Dundee · Angus and Dundee
Retaining wall repairs in Dundee
Whether it is a terraced lawn, a sunken patio or a drive cut into a bank, a failing retaining wall in Dundee needs drainage, a proper footing and enough strength for its height. We price the repair once the wall and its load are understood.
Guide price from£475per wall inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4, DD5
- Population
- about 150,000
- Area
- Angus and Dundee
- Pricing region
- Scotland
How do local ground conditions affect retaining wall repairs in Dundee?
Postcode districts DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4, DD5 cover Dundee, a Angus and Dundee town of about 150,000 people. If you are just outside Dundee, we also cover Carnoustie (11 miles), Forfar (12 miles) and Arbroath (16 miles).
Most of Angus and Dundee is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Angus and Dundee: sandstone tenements in Dundee, fishing-town houses and post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about retaining wall repairs
- Horizontal or stepped cracks running along the face of the wall
- Ground cracking or sinking along the top of the wall
- Water seeping through joints, or white salt staining, after rain
Retaining wall repairs prices in Dundee
For Dundee we use Scotland rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Minor repairs and drainage | £475 – £1,900 | per wall |
| Structural repair or partial rebuild | £2,850 – £14,200 | per wall |
| New retaining wall | £190 – £430 | per m² of wall face |
How we usually approach retaining wall repairs
Structural repair and partial rebuild
A leaning or bulging section is taken down, the soil behind dug out and supported, and the wall rebuilt on a new footing with drainage and, where specified, reinforcement tied into the sound wall either side. The engineer’s design sets footing size and wall thickness.
Best for: A section that has moved while the rest stays sound
Drainage and minor repairs
Blocked weep holes are cleared or new ones drilled, and where practical a drainage layer is formed behind the wall with an outlet at its base. Loose copings are rebedded, open joints repointed and a few damaged bricks replaced. For a low wall that has not moved much, this can be enough.
Best for: Low walls that are damp or slightly weathered but still upright
What happens during retaining wall repairs, step by step?
Photos and measurements
Send photos of the whole wall from the front and the end, so any lean shows, plus close-ups of cracks and weep holes. Tell us roughly how tall it is and what sits at the top, such as lawn, patio, drive or a building.
Site assessment
On site we measure height and lean, check the drainage and the ground at the top and bottom, and look at access for digging out. Walls that support a drive, path or building, or retain more than a modest height, are referred to an engineer.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote covering demolition, excavation, temporary support, the footing, the new or repaired wall, drainage and spoil removal. It becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.
Rules for retaining wall repairs in Scotland
In Scotland, underpinning and other structural alterations generally need a building warrant from the council’s building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end; small like-for-like repairs often do not. There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland; shared walls are covered by title deeds and, for flats, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004.
Questions about retaining wall repairs in Dundee
How much should I budget for retaining wall repairs in Dundee?
Guide prices for retaining wall repairs in Dundee start from about £475 per wall, including VAT, on Scotland rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Dundee?
Yes, Dundee is covered, along with postcode districts DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4. We also cover nearby Carnoustie and Forfar.
Why do houses in Angus and Dundee crack?
Angus and Dundee sit on Old Red Sandstone and igneous rock with glacial and raised-beach deposits. Hillside sites in Dundee mean retaining walls are common. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What are weep holes in a retaining wall?
Weep holes are small openings near the base of a retaining wall that let water drain out from the soil behind it. Without them, water builds up and adds hydrostatic pressure that can push the wall over. They work best with a drainage layer behind the wall, and they need to be kept clear.
Can a bulging retaining wall be saved?
Sometimes, if the bulge is small, the wall is low and the cause is mainly poor drainage. Improving drainage and repairing the face may stop further movement. A wall that has bulged a lot, cracked through or moved at its base usually needs that section rebuilding on a proper footing.
Related work in Dundee
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Retaining wall repairs near Dundee
The written quote for your Dundee retaining wall sets out excavation, footing, drainage and rebuild, then becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.