Hi everyone,

I'm about to embark on a completely new landscape for my yard but need
to put in a mortared border or retaining wall to account for about an
18 - 24 inch slope. I was thinking of using something along the lines
of limestone block as the border. I'd like to hire someone to come out
& put it in for me but really don't know where to go. The distance
will only be about 50 linear feet and will be about 18" at its tallest
point. I checked Kevin Wood landscapes but they currently have a
$5,000 minimum. Anyone else you guys would recommend?

Thanks so much!

rj

If you know exactly what you want you may be able to hire a couple
teenagers to dig and level and place the block in. There is a bit
more to it than just putting it there and it will retain, so do read
up.

You can call The Natural Gardener or Barton Springs Nursery and they
may have landscapers they work with who they can recommend. I am
actually facing the same situation in the back of my house. There is
five feet of foundation just out there! It's amazing what a simple 8
degree slope can do.

If you do find someone you liked please do recommend them. I may hire
them after you..

V

On 13 Apr 2006 07:55:04 -0700, "Richard"
wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm about to embark on a completely new landscape for my yard but need
to put in a mortared border or retaining wall to account for about an
18 - 24 inch slope. I was thinking of using something along the lines
of limestone block as the border. I'd like to hire someone to come out
& put it in for me but really don't know where to go. The distance
will only be about 50 linear feet and will be about 18" at its tallest
point. I checked Kevin Wood landscapes but they currently have a
$5,000 minimum. Anyone else you guys would recommend?

Thanks so much!

rj

Richard wrote:
Hi everyone,

I'm about to embark on a completely new landscape for my yard but need
to put in a mortared border or retaining wall to account for about an
18 - 24 inch slope. I was thinking of using something along the lines
of limestone block as the border. I'd like to hire someone to come out
& put it in for me but really don't know where to go. The distance
will only be about 50 linear feet and will be about 18" at its tallest
point. I checked Kevin Wood landscapes but they currently have a
$5,000 minimum. Anyone else you guys would recommend?

Thanks so much!

rj

I believe what you need is a rock mason. Look in the Greensheet or
Thrify Nickel service ads. Or you can try Israel Alvarez (284-5390).

--
Gary Brady
Austin, TX

You can probably do it yourself.
Start with digging out a gulley to pour a 12"-6"WX4"H concrete strip to lay
the rock and mortar on. 3/8" rebar in it is adequate. Width depends on the
limestone width base.
Easier if the base is straight, rather than go hither and yon to vary with
the incline.
Lot of the hill country is limestone. Some nice folk may give you the raw
materail free of charge. You dig it up.
--
Jonny
"Richard" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi everyone,

I'm about to embark on a completely new landscape for my yard but need
to put in a mortared border or retaining wall to account for about an
18 - 24 inch slope. I was thinking of using something along the lines
of limestone block as the border. I'd like to hire someone to come out
& put it in for me but really don't know where to go. The distance
will only be about 50 linear feet and will be about 18" at its tallest
point. I checked Kevin Wood landscapes but they currently have a
$5,000 minimum. Anyone else you guys would recommend?

Thanks so much!

rj

So I thought I'd post the result of my search for someone to put in my
retaining wall border. I talked to four or five different masons, had
two come by the house and ultimately settled on one. He started work
yesterday and finished today. In all, it took him less than a day & a
half with one other guy helping him. The border looks fantastic!

I settled on Paul Farmer. He quoted me a price for labor which was
just added to the price for the rock and he didn't explicitly charge me
for picking up and delivering the material. I visited a rock yard in
town where I know he gets his material & they told me he actually hand
picks all his rocks for jobs he does - that ultimately made my decision
for me. He used two colors of chopped limestone block to build the
border. Then I also asked him to put in a six inch or so strip in
front of the wall to serve as a mowing strip for easier mowing against
the wall. He layed small chunks of matching & accent colored flagstone
set in portland cement for that. He also put in small pieces of pvc
pipe set in the mortar every so often to serve as drainage points for
the wall.

The border just looks great & Paul was such a nice guy to work with.
I'm looking forward to when I can get him back out again to do more
work for me. I'd highly recommend him. I've taken lots of before &
after pictures, so if you're interested in seeing any of them I can
send them along.

Thanks again for all your input!

rj

In article .com,
"Richard" wrote:

So I thought I'd post the result of my search for someone to put in my
retaining wall border. I talked to four or five different masons, had
two come by the house and ultimately settled on one. He started work
yesterday and finished today. In all, it took him less than a day & a
half with one other guy helping him. The border looks fantastic!

I settled on Paul Farmer. He quoted me a price for labor which was
just added to the price for the rock and he didn't explicitly charge me
for picking up and delivering the material. I visited a rock yard in
town where I know he gets his material & they told me he actually hand
picks all his rocks for jobs he does - that ultimately made my decision
for me. He used two colors of chopped limestone block to build the
border. Then I also asked him to put in a six inch or so strip in
front of the wall to serve as a mowing strip for easier mowing against
the wall. He layed small chunks of matching & accent colored flagstone
set in portland cement for that. He also put in small pieces of pvc
pipe set in the mortar every so often to serve as drainage points for
the wall.

The border just looks great & Paul was such a nice guy to work with.
I'm looking forward to when I can get him back out again to do more
work for me. I'd highly recommend him. I've taken lots of before &
after pictures, so if you're interested in seeing any of them I can
send them along.

Thanks again for all your input!

rj

I already have the rock and mortar on hand.
Just need labor.

Is he willing to work with what I have on hand?
What is his price per square ft. to put in a retaining wall border?

I'd appreciate his phone number please!
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

Sorry, realized I failed to post a phone number for Mr. Farmer. He can
be reached at his home at 258-1435.

rj

I'd imagine he'd work with that. I showed him about an 80 square foot
are where I layed large flagsone in sand & asked if he'd mortar it all
& he said he'd be happy to.

My border was about 53 feet long. It started with a single course and
added courses as it continued down my slope until it ultimately got to
be four courses high - roughly about two feet or so. He charged $400
labor. He also charged me an additional $150 when I added the mow
strip.

rj

In article . com,
"Richard" wrote:

Sorry, realized I failed to post a phone number for Mr. Farmer. He can
be reached at his home at 258-1435.

rj

Thank you! :-)
He sounds quite reasonable.

I have a rather extensive retaining wall to be built to eliminate the
entire back hill's runoff from running right thru my yard. G
I have $1,200 worth of stone in a big pile and was going to try to learn
to do it myself, but I don't think it will ever get done if I try to do
that.......

I appreciate the referral.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson