# we have a provblem here



## go do it (Nov 19, 2006)

went to look at a job today

one house has a detached garage in the rear built in the 50's
one wall of the garage is a block wall and is used as a retaining wall. but i can't tell if there is any steel in the wall. i doubt it

the neighbors house is above the garage 10 feet, very hilly area

infact the grade of the neighbors house is 12" below the roof line of the garage

the block wall is starting to give way. not to bad yet but there is a vertical crack about 3' long and movement of a couple of block along the crack line of 3/4"

the neighbors backyard is fully landscaped with concrete patios and a very large tree right above the crack. i don't think that the tree is the problem. i beleive it is a weight and poor retaining wall issue

no good access to the neighbors back yard

so how can this situation be fixed?

i wouldn't want to tear down the garage in order to place a proper retaining wall

as bad as it is the garage may be the only thing keeping the neighbors yard in place 

and then to go behind the block wall from the neighbors house would mean tearing up there yard and losing the tree

i need to get the engineers involoved of course but my gut is telling me to tear up the neighbors yard 

unless there is a way to fix this from the garage side while leaving the garage in place

i have heard of Compaction grouting but i don't know if this would work in this situation

but it sounds like money to me :clap:

any thoughts or ideas


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Pics are definitely a must. It is possible that the tree roots have grown and pushed the wall causing it to crack. 

Is it possible to leave the existing wall in place and build another one in front of it ?? Maybe dig down and pour a footer and use forms to pour a concrete wall (with rebar) in front of the block one.


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

Is it an 8 inch block wall? or 12? Cinder or concrete? can you take 3 or 4 foot segments of it apart at a time and infill with new plumb poured concrete or reinforced block wall?? perhaps with 12 inch retaining wall block?


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## go do it (Nov 19, 2006)

rino
i could build one in front of the existing but would take away from and already small garage i thought of that also still a possibility

aw

it is a 8" block wall i like the idea of removeing it in sections
great idea 

but tieing rebar to the next section may be a problem

any ideas on that?


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## NorthstarNC (Oct 17, 2007)

Please post pictures of this as you get started with the work. Rino's idea with new wall in front of old crap wall, seems like the safest/strongest bet. I know I'm not much help, but I'm interested in how it turns out.


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

go do it said:


> rino
> i could build one in front of the existing but would take away from and already small garage i thought of that also still a possibility
> 
> aw
> ...


 
you could lap the rebar or dur O wal with each new section. or form a key in the end of each new pour. then pour a bond beam across the entire top


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## go do it (Nov 19, 2006)

my digi camera is down

but will post pics if i get a chance

if i can figure out how to do it


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

you should get a cell phone that takes pictures just like I don't have. (my wife does)


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## go do it (Nov 19, 2006)

yea i know

my main camera still uses film


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## Driftwood (Feb 15, 2004)

I do this work.GOGGLE Chance helical anchors.
They'll drill holes in block wall . Next they'll drive helicals down at 22 degrees
into hillside. Off these square shanks They do hair pins tied into tube holes. 
RE-bar wall ,formed and poured. Where do You Live? I'm in the Bay area.


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## Driftwood (Feb 15, 2004)

one more thought , Tie backed steel can be shot creted.
They've gotta have bucks,or I No workey :shifty:


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

Without pics or actually seeing it first thing that comes to mind is A) insert rebar into the block wall and fill it B) Build pilasters every 10-12' inside the garage to help hold back the pressure of the hill.

Definately needs an engineer, but those would be my suggestions


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

Driftwood said:


> I do this work.GOGGLE Chance helical anchors.
> They'll drill holes in block wall . Next they'll drive helicals down at 22 degrees
> into hillside. Off these square shanks They do hair pins tied into tube holes.
> RE-bar wall ,formed and poured. Where do You Live? I'm in the Bay area.


 
That sounds like a good solution. 
http://www.abchance.com/ch_prod/soil-nail.html
he could bust out a couple of blocks every 32 inches or so depending on soil conditions and then drill in the soil anchors with a bobcat attachment. support the garage roof, remove the entire wall and then either rebar and shotcrete it or pour an entire wall.


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## ownerbuilder (Aug 23, 2007)

Run


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## send_it_all (Apr 10, 2007)

ownerbuilder said:


> Run


 Where's your sense of adventure?


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## Tmrrptr (Mar 22, 2007)

Yeah it's a money job!
They got a major problem and it's gonna cost big bucks to fix.

Crazy building on top of each other...

I would inquire what the budget is before I did anything more.

Where are you?
r


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## reveivl (May 29, 2005)

Do whatever the soils engineer tells you to do.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Here's a similar situation. Talk about decorating with earth tones! Darned decorators.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Driftwood said:


> I do this work.GOGGLE Chance helical anchors.
> They'll drill holes in block wall . Next they'll drive helicals down at 22 degrees
> into hillside. Off these square shanks They do hair pins tied into tube holes.
> RE-bar wall ,formed and poured. Where do You Live? I'm in the Bay area.


There you go! Deadmen--idiots should have done that to begin with, don't understand people who think they have "smart dirt" and "smart water". 
Stuff goes downhill.


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## dlcj (Oct 1, 2007)

Who built the wall? Was it there before the garage was built? Its the neighbors dirt and water pushing the wall over, they should chip in on the bill if they dont wont to loose there patio. What about building a steel wall using some heavy 4x4 square tubing or sometheng similar. Just build it like a stud wall inside the garage with 2' centers. Anchor the bottom with pins driven through slab and use the Helical anchors to hold top. Wont take up much room.


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