# My house is a project! (deck, retaining wall)



## tigerbalm2424

*Retaining Wall (56K Beware!!!!)*

This is one of the many projects I have taken on after purchasing my house 2 years ago. I also did the retaining wall seen below. In addition, I have wired, sheetrocked, insulated, and installed a gas heater in the garage. The basement is next! I love DIY projects. I have learned everything you see on the fly. Everything I have done has been completed by me and it has all been done by hand. Any questions feel free to ask!

Before:


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## tigerbalm2424

If anyone is interested I have about 40-50 more images of project progression of the retaining wall and deck that I can post. Doesnt look like anyone wants to reply though! :no:


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## shapeshifter

I enjoyed looking at the pix. IMHO it was a huge undertaking for a DIYer and it looks like it took a lot a man- or woman-hours. The finished result is pretty awesome! Do you live in the country, too?

Don't feel bad because a lot of us don't have the landforms that require a retaining wall. I have a slightly sloped back yard but it only drops about 1" per foot from the fenceline to the house. I have thought about back filling one area and creating a place for a small retaining wall. Then I would use one of those cement forms to create a patio and put a seating area in front of the retaining wall. Your thoughts?


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## KUIPORNG

nice to know someone out there in the similar fashion: love DIY...

anyhow... looks like you are building some deck... plant some support ... when I done with my basement... this is my next project and would like to learn from you...


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## tigerbalm2424




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## tigerbalm2424




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## tigerbalm2424




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## tigerbalm2424




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## elementx440

looks good, must be a great view from the deck.


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## Dustin07

I love it!


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## tigerbalm2424

All blocks are Anchor Diamond beveleds. I believe right around 1100 placed at 70 lbs a piece by hand! :no: :no:


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## Dustin07

holy smokes. How long did it take? I've been thinking about doing a wall of those about 2 high and building my fence on top of that ( to avoid rot from touching the ground, and keep it sealed (dogs)).


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## tigerbalm2424

The bottom row took about a week to level and place, only spending time after work when weather permitted. After that I built up the wall as I backfilled with drainage rock and built up the grade using a fill/dirt mixture. After the bottom row is complete and level, its basically just stacking blocks so the remaining levels go fast. Complete project took about two months due to a 95+ degree weather slowing me down. Most time consuming was moving rock and fill one wheelbarrow at a time:no:


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## AtlanticWBConst.

Nice Job...That's a HUGE project for a DIYer.... My congratulations and my respect...


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## yogia

Hi tigerbalm...

Great Job ... Congratulations!

Can you tell us how much you invested in material on a psf basis and how much did you save by providing all the labor and management of the project yourself.


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## tigerbalm2424

PSF huh? Ok. Im doing this one on the fly!

1100 Anchor Blocks $4/piece = $4400
12 Tons of 3/4" minus granite (drainage rock) = $650
6 Tons of Class II crushed granite (wall base) = $200
60 yards of fill = FREE from nice guy across the street excavating new basements!:yes: 
Misc (synthetic geogrid, tool retntals, beverages, level, string) = $500
I'd say roughly about 250-300 labor hours off the top of my head. (No power equipment used except the packer)

1 block = 1 sq ft per Anchor specs. 1100 Square feet in total.

5750 in materials / 1100 square feet = $5.23 per foot 

Wow, now that I think about it this is cheaper per foot than most anchor beveled block I found! Thanks menards!!! Sorry I cleaned you out of anchor beveleds! :laughing: 

I have never paid for labor on any of my projects (unless you want me to calculate cans of beer) so I really cant tell you what the labor would have been. I never even thought of getting bids. If I cant do it myself it isnt going to get done!! But Im guessing it would have been a pretty penny or two. :no:


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## rb_in_va

Good job! How did you get that ariel pic? You got a helicopter?


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## tigerbalm2424

Its a local website kind of like Google Earth, but it allows birds eye views. Pretty crazy huh? :no: :no:


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## rb_in_va

tigerbalm2424 said:


> Its a local website kind of like Google Earth, but it allows birds eye views. Pretty crazy huh? :no: :no:


Yeah, that is cool!


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## Not Sure

Wow! I'm impressed! It's hard to believe this was a DIY project! Your retaining wall looks great!

P.S. From the pictures, it looks like you live in a very nice area. Your investment will pay off!


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## tigerbalm2424

Not Sure said:


> Wow! I'm impressed! It's hard to believe this was a DIY project! Your retaining wall looks great!
> 
> P.S. From the pictures, it looks like you live in a very nice area. Your investment will pay off!


 
Thanks. I have a lot of free time so I find myself learning as I go. Hear me out, I did make mistakes as I went, thats the nice thing about working on projects around the house, they can always be corrected!:yes: Im presently adding a third tier to the wall on the side of the garage right now as well as adding a small outdoor kitched on the upper level of the deck. Should be interesting.......I'll post pics when Im done


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## gma2rjc

tigerbalm2424 said:


> If anyone is interested I have about 40-50 more images of project progression of the retaining wall and deck that I can post. Doesnt look like anyone wants to reply though! :no:


I'd like to see more pictures. You've probably accomplished a lot in the three years since this thread was active. Love the retaining wall! :thumbsup:


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## CoconutPete

Nice job!

I think you might have left the hood on the Trans Am open


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## DangerMouse

Great job!
Looks like my backyard.... minus the field. 
OK, so I live in the middle of the woods, so what?
No-one wants to look at me anyways.

DM


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