Back Yard Renovation.

[crazy02gti]

Well... Since I'm unemployed and can't take doing nothing. I decided to start some renovation work on my back yard. My yard had a gravity held rock wall that was holding up the first level of my back yard. But over the years the wall begin sliding and now it's starting to cause the whole back yard to slide.

My goal is to cut back into the hill and start building up retaining walls, with the end goal to have some level yard in the back that's usable. One side will have a few terraces (location for shed, Flower Garden and Vegetable garden, those walls wont be as high. While the other side will have two taller walls and a flat area to hang out and maybe put a fire pit. (so I can stop doing it my driveway)

The Retaining walls will be made out of 6x6s dug 3 feet into the ground then concrete poured around them. Then on the inside (side facing into the ground) I'll attach 2x6s to create the wall. They will be angled in 1 inch for every foot high they are. The two main walls will get "deadman Anchors" which will be 1280 lbs steel rope, one side anchored into concrete piliers 6ft in and the other lag bolts to the 6x6 4 ft up from ground level. Where the wood hits the ground I will painted it with tar to prevent rot. The outside will be stained. I will be adding draining so there is no water build up behind the wall.

NOW....

On to the pictures.



My crappy shed that is starting to fall down the hill.


What I "PLAN" on having it look like.


I was going to do it all be hand but with all the rocks and weeds its starting to become an impossible job. So, I'm going to prep everything I need to do and rent a Backhoe for a day and get it all squared away.

[Seitan]

usually it would seem prudent to save money when you're unemployed, but I can't blame you, I did the same thing years back when I was without a job. Good luck and looking forward to the progress pictures!

[alica55]

It would be great to utilize your time by doing some productive task like renovation, but it surprises all people, when you are jobless and have shortage of money. If you are interested in this field, why don’t you choose it as your carrier?

[jackswwagar]

Well, you have great space in your backyard and I like the idea of garden but I think you can add more in that keep thinking about that and you will get new ideas.

flooring milton

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

Will be watching this thread.

[crazy02gti]

usually it would seem prudent to save money when you're unemployed, but I can't blame you, I did the same thing years back when I was without a job. Good luck and looking forward to the progress pictures!

yea I cant can sit around doing nothing. So I figure might as well get stuff down around the house that I've been putting off for years.

It would be great to utilize your time by doing some productive task like renovation, but it surprises all people, when you are jobless and have shortage of money. If you are interested in this field, why don’t you choose it as your carrier?

I've always been a good saver, money has been put away for this project for a long time i just never had the time. I did have a job in this field, as well I have a degree in construction management and architecture.

Well, you have great space in your backyard and I like the idea of garden but I think you can add more in that keep thinking about that and you will get new ideas.
flooring milton

New ideas pop in me head all the time, and if i was able to do it i would love to make curved walls but unfortunately it increases the cost of the project so much that it becomes a joke for the amount of space.

The total depth of the backyard is 80 feet. I'm only going back 30.

Will be watching this thread.

[sirswank]

good idea, in for pics!

lol at replying to spambots.

[Mtl-Marc]

lol at replying to spambots.

[crazy02gti]

Got some more done over the past few days. All the trees that needed to be cut are cut, And 90% of the bushes are removed.

This picture is of the left side Those two trees in the back are 30 away from where the first wall will start and those will be the back bounders. Ill have about 25 ft of open space on this side.


Here is the left side. I need to trim a little more and remove the vines. I think I'm going to do 3 tears on this side make them stretch the whole way down till it meets that large tree in the back.


So far I'm very happy with how its coming out. The back looks brighter. Plus my neighbors cat is having a blast chasing the mice and chipmunks that are coming out of the old rock wall.

[crazy02gti]

[jddaigle]

Weird rocks in your neck of the woods.

[SAPJetta]

Wow. Back to back spambots within 20 minutes of each other. Dueling spambots?

[crazy02gti]

Weird rocks in your neck of the woods.

HAHAthat was all... we found an old beetle front end, rear end, all its wheels and roof. The motor is an old Hudson. I need to get pictures from the lower part looking up. the pictures dont do any justice on the how much room we gained in the back.