Hey folks! I'm not entirely sure if this is the right place to seek advice, but here goes. My girlfriend bought a house built into the side of a ridge nearly two years ago, and it has a pretty tall retaining wall, around 9 or 10 feet high. Since we moved in, there have been some cracks, and the wall has always had a bit of a lean. Recently, after some heavy rainfall, the largest crack seems to have widened by about an inch, and I suspect there might be new cracks too. The home inspection said it wasn't a big deal, but I'm a bit skeptical about that. I'm worried the wall might collapse, which could damage the house. My girlfriend is looking into contractors, but I wanted to get some thoughts from you guys first. Here are my questions: 1. How serious is this situation? 2. Should we contact an engineer, or will a contractor suffice? 3. Should we adjust the gutter to direct water away from the wall? 4. Is addressing this going to cost a fortune? Thanks for any insights! Pictures can be found here: [https://imgur.com/a/QSwD2mU](https://imgur.com/a/QSwD2mU)
2 Answers
It sounds like you might have some freeze/thaw issues exacerbating the cracks. Water can seep in, freeze, and expand, which can cause further damage. You might want to consider backfilling the area behind the wall with earth or concrete to create a slope away from it, but I would recommend consulting a pro. It’s not a fun situation, but if you're seeing substantial cracks, I'd classify it as a moderate concern.
You might want to double-check the local code requirements too. If it's as serious as it seems, best to err on the side of caution!
It looks like the issue with your wall is likely due to water buildup behind it and possibly not being built for the height and load, especially with vehicles parked on top. If that wall fails, it might break off in chunks instead of tipping over completely. To start helping, I suggest moving the downspouts away to avoid more water accumulation, which is a cheap fix. Structural fixes may be costly and not worth it if the wall wasn't reinforced properly from the get-go. Consider installing a French drain on the lower side to manage runoff, which could cost around $150 and some manual work.
Thank you! This is exactly the kind of info I needed to hear!
Any idea on rough costs for either a proper repair or a rebuild? Just trying to gauge how extreme the price might be.
Your advice is super helpful! Out of curiosity, what’s your background? Are you in construction or an engineer?
I hear you, freeze/thaw cycles can wreak havoc. North Georgia has been pretty chilly lately, so that makes sense! Just be careful with your solutions.