Empire Retaining Walls recently built a retaining wall at a property in Mt Eliza.

Why was a retaining wall needed?

A block of land in Mt Eliza was being subdivided to accommodate the development of a new residential property.

One of the key features of the new property was a sunken ground level floor.

Upon the surveyor confirming the height of the finished house’s ground level, it was identified that the earth needed to be cut into to accommodate the sunken ground level floor.

Given these excavation works and the contour of the land, a retaining wall needed to be installed around the fence line to secure the soil behind it and prevent erosion / land slip of the neighbouring property.

We worked to specification

The engineer communicated the following requirements:

• maximum 1800mm centres for the steel
• pier depths to be 1500mm deep and 450mm in diameter, using 25mpa strength concrete.
• 75mm treated pine sleepers between the steel uprights
• drainage behind the wall

And voilà!

About Empire Retaining Walls

Licensed and registered with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), Adam Ilic of Empire Retaining Walls has been a trusted service provider of residential and commercial clients, including builders and architects, across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula for more than 12 years.

Our customer centric approach means that each client receives personalised service and a custom solution. We take great pride in delivering top quality finished products made of the finest materials. And when it comes to retaining walls, we guarantee our workmanship from the ground up.

To ensure the integrity of your design and the safety of you home and family, contact us for a free quote and consultation today.

• Call Adam on 0421 573 001
• Email Adam at email empirewalls@live.com.au
• Follow us on Facebook
• To find out more about our service areas, please visit empirewalls.com.au.

Empire Retaining Walls recently built a retaining wall at a new property in Somerville.

Why was a retaining wall needed?

As you can see from the photos, there was a significant slope away from the house, towards a public road and walkway.

But pedestrians and road users weren’t the only ones at risk, particularly in bad weather.

Eventually the soil surrounding and to some extent supporting the structure atop could have collapsed or would have eventually eroded, which would have been a serious issue for the property owner.

Our recommendation

We discussed with the client different retaining wall options within their budget.

In our professional opinion, treated pine with steel uprights is always a good option to consider; they’re often the most cost effective solution and the longest lasting.

Our client agreed.

An engineer was engaged, soil tests were undertaken, plans and specifications were provided and Council was engaged for the relevant permit.

Hot tip

Council approval is sometime required when you’re installing a retaining wall. If you install or have a retaining wall installed without Council approval when Council approval is required, Council can request the structure be removed. Selling property can also become tricky when you have installed structures without Council approval.

The result

Well, you can see for yourself.

About Empire Retaining Walls

Licensed and registered with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), Adam Ilic of Empire Retaining Walls has been a trusted service provider of residential and commercial clients, including builders and architects, across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula for more than 12 years.

Our customer centric approach means that each client receives personalised service and a custom solution. We take great pride in delivering top quality finished products made of the finest materials. And when it comes to retaining walls, we guarantee our workmanship from the ground up.

To ensure the integrity of your design and the safety of you home and family, contact us for a free quote and consultation today.

* Call Adam on 0421 573 001

* Email Adam at email empirewalls@live.com.au

* Follow us on Facebook

To find out more about our service areas, please visit empirewalls.com.au.

We recently replaced a 30 year old retaining wall in Mt Eliza.

Issues with the existing structure:

* Redgum sleepers had not been waterproofed

* Uprights rotted at the base

* No drainage behind the wall

Retaining walls are specially engineered stabilising structures, designed to hold sloping soil in place. One of the most important factors, but certainly not the only one, to ensuring a safe and stable structure is correct retaining wall drainage.

Without effective retaining wall drainage, pressure will build up behind the wall. This may create bulging, cracking and eventually, collapse. Well-designed retaining walls will not tip over and will support, not only the earth behind the wall, but any lateral loads that may be applied – cars for example.

Replacement recommendation:

* Timber sleeper retaining wall

* Galvanised steel uprights

* Drainage behind wall

The replacement wall was designed and constructed to engineer specifications.

We recommended a timber sleeper retaining wall, which is a cost effective solution with a long life expectancy. Galvanised steel uprights do cost more than timber uprights because they also have a longer life expectancy.

A retaining wall is a specially engineered stabilising structure. If not properly installed, the stability and longevity of the retaining wall is called into question. If a retaining wall should fail, significant damage and even injury may result.

About us:

Licensed and registered with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), Adam Ilic of Empire Retaining Walls has been a trusted service provider of residential and commercial clients, including builders and architects, across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula for more than 12 years.

Our customer centric approach means that each client receives personalised service and a custom solution. We take great pride in delivering top quality finished products made of the finest materials. And when it comes to retaining walls, we guarantee our workmanship from the ground up.

To ensure the integrity of your design and the safety of you home and family, contact us for a free quote and consultation today.

* Call Adam on 0421 573 001

* Email Adam at email empirewalls@live.com.au

* Follow us on Facebook

To find out more about our service areas, please visit empirewalls.com.au.

We love what we do here at Empire Retaining Walls – it gets out of bed in the morning because there is something new and different to accomplish every single day. No two jobs are the same, and when I say we are prepared for whatever your job throws at us, we mean it.

Part of being ready for any and all jobs, means having the right equipment on hand to get the job done. The team at Empire Walls has it’s very own excavator, which means we not only handle the design and build of your retaining wall, we also do all the excavation work on site. No need to subcontract out or bring in another team, we do it all.

It also means no additional cost to you. If we need to utilise the excavator for your job, we will include that in our quote. No hidden costs and no hidden add ons*, which is so important when it comes to budgeting and planning your project.

Our excavator is heavy duty enough to get the job done, but also compact which means it can fit under garage doors. No need to crane it in or remove any existing structures. With a maximum width of 980mm, it can fit into a tight access location.

We also utilise 300mm, 450mm and 650mm Auger bit for drilling and our licensed operator is ready to handle any job.

Don’t trust your retaining wall project to just anyone. Putting our excavator to work also greatly reduces man power time and means your project will be done in a suitable time frame.

* Unless deemed outside the initial scope of the work.

Retaining walls are an excellent way to reshape your landscape, hold back slopes and create multiple levels for your outdoor spaces. They also create an attractive aesthetic, introducing form, texture and color to your yard. However, to make sure that your retaining walls are able to stand up against the harshness of winter, quality materials and professional construction is absolutely essential. Following are some of the reasons why investing in a retaining wall is imperative to beat the cold snap of winter.

Protecting plants and property from the wind
During winter, the alcoves created by retaining walls can be used to nestle vulnerable evergreens that may be sensitive to wind exposure. Used in this way, retaining walls provide excellent windbreakers for flower beds and even patios that may still be used during the winter. Retaining walls are perfect for any location and your home is sure to benefit.

Protecting your landscape against water damage and erosion
Retaining walls are an excellent tool in protecting against soil erosion but correct drainage is required in order for this to be effective. Professional installation of retaining walls and the design of correct drainage will ensure that your retaining walls act to guard against water damage and erosion rather than exacerbate issues such as pooling and ground being swept into lower areas.

Beating the freeze/thaw cycle
As the temperature fluctuates over the winter months, moisture released by ice, snow and rain, seeps into the concrete or natural stone materials of outdoor features. If this moisture freezes again, it expands, causing cracks in weak points of the materials. To guard against this, high quality materials with a low porosity should be used. When dense materials are used this prevents water from seeping in and eradicates the problems created by the freeze/thaw cycle.

Winter is the perfect time
If you’ve been thinking about building a retaining wall winter is actually the perfect time. Not only is the ground soft and easy to mould, it’s also the perfect time to plant new flower beds or foliage once the wall has been constructed, in time for fresh Spring growth.

Empire Retaining Walls are the leaders in retaining wall construction on the Mornington Peninsula. Talk to our team today about your property and what you’re looking to achieve. We build retaining walls every day of the week and will know what’s best when it comes to your property, your budget and your needs.

There are a few different options to choose from when you’re looking at building a retaining wall.

• Bricks and blocks
• Stack stones
• Timber and steel uprights

Bricks and blocks are a pretty common material used in the construction of walls of any kind. The uniformly shaped individual units are laid in courses, with mortar to bed and bind together.  Whilst a number of different materials used can the most common are brick, stone (e.g. marble, granite, travertine, limestone), manufactured stone, concrete, glass, stucco and tile.

Whilst the overall aesthetic of a bricks and blocks retaining wall may suit your project, this option can end up being quite expensive. Not only do you have to factor in the cost of materials, but due to the nature of the job and the amount of work involved, labour costs can often soar and break your budget.

Dry stack stone retaining walls have been used for centuries and are very common in the UK, US, and Europe. These retaining walls enable natural drainage whilst also preventing soil erosion.

There are some of the key advantages of dry stacked retaining walls. They give a natural and rustic look that blends in well with any garden features and outdoor spaces. And they also provide a natural barrier against soil erosion and can be designed to feature in the garden, or they can be designed to completely blend into the rest of the landscape.

But it’s not a one size fits all solution when you are considering the stack stone wall. Professional builders recommend that stack stones only be used for walls with a height of under 800mm. Which, in all likelihood, cancels out about 85% of all retaining walls that are built.

In our honest opinion, the best option for your retaining wall is timber and steel uprights.

A timber retaining wall can be simple or complex. It can have upright pieces and capping or be a simple design with no ornamentation other than the natural appearance of the timber. If steel uprights and timber is professionally installed, it can last many years and enhance the appearance of your yard. It’s also a much more cost effective option and the end product looks a million dollars, especially when you hire someone who specialises in the design and creation of this particular style of retaining wall.

At Empire Retaining Walls, retaining walls are our passion. In fact, it’s all we do. And it’s why we have become the absolute best in the area.

Contact us today for more information about our work and for a chat about your plans.

Experience shows that when you specialise in a particular area, you become an expert. It’s no different than when you are looking for a specific job or task to be completed. Finding someone who does that work, day in and day out, means you’re guaranteed to hire a contractor who is completely specialised and fluent in the task at hand.

And what do I mean when I say “fluent”. I mean someone who has been there and done that, many many times. They expect the unexpected, and can problem solve their way out of any and all situations, should they arise.

And why is that?
Because your job, the task you’ve hired them for, is not the first one they’ve done.
And it certainly won’t be their last.

In fact, a specialist contractor does jobs like yours… every single day.

And guess what?
They’ve become REALLY good at them.

A specialist who does something over and over, in a variety of different spaces, situations, environments, with a number of different variables and materials, becomes attuned to every single step of the process.

When it comes to retaining walls, ensuring that you are working with someone who designs and builds them every day is imperative and you certainly shouldn’t trust such an important project to just anyone who is working on your property.

Landscapers are so good at what they do! Could we do it? No. Why? Because we do retaining walls. Plain and simple. We live, breathe and bleed retaining walls and we are so good at them, we’ve made them our specialty.

Everybody has their thing… retaining walls are ours.

So when it comes to planning and building a retaining wall on your property, don’t trust your job to someone who has their mind on other parts of your project.

Talk to us first to ensure your retaining wall is designed and built by our expert specialist team.

Your garden has sprung or is slowly springing back to life. Your grass is greening, your flowers are blooming, and your desire to head outside and enjoy the good weather is increasing. Here are a few spring garden care tips that will set you up well for summer.

Care for your lawn

After its winter snooze, your lawn is springing to life – or trying to – which means it’s hungry. Spring garden care rule #1: Feed your lawn with a lawn builder. This will help strengthen roots, promote growth and thicken your lawn.

If your lawn is looking patchy, sow some seed and apply top dress to fill in dips and holes. Use either a specialised weed free top dressing mix or a washed sand.

Spread the top dressing over the top of the lawn at a depth of about 4 to 7mm, rubbing it into the lawn with the back of a rack or lawn level. Ensure that at least 1/3 of the leaf is poking through the soil.

For established lawns, weekly watering will be sufficient. Ensure heavy watering periods rather than shallow water applications, as this will promote deeper roots and a healthier lawn.

Mowing the lawn at a longer length will also help the roots grow longer, building a more drought resistant lawn – and let’s face it, there are some pretty bloody hot days awaiting us!

Plant a veggie patch

Make a great summer salad from your very own veggie patch!

Plant beans, carrots, celery, chillies, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, leek, lettuce, melon, potato, pumpkin and tomato.

Prepare vegetable gardens by forking mushroom compost or cow manure through the garden, then giving a thorough water before planting. Add blood and bone and sweeten the soil with garden lime.

Protect vegetable and flower seedlings with animal-friendly snail pellets (use as per product instructions).

For a great harvest, plant blue, purple or yellow flowers near your veggie patch. Bees are especially attracted to these colours and will help pollinate your vegies.

Spring garden care rule #2: Water gardens regularly as spring flowering plants use a lot of water when in flower.

Get on deck

Spring garden care rule #3 – make the most of the warmer months!

In 2012, domain.com.au estimated that adding a deck could increase a property’s value by up to $100,000. Given how the property market has skyrocketed since, it’s probably more now. Cheaper than adding a large extension to your home, decking is the most cost effective and time efficient method of adding square metres to your home.

But getting decked out is about more than just finance, it’s about lifestyle.

Australians love outdoor entertaining – especially during the summer months, which are fast approaching! One of the ways you can have more fun in the sun while investing in the value of your property is to add a deck.

If you home lends itself to it, create flow between internal and external spaces by having your outdoor living area lead off an indoor entertaining area. You’ll get more use of the deck if it’s accessible from a communal space.

Check if you need to get council approval. Not all decks need it, but some do.

And remember this is an investment in quality time with your family and friends, as well as the value of your property. That means you want a structurally sound deck that will withstand the test of time. So make sure you have it professionally designed and installed.

About Empire Walls

We ensure each client receives personalised service, their retaining wall is fit for purpose and we guarantee our retaining walls from the ground up. Retaining walls are just the start – offered as part of our complete landscaping services, which also includes decking.

• For examples of our work or if you’re after a service not listed here, please see empirewalls.com.au.
• For more information and/or a free quote, call Adam on 0421 573 001 or email empirewalls@live.com.au.
• For free landscaping tips and to stay in touch, follow us on Facebook.

Providing complete landscaping services to residential and commercial clients for more than 10 years, Empire Walls are the retaining wall specialists in Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. Here we consider the three top retaining wall trends for Spring-Summer 2017.

Rendered retaining walls

A contemporary finish that has become increasingly popular recently, the rendered retaining wall is simple yet statement, making it perfect for the modern day minimalist. The rendered retaining wall finish can be applied to both brick and block retaining walls. The rendered retaining wall is available in a variety of colours, which means they can be finished in a way that blends them into your surrounding landscape or makes them a feature of it.

Split level gardens

Retaining wall landscaping works for yards of all shapes and sizes, and tiered garden beds are a great example of why and how… Have a small space? Make the most of it by adding height and layers. If you’re working with a larger space, imagine having a split level backyard – overflowing flowerbeds, outdoor entertaining areas, a grassy knoll or two. You might even want to throw in some stairs!

Garden edging

You could go to Bunning and buy some of that cheap and nasty plastic edging stuff, but that isn’t going to take you from drab to fab, is it? No. Using retaining walls as garden edging is a great idea. It’s practical because it’s significantly more durable and, with a range of materials and finishes to choose from, aesthetically pleasing. Nothing cheap and nasty looking here; it’s all class!

Safety tip

Before installing any of the above, first consult with experts like Empire Retaining Walls. We can assess your needs and make a recommendation on materials best suited in terms of safety, functionality, performance and design. This will ensure your retaining wall is fit for purpose.

About Empire Walls

We ensure each client receives personalised service, their retaining wall is fit for purpose and we guarantee our retaining walls from the ground up. Retaining walls are just the start – offered as part of our complete landscaping services.

• For examples of our work or If you’re after a service not listed here, please see empirewalls.com.au.
• For more information and/or a free quote, call Adam on 0421 573 001 or email empirewalls@live.com.au.
• For free landscaping tips and to stay in touch, follow us on Facebook.