Post #798261 by jimsflies on Thu, Oct 24, 2019 12:19 PM

Thanks for the kind words guys. Tikiskip you are right about materials not lasting outdoors in our midwestern climate. 6x6 pressure treated landscape timbers began to show rot in 7 years...and near failure in 10. So strands of grass don't stand a chance if exposed to our climate.

A little more background on the project. I got a quote from a guy earlier in the summer and he wanted $12,000 to replace and construct the retaining wall, including the new section. This did not include the fence and deck, and it was treated lumber not the solid plastic. While I think the quote was the "I don't really want this job, but if he pays me ridiculous money, I will do it"-quote, I was so put off by the price rather than get more quotes I decided to DIY it. After all, the entire thing is a DIY already...why stop now?!

68 plastic timbers cost $2500 at Mendards + $90 to deliver (delivery was totally worth it, the plastic timbers are heavier than heck and I don't have a truck). In addition, I also purchased and had them deliver with the timbers 15 bags of quickcrete for posts and (9) 14-foot long posts (~$400). I also have ~$200 into miscellaneous supplies including spikes, rebar (to pound through the first row into the ground), drill bits for spikes/rebar, landscape fabric to line the walls prior to backfilling to prevent dirt from escaping through any gaps.

My wife wasn't too please about this project when she saw the dirt pile. While I told her what I wanted to do many times, I don't think she understood what it would take to accomplish it. But she was mostly upset because she's concerned I'm not in good enough shape to do it. Of course, I knew it was more digging than I want/could to with a shovel and hired the guy with a backhoe. He ended up charging $1000 (initial bid was $600), but him and his son worked almost all day Saturday and helped rebuild the second section of retaining wall, plus he's going to come back with equipment and fill the planter and level whatever is left of the dirt pile, the original bid was wishful thinking that it could be done in one weekend. Right now I have 4 days over 3 weekends of time into the project. Planning to hit it hard again this weekend, weather permitting. My goal for this season is to get the wall built, back-filled, and fence reconstructed before the snow flies (or its too cold to work outside). I'll get the steps and deck next spring.

Here are a couple more action photos from last weekend:

[ Edited by: jimsflies 2019-10-24 12:23 ]