Build a retaining wall with formwork yourself

For me, it was maybe 17m linear wall. Reinforcement (horizontal + vertical) cost me 280 EUR, concrete about 350 EUR, and formwork blocks (24cm thick) 16 EUR/sqm wall area.

In any case, one could at least do it so that the concrete is delivered in 2 stages, for the foundation and then the formwork blocks. Digging the trench and building the walls still takes a lot of time. Filling the formwork also requires a bit of manpower. I assume you have no other hobbies or even children - or why are you putting yourselves through this?

Just to understand, you are higher than the forest?

Yes, we are one meter higher. I always call our house my little castle.

Anyway, you could at least do it so that the concrete is delivered in 2 stages, for the foundation and then the shuttering blocks. I assume you have no other hobbies or even children - or why are you putting yourself through this?

Yes, that would be the charming part. But we have a little son. He has the energy of 3 children. Plus a garden that needs to be completely weeded and another 60 cubic meters of topsoil that needs to be spread. Why are we putting ourselves through this? I like the pain No, I’m doing it for the dear money. There’s a wedding in a month and I have to save up the money.

I understand that. I had your garden, weeds, topsoil in mind. And your future partner is also that energetic about it? I mean, there is another alternative: building the wall later. Berlin wasn’t built in a day either.

My reading recommendation on the topic, from the recent discussions here: (with pictures)

Hello Evolith

Excavate the trench down to well below the frost line. Pour in 15cm of concrete and smooth it out. Then use 24cm concrete formwork blocks and build the wall up. One concrete formwork block in the size 50x25x24.5 width x height x depth costs 2.95 euros. When purchasing a whole pallet, about 30 cents less per block. From the inside, I would paint the wall with bitumen, after the bitumen has dried apply styrofoam (is cheaper than styrodur) and in front of that a dimpled membrane. That holds extremely well and is the most economical. Requires a bit of skill and own effort.

Steven