Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Driveway expansion & retaining wall

Hi, we are widening our driveway to allow side by side parking. Due to the slope up to our new neighbor, we will need a retaining wall 18-24" @ its highest point on the outside edge of our expansion. We want to be as cost effective as possible and have decided to use a concrete wall that we can later surface with flat stones, etc. My question is "Can we build one form for the drive and the wall so the concrete can be poured once, thereby saving a second truck delivery fee?" Can anyone offer helpful links or directions? My husband is capable of building the forms, but has only built flat surface pouring frames in the past. Help? It can't possibly be THAT difficult?

Anything is possible, but that would not be advised.

Elaborate, please? The guy at the concrete distributor is the one who recommended it...

Many reasons. A monolithic driveway slab and retaining wall is just not a good idea. The forms for the wall will be embedded in the driveway. etc.

Your best bet is to use segmental retaining wall blocks for the retaining wall anyway.

Okay... maybe I should have been more specific. Can someone ELSE tell me how to float a frame for a retaining wall ABOVE a frame for a driveway slab so that they both can be poured at one time? Thanks tscarborough for your enlightening opinions, but what i need is i-n-f-o-r-m-a-t-i-o-n...

You got a good suggestion and some help.

Apparently, you have decided which way you want to go, but do not know how to do it, so you want to be spoon fed.

There are some problems with your approach that you should be aware of:

1. Since you are building a rigid retaining wall, it will have to go well below (a few feet) the level of your neighbor's yard and probably should have a spread footing if it is not deep enough .

2. If you plant to pour the inside of the wall against the dirt, you will use slightly more concrete and you will not be able to compact the soil under the slab. - This can lead to cracks and possibly settlement.

3. If the wall moves outward (and it will try to) it will take the slab with it or cause cracks in the slab. If the slab is against a structure or other slab on the other side, the joint will open as the wall moves out.

You never see it built that way if it has any importance

Whatever you build will be there for long time, so it should be right

Dick

I do not desire to be "spoon fed" and no decision has been made. Since the concrete supplier suggested it, i thought he "must know" something & it sounds like a really good idea to me. Besides, if I knew the answer, WHY would I be asking? Thank you for at least being specific about the problems we could encounter.

The concrete supplier has a vested interest in not wanting to waste time on 2 small deliveries, when he could be making 2 full truck deliveries.

Good luck!

And just because I have a had a full day of dealing with persons like yourself, let me take it further.

When people come into my office with an idea for what they want, but no idea of how to do it, or even if it is doable, and then begin to argue with my advice, what I do is put on a stone face and tell them this, "Advice is free, lessons begin at 75 bucks an hour".

Again, good luck with your project.

Since your concrete supplier has seen it and we haven't, maybe he would be a good one to ask how. He must have some idea if he suggested it.

Apparently, I mis-read the original post slightly. I initially thought your property was above and not below the neighbors.

the use of segmental retaining wall (SRW) makes more sense since it does not require a spread footing and since it is available with an architectural split face, it could save you money in the end. - It is definitely a DIY project and does not requiring forming. the only forms would be those required for the edges of the slab.

In any event, the poured retaining wall should be built first with a proper footing (or without a footing if it is a SRW wall) and then the slab poured later.

Be aware that if you are near the property line, the wall must be able to support the loads the neighbor may place on his property. Since you are lower, you will have to be concerned with the natural runoff from the neighbor's property.

Dick