Concrete sleeper, block and timber sleeper walls built for the load behind them: posts in 40 MPa concrete, ag-line drainage, compacted backfill and a finish that suits the house. Garden edges to tiered structural walls.
Footings to depth. Posts set in 40 MPa concrete at a depth matched to the wall height and soil, not a bag of rapid-set in a shallow hole.
Drainage you never see. Ag-line at the base, drainage aggregate and filter fabric behind the wall, so water drains instead of pushing.
Backfill compacted in layers. The ground behind the wall is built up properly so nothing settles or bulges later.
Built to the drawings. Walls that need engineering are built exactly to the engineer’s detail, with the paperwork for your permit or handover.
Finished with the rest of the yard. Fence posts, steps, planters and turf levels planned with the wall, not around it.
Roque explains the standard in two short videos below: what $250 per square metre actually buys, and what goes underground.
Wall types
Concrete sleeper, block or timber
Concrete sleeper walls
Galvanised steel posts with concrete sleepers in grey, charcoal or timber-look finishes. The longest life and the cleanest look for boundaries, driveways and tiered yards.
Block walls
Rendered or split-face block for front gardens, entrance steps, planters and feature walls. Core-filled and reinforced where the height calls for it.
Timber sleeper walls and steps
Treated pine or hardwood sleepers for low garden walls, terraces and steps. Cost-effective, warm, and built with the same footing and drainage rules.
Recent walls
Front gardens, terraces and boundary walls
Block retaining wall and entrance steps, new homeBlock walls either side of the front stepsTimber sleeper terrace steps in a backyardBlock garden wall along the side of the houseSleeper garden bed wall along a drivewayBlock retaining corner gardenTimber fence on a concrete sleeper wall, full boundary runFront entrance with block wall and steps
Questions
Retaining wall questions
How much does a retaining wall cost in Melbourne?
It depends on height, length, material and what is behind it. As a guide, a properly built concrete sleeper wall with drainage starts around $250 per square metre of wall face. We quote fixed after a site visit; use the instant estimate tool for a ballpark in two minutes.
Do I need engineering or a permit?
Walls over 1 metre, walls near a boundary, walls carrying a surcharge (driveway, pool, building) or walls on fill generally need engineering and may need a building permit. We tell you at the site assessment and build to the engineer’s drawings.
What goes underground?
Posts set in concrete at a depth matched to the wall height, ag-line drainage at the base, drainage aggregate and filter fabric behind the wall, then compacted backfill. That is what stops a wall leaning in five years.
Concrete sleeper, block or timber?
Concrete sleepers give the longest life and a clean modern look. Block walls suit front gardens, steps and planters. Treated timber sleepers are the budget option for low garden walls. We help you choose based on height, soil and the look of the house.
Can you do the fence and garden on top of the wall too?
Yes, and it is better if we do. The fence posts, wall posts and garden levels get planned together so the finished yard lines up.
Free site assessment
Book a free retaining wall site assessment
Send the wall height, rough length and a photo if you have one. We will come out, check levels and drainage, and send a fixed written quote within 48 hours.
