Dooler wrote in message . ..

QUESTION: To help keep cost down, should I consider pressure treated
wood as a form of retaining wall instead of the ManorStone? It would
definately give me more yard room as ManorStone is 12" deep + extra
setback needed for posts. With my back, digging and lifting are not
what I dream of (more like nightmares), so was also reason of
selecting contractor.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Clayton.

Check your local building codes. In our community, retaining walls
over a certain size (right around 2 ft I think) MUST be made of stone,
brick, concrete, or some other non-biodegradable material (no railroad
ties...). Some heights require inspection, and some don't (shorter
walls are considered raised garden beds and not structural). Some
heights require more reinforcement than others (the taller the wall,
the more re-inforcement) Apparently, even if you are repairing more
than a certain % of an existing retaining wall that is made of wood,
you must rebuild the entire thing of a non-wood substance. The stone
should last a lot longer and keep you (or the next homeowner) from
having to re-do the same work in a few years--plus, it looks a lot
better, IMHO.

My husband and I have a small suburban lot (125 feet deep from street
to back, and 60 or 70 feet wide) where about 50 feet in the rear is on
a 45 degree slope downward away from the house. If you think your
estimates for your retaining wall are bad, just imagine what ours to
terrace that hill and make usable garden or patio space are like...

Good luck with your project!

--Elit.