Have a terrace partition wall built or build it yourself

Hello,

we have purchased a new semi-detached house

we heard from our neighbors that instead of the standard glass partition wall they want a masonry partition wall made of stone

we have 2 options for the wall

we both want it to be 4m long and 2m high and on the property boundary

Option 1

have the builder build it:

he makes a foundation for the wall and properly builds up the wall (I think with sandstone - the same stones as the exterior walls of the house) and in the end with the same fine plaster as the outside of the house and a top capping plate.

Costs approx. 6000 - 8000€ must still be calculated exactly (price then to be divided by 2)

Option 2

we skip the glass partition wall both get a small credit maybe 100-200€ must also be calculated and we build the partition wall ourselves at the end with hollow bricks which are filled with gravel or sand at the end so that they stand stable.

Costs: no idea but definitely cheaper :)

Can it happen with Option 1 that the wall settles over time and cracks can form in the wall? Inside the house cracks usually occur over time and sometimes even outside.

The fine plaster on the wall is also difficult to repair yourself with Option 2 that should not happen since it is not glued

First of all – the hollow blocks also need a foundation! Properly done means excavated 80 cm deep, sand, gravel, and concrete. Not exactly without effort.

How would you handle the insulation layer on the house then – let the hollow blocks butt directly against each other?

What bothers you about the glass partition that you would do differently with a wall?

What do you mean by the insulation layer? We would leave a small gap between the cavity wall and the house wall. 1-3mm

Is the foundation heavy and then nothing shifts anymore?

We both don't want the glass partition wall because it is made of frosted glass and you can see halfway through, there are small slits around the glass to look through, and because the sound insulation is much lower than with a masonry wall.

How do you mean with the insulation layer? We would leave a small gap between the cavity wall and the house wall. 1-3mm

So no wall tie connecting the house and wall.

Is it difficult with the foundation and then nothing shifts anymore?

Well, just a trench, 1 meter deep and 50 cm (plus sloping) wide by 4 meters. Depending on the soil, it's a real hassle, I would ask the landscaper if he can dig the trench right away.

We both don't want the glass partition wall because it's made of frosted glass and you can half see through it, there are small slits around the glass to look through, and because the sound insulation is much lower than with a masonry wall.

I have to disappoint you: the sound insulation effect compared to a glass wall will not be as great as you might imagine... okay in the bass range but not in the mid-frequency range (conversations, singing, etc.). Unless the listener and speaker sit immediately(!) next to the wall. How about instead another coating/film on the glass and a small water feature directly on the partition wall?

A wall anchor was not planned (our own wall would have to be planned in detail anyway) I first wanted to find out what makes more sense. (do it ourselves or have it built)

The glass partition wall is only 2m wide and the standard terrace is 3m deep (but we also want to enlarge it to maybe 4m deep) The partition wall should ideally be exactly as long as the terrace but at least 3m

The masonry partition wall also looks much better optimistically than glass and is not as sensitive to scratches or anything if you accidentally bump into it

I would have thought that the masonry wall would block a lot of sound

I would have thought that the brick wall would block a lot of sound

I'll put it this way: if your neighbor is having a normal conversation, you will still be able to practically understand every word on your side... in terms of volume, he will only sound a few meters further away. The bass from his boombox on the terrace, on the other hand, will be noticeably dampened. That's all. Whether that's "a lot" and "enough" you have to judge.