.

[Archie_tect]

It's 10 courses high up to the coping brick so the change of ground level looks to be 750, on the limit for a 215 thick wall, we'd normally be advised by engineers to not exceed 600mm change of level, no sign of 2ccs engineering brick to base but then the bricks look as if they're not spalling due to frost so the salts effluorescing out will wear off eventually with rain- the wall's a low tech solution but it's OK, No need for piers, it's not high enough

Still suggest you go back to NHBC with photos as the end of wall where it's failed hasn't been built to same detail as the rest which has withstood the wind.

 

[pubrunner]

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.

Cheers for the tender, Rich, which I'll gladly accept !

See you on Monday morning 8 am prompt !

 

[pubrunner]

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...

Cheers for the reply, Archie.

I'e just been out to look at the wall; to be fair, the bolt has come out of a concrete block - as may be seen on the third pic down. However, there isn't a concrete block above it . . . as can be seen to the left of where the fence post would sit.

Do concrete blocks 'have' to be used in building a wall ?

*** UPDATE ***

The lower bolt has gone into a concrete block, but the upper bolt has certainly gone into brick !

 

[rich p]

Cheers for the tender, Rich, which I'll gladly accept !

See you on Monday morning 8 am prompt !

I'll do it for a bidon of Guinness, pubby!

 

[pubrunner]

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.

Sadly, I've checked our land registry documents and it is our wall ; the fence was built at the same time as the wall.

 

[pubrunner]

I'll do it for a bidon of Guinness, pubby!

I'd be happy to give you half a dozin bidons worth !

 

[dellzeqq]

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.

**** me, he's right! Ever considered getting a proper job?

 

[deanE]

What you need is what we used to call a “godfather”, a short concrete post that you put in adjacent to the wooden post and bolt to it.

 

[Radchenister]

Everyone's an expert ontinternet - hope you're all carrying PII (even for free advice - that includes you Archie_tect) !?

 

[ayceejay]

"No need for piers, it's not high enough"
While I would agree with this in normal circumstances I was suggesting a fix for an existing problem i.e a badly constructed retaining wall with a fence pinned to it.
Incidentally, I am not aware of property laws in the UK but here in Quebec it is the owner of the land that is being retained who is responsible for and therefore owner of a retaining wall.

 

[ayceejay]

"Do concrete blocks 'have' to be used in building a wall ?"
It looks to me like the 'strength' of the wall was intended to be the concrete blocks and the bricks a facade. The blocks are not essential but this would be cheaper than a 9" brick wall.

 

[Radchenister]

And before anyone gets precious, simple concepts - the retaining wall is perhaps adequate as a mass and force balancing 'out the book' solution - bolting what would usually be a ground anchored site built fence system (shock news - usually set in conc' and not exerting moment forces into anything other than open ground) fixed onto it, as if normal, is fool hardy to say the least, it happens though, as no-one usually details all the boundary info' on a project like this.

In my view, two simple construction solutions moulded together in a way that isn't compatible without an engineer to prove the solution works.

Fight it or fix it?

You're welcome to pay shed loads of dosh to 'experts' ... there's a few on here obviously ... or best just get on and solve it via the old school route.

 

[Archie_tect]

'Experts"?

 

[Radchenister]

''

 

[ayceejay]

Oh well, 30 years of experience dismissed in a word.
It has taken me a while to realise that when someone asks for help on this forum the objective of responders is to see who can come up with the 'cleverest' answer. I might look for a place where the average age is somewhere over 12.