Building the Wall! Just not the one you are thinking.

EddieWalker · Aug 30, 2017

That before picture you just posted of your greenhouse is shocking compared to what you have now!!!!!

newbury · Aug 30, 2017

dragoneggs said:
Thank you... and it is... the cut and the view! I have been entertaining bids for various retaining walls to tame my slope, and I have built a couple of serious block walls for my wife's terraced garden, myself. Well I have to say... the better half helped more than I could have ever imagined. There is a thread on this project somewhere here on TBN. The sad fact is that I'm not getting younger and the blocks seem to be getting heavier (and they were 80+lbs back then). :confused3:

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No, it's the expanding universe and the transition to the metric system. The blocks used to weigh 80 pounds, now they weigh 80 kilograms.

RedNeckRacin · Aug 30, 2017

3Ts said:
I know your neighbor is responsible for the wall, but where do you go or who do you contact to get a wall like that built?

You need to contact an engineering firm or a company who specializes in those walls who has access to an engineer. In PA if you go over 4 feet, the wall MUST be designed and sealed by a licensed PA Engineer.

dragoneggs · Aug 30, 2017

newbury said:
I bet you'd be happier if they left the equipment for you to play on

Hey several pieces of equipment are parked on my property and there isn't a key... is that license to play?

dragoneggs · Aug 30, 2017

More progress on the wall today... a bit slower today because of the tight fit and jockeying of equipment to demo, haul, and build. Great crew!

Streetcar · Aug 30, 2017

RedNeckRacin said:
You need to contact an engineering firm or a company who specializes in those walls who has access to an engineer. In PA if you go over 4 feet, the wall MUST be designed and sealed by a licensed PA Engineer.

Contact redi rock distributor in your area. They will know contractors to install and your wall may fit in their engineered design

newbury · Aug 30, 2017

dragoneggs said:
Hey several pieces of equipment are parked on my property and there isn't a key... is that license to play?

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We had what was SUPPOSED to be a 1/2 acre farm pond built by the state (in Vt) about 1963. The state dozer operator left the dozer over the weekend with a wink and a smile. When he got back we had a 1 acre pond. All my Dad had to do, other than operate the dozer, was top the diesel off. I bet he spent 16 hours "playing" with it.

I grew up from '63 to '74 by that pond. Could walk out the basement and catch trout for any meal any time the pond wasn't frozen.

Life was good.

dragoneggs · Aug 31, 2017

EddieWalker said:
That before picture you just posted of your greenhouse is shocking compared to what you have now!!!!!

Here is the latest after today's action. I measured off the two backside corners of the greenhouse and I have gained 12ft and 10ft of flat land! Flat land is rare here. Will have to calculate the area when they are finished. I probably have about 90% of the fill that is coming my way now.

dragoneggs · Aug 31, 2017

newbury said:
We had what was SUPPOSED to be a 1/2 acre farm pond built by the state (in Vt) about 1963. The state dozer operator left the dozer over the weekend with a wink and a smile. When he got back we had a 1 acre pond. All my Dad had to do, other than operate the dozer, was top the diesel off. I bet he spent 16 hours "playing" with it.

I grew up from '63 to '74 by that pond. Could walk out the basement and catch trout for any meal any time the pond wasn't frozen.

Life was good.

Thanks for sharing... this reminds me I should charge up the drone and get some new aerial shots.

dragoneggs · Sep 1, 2017

More progress on the wall. They are doing a masterful job undercutting to save some trees that have sentimental value to my neighbor above the wall. It's hard to comprehend the size of these blocks. 5ft front to back!!!

sandman2234 · Sep 3, 2017

dragoneggs said:
Hey several pieces of equipment are parked on my property and there isn't a key... is that license to play?

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I was cutting some firewood on company property, and was using a large forklift to drag the whole trees out of the woods to open ground so when I cut them up it would be easy to load. I got the forklift stuck, and a pair of the largest forklifts on the property wouldn't budge it. There was a contractor's dozer sitting right there, but no keys...
I started checking my keys, and lo and behold, my 66 Chevy key not only fit it, but actually worked! I fired it up, pulled the forklift out (while leaving two very deep ruts from the dozer tracks). I asked the brother of the contractor if his brother had minded it being used, and he said they knew it had been used due to the ruts but no big deal, since it was left in good shape.
David from jax

dragoneggs · Sep 3, 2017

My better half decided to inspect the wall and get a view of our house from the top.

Streetcar · Sep 4, 2017

dragoneggs said:
My better half decided to inspect the wall and get a view of our house from the top.

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Make sure the safety police do not see this

EddieWalker · Sep 4, 2017

Great set of stairs!!!

Just so I understand, this road is an easement that goes along the property line of your place and a neighbor. Do you own the land above the wall, or along the road?

What is the person who is paying for this wall live in? Must be something pretty nice to be spending all this money!!

oosik · Sep 4, 2017

Your last pic with your wife standing on the wall does an excellent job of putting it all in perspective. That is truly a very large wall.

Glad I don't need something like that - UMMM, mighty big $$$ there.

dragoneggs · Sep 6, 2017

oosik said:
Your last pic with your wife standing on the wall does an excellent job of putting it all in perspective. That is truly a very large wall.

Glad I don't need something like that - UMMM, mighty big $$$ there.

I was going to say in reply... me too. But actually I could use a big retaining wall on the downhill side of my house, especially after all the free fill I have received. They should be all finished tomorrow laying just a couple more blocks to finish the runout.

Wagtail · Sep 7, 2017

dragoneggs said:
I was going to say in reply... me too. But actually I could use a big retaining wall on the downhill side of my house, especially after all the free fill I have received. They should be all finished tomorrow laying just a couple more blocks to finish the runout.

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Ahem... Please review post #20.

Thank you.

Streetcar · Sep 7, 2017

Dragoneggs
What type of soil do you have. With Ohio Clay, that wall height would require geogrid

dragoneggs · Sep 7, 2017

Streetcar said:
Dragoneggs
What type of soil do you have. With Ohio Clay, that wall height would require geogrid

Mostly glacial till... lots and lots of small rocks. During the excavation, they did hit a couple bands of clay so it is now broken up in the mix. The wall is constructed of Redi-Rock and is a gravity engineered design. Normally geo-grid would be required at 4ft intervals but not needed. The blocks are interlocking and the bases are five feet deep going into the hill! So 4ft by 2ft by 5ft. They aren't going anyway.

Here are a couple aerial shots I took from my drone last night...