Timber Retaining Walls
Timber is what most Christchurch sections end up with, and for good reason. A pole and rail wall goes up in a few days, costs less than block, and holds a 1.2m.
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Fendalton, Canterbury
Retaining Walls in Fendalton
Top Retaining Walls Christchurch builds retaining walls throughout Fendalton, where the job is usually as much about how the wall looks as what it holds. Fendalton has some of the oldest established gardens in Christchurch, and a wall that shouts new is a wall that looks wrong.
- Timber, block, gabion, stone and engineered walls
- Full drainage behind every wall we build
- Consents lodged through Christchurch City Council
- Drainage on every wall300mm of metal, a drain coil and geotextile. Never an optional extra.
- H5 poles as standardThe right treatment for timber that lives in wet ground.
- Consents handledChristchurch City, Selwyn and Waimakariri, start to finish.
- Itemised quotesYou see what the drainage and the spoil actually cost.
The Avon changes the ground on some Fendalton streets
The Avon winds right through Fendalton, and properties near the river sit on softer, wetter ground than the streets further back. Groundwater is closer to the surface there, which matters twice over. Footings need more thought, and finding fall for a drain coil discharge takes planning.
A few hundred metres away from the river the ground firms up and behaves like the rest of the western suburbs. We check where your section sits before quoting rather than assuming.
| Council for consents | Christchurch City Council |
|---|---|
| Typical ground | Flat, with a higher water table near the Avon |
| Walls we build most here | Schist, basalt and macrocarpa |
| Consent threshold | 1.5m of retained ground, or any surcharge above the wall |
| Drainage | 300mm metal, perforated coil, geotextile, on every wall |
| Site visit | Free, with a written quote to follow |
Mature trees are the constraint people forget
Fendalton gardens have serious trees in them, often oaks and other exotics planted a century ago. Their roots run further than the canopy suggests, and digging a post hole through a major root either damages the tree or stops the job.
We look at what is growing near the wall line before we quote, and we will sometimes recommend a gravity wall like gabion or crib, because those need a shallow foundation rather than deep individual post holes.
Stone and macrocarpa suit these gardens better than fresh pine
Schist and Canterbury basalt sit quietly in an established garden and look settled from day one. Macrocarpa is the middle ground, an untreated timber that greys off to a soft silver within two or three summers.
Treated pine works perfectly well structurally. It just looks green and new for a while, which some owners here mind and some do not.
Not sure whether your wall needs a consent? Send us a photo and a rough height. Under 1.5m of retained ground with nothing loading it from above is exempt. A driveway, a building, a pool or fill sloping up behind it is a surcharge, and that changes the answer.
Common questions
Retaining walls in Fendalton: common questions
Can you build a retaining wall without damaging my trees?
Often, by choosing a wall type with a shallow foundation instead of deep post holes, or by adjusting the wall line. We assess root zones on site.
What stone suits a Fendalton garden?
Schist and Canterbury basalt both work. Basalt reads as the local stone, schist reads warmer. We bring samples so you can see them against your own planting.
Wall types
Retaining walls we build in Fendalton
Concrete and Block Retaining Walls
Concrete lasts longer than timber and carries far more load, which is why it goes in wherever a driveway, a shed or a neighbour's lawn sits above the wall. We build.
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Engineered Retaining Walls
Once a wall passes 1.5m, or once a driveway or building sits above it, the job changes. You need a chartered engineer, a building consent and inspections. We manage.
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Stone and Gabion Retaining Walls
Stone is the choice when the wall has to look like it belongs. Canterbury gives us plenty to work with, including Halswell basalt, Port Hills volcanic stone, Timaru.
See moreNeed a retaining wall in Fendalton?
Answer three quick questions or call [PHONE] and we will book a free site visit.