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Retaining wall options

tricky_mortontricky_morton Posts: 23
in Garden design
I have an old retaining wall in my back garden which is in a state of disrepair.  I had asked a landscaper to repair it but due to miscommunication he only straightened the first metre (right hand side).  It must have been because I was pointing at it as an example of where it was in particularly bad shape.  The quote for the job was on the cheap side but I wasn't arguing, thinking that I was getting a good deal.  Although he has straightened the stones out, they are still loose i.e. they haven't been mortared in place and just stacked on top of each other.  I have mentioned this to him amongst a list of other snags.  I'm considering getting a quote from an actual stone mason to compare as they might make it look a lot better than what has been done, although I suspect that there will be a cost difference which may not be warranted for what it is.  I don't want to spend a lot more money with the current landscaper to finish the job when it might not look the best.  I'm open to alternative options, but since I already have a wall with all the material I need (although they are shabby old stones), looking at alternatives may prove much more pricey if I have to factor in new materials.  Other landscapers mentioned using sleepers, but they wouldn't last as long and I feel that the back garden could end up with an overwhelm of wood!  Any thoughts?

Apologies for the photo.  My photo was apparently too large and I resized using online software.

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That’s not a stone masons job,  you’d be better getting a quote from a local builder. Tell him from the start you want them cemented together. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I’ve got a similar wall in my back garden but it’s sandstone and a bit higher.  I like the unfinished, dry stone look, it provides lots of opportunities for bees to nest, insects to shelter, moss to grow and foxgloves to show off!  Once your bed is planted, the plant roots will stabilise the soil.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I reckon you could sort that yourself. It would be easy enough to mortar the top stones to the bottom ones, and it would only be a case of getting the bottom ones bedded in well to start with on a layer of concrete.
    Even if they weren't pointed, it would make it more secure, but you could also do the pointing  quite easily yourself, a bit at a time. 
    You can buy  tubs of ready made mortar, or bags of ready to mix stuff, so that makes it much easier than buying the separate ingredients and trying to get it right.  :)


    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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