Retaining Walls
Picture Above: A retaining wall constructed from specially designed, interlocking blocks
The Implications of Building Retaining Walls
Part K of SANS 10400, Walls in the National Building Regulations (NBR) covers the structural strength and stability of all walls, including those that form part of a house or other building, and both garden and boundary walls.
They also deal with retaining walls which, by definition are intended to “resist the lateral displacement of materials”. If the wall is not designed the right way, it simply won’t resist the pressure of soil or other materials pushing against it, and it might collapse injuring or even killing people. It is for this reason that it is essential for all retaining walls to be designed by a competent person, preferably an engineer, and for plans to be drawn up and submitted to the relevant local authority for approval before building begins.
Over the years we’ve had numerous queries from visitors to this site regarding retaining walls, many homeowners wanting to know whether plans are required.
The only walls you may be build without plans are those that are considered, by the National Building Regulations to be minor building work. Specifically, Part A of SANS 10400, General Principles and Requirements says “any free-standing wall constructed of masonry, concrete, steel, aluminium or timber or any wire fence where such wall or fence does not exceed 1,8 m in height at any point above ground level and does not retain soil,” is regarded as minor building work.
Even though plans are not required for minor building work, it is essential that minor building work complies with the NBR, and you should notify the local authority of your intention to build the wall.
All retaining walls require plans that are approved, and they must be designed by a competent person or build it in accordance with the SABS “deemed to satisfy” rules that are laid out in Part K 4.2.4 Free-standing boundary, garden and retaining walls.
Freestanding retaining walls must be designed and built so that:
- the height of any fill retained by the wall does not exceed the values given in he table below, provided, however, that where x (see figure above) exceeds 0,3 m, the height retained shall be reduced by the difference between x and 0,3 m
- piers, where required in terms of the table below, project on the opposite side of the wall to the fill that is being retained
- control joints are located at intervals that do not exceed 10 m
- no surcharge of fill is placed within a distance equal to the height of the amount of fill being retained, and
- subsoil drainage is provided behind the wall by weepholes formed by building into the waIl, and 50 mm diameter plastic pipes, with the non-exposed end covered with geofabric, at a height that does not exceed 300 mm above the lower ground level, and at centres that do not exceed 1,5 m.
Note that the specifications for garden walls that do not retain earth are different.
“The term ‘minor building work’ was intended to cover certain building work which, because of either its nature or magnitude (or both), was such that it would not be necessary to submit full plans or, in certain cases, where no plans or any other documents would be required.” South African National Building Regulations
What Happens When Retaining Walls are not Built in Accordance With the Building Regulations
Incorrectly built retaining walls can be downright dangerous. Just a couple of months ago an adult and six children were injured when a retaining walls collapsed on them in Quarry Heights, Durban. At the time, the children and several adults were helping Busisiwe Shabane backfill a retaining wall with sand and rubble to create an area that was level with her house. Two of the children were trapped under the wall.
According to Shanbane’s husband, Caphius, they were trying to strengthen the wall which appeared to be about to collapse. He said they were afraid that if the wall collapsed, the house would then collapse. He said they had used tyres, but these had been dislodged by heavy rain. They had also built two retaining walls using hollow cement blocks. When these began to crack and show signs of falling, they broke one down and rebuilt it.
The wall was apparently six blocks high, which would have made the wall about 1,2 m high. Clearly it was not built according to the NBR, and there were certainly no approved plans. Thankfully no-one was killed, but two weeks ago 18 people died and three were injured when a retaining wall collapsed on a shack in China’s Shandong Province. This collapse was also caused by heavy rain.
Properly Built Retaining Walls
Although to the layperson low retaining walls might appear to be simple structures, the risks of badly built walls are acknowledged by engineers. When an engineer designs a retaining wall he or she will evaluate the soil and any rocks that are behind or below where the wall is to be built. They will also determine the best material for backfilling the wall and design drainage so that rain does not cause collapse.
What are the regulations governing the height of a retaining wall and when were they implemented?
Good day:-) Hoping someone can offer some assistance to my dilemma… recently in Durban we had very heavy rains and my studio, which is in an office park, flooded. The water seeped through my back wall and upon inspection I actually realised that the property directly behind our building, had a very high remaining wall which is actually right up against my back wall of my studio. Is this legal? His wall is a retaining wall holding the soil of his yard on that side and which places my studio at below his actual ground level! I am very concerned about safety and what would happen if his wal had to give way under the pressure of tons of soil, worsened by days of heavy rain. What building laws, if any, could explain how this type of building could have been done?
Hi my neighbour excavated her land, now that the heavy rains came the bank collasped,they was no wall erected,Can you tell please tell me whom is responsible for this/.
I have lost a metre of land which the sand/bank caved in,can i go into her property and start erecting a wall,or must she erect a wall frm her side,and i can do my side ,,,
I have an existing terraforce retaining wall approximately 1m high. I am wanting to extend the wall by a further 600m in high (3 additional blocks) in order to level out my yard. Would I require plans?
Hallo,
There is a retaining wall that has been constructed on our common property. On the one side is the garden which is fill and the wall is about 6 meters high and a sheer drop.
Is there a legal requirement to have a ballistrate? I would imagine this could be dangerous without some protection.
If legally this is a requirement, could you please reference this requirement.
Many Thanks,
Bev
“Are there good, less cost effective…” Should read “Are there good, MORE cost effective”
Retaining walls would not normally require a balustrade unless the wall retains earth below an area that will be used perhaps as a patio or similar.
Just double-check with your local authority that the plans are still valid – and if they are, then you can build.
I need some advice my father died and he had drawn up a plan for boundary walls but he died before he could have build it,i have red that approved plans is valid for 12 month is it possible that i could get the plans re-approved because i’m his son and his estate is still not finalized and i need to build the wall because the neighbors taking the current sink plates that’s forming the barrier between us to sell for there own benefit ,or can i just built the wall according to the plans that was approved.
Hi
Does retaining walls require ballastrudes and if so in which instances?
Regards
Thanks for your response and advice.
Regards
Chery
Frankly the City of Tshwane should not have allowed this. They have the authority to insist that the wall is demolished and as far as I can see, they are the ones who must take action. Apart from anything else retaining walls of this calibre must have approved plans – which it sounds as if they might have had if there was an engineer involved. The question is, if there are approved plans, has the structure been built in accordance with them? You could try approaching a local newspaper and asking them to write an article with pictures. Unfortunately this type of scenario is very common and usually the only way to solve the problem is to take legal action… Which I can see is a huge Catch 22. Maybe you could get an attorney to write a letter to the City demanding they take action. That wouldn’t cost a lot, and might just force them to do something. If you did this and had the newspaper add this info into an article, it might work. At the end of the day, if the wall does collapse, your neighbour and the City will be liable – I have no doubt about that.
What matter Cherylene? Please be advised that we reply as quickly as we can to queries – however this is a free service and we aren’t able to respond to the many thousands of questions we get. We are doing the best we can.
It has been a year now and I have received ni reply! This matter is VERY URGENT! Please respond
I happened to come across your website and we are in URGENT need of help as the City of Tshwane say they cannot help and dont want to get involved. We are against a mountain and our neighbor at the back decided he wanted to form a plateau and dug out tons of ground. He then packed loffelstein blocks right against our boundary wall which has caused our wall to crack and started leaning over into our property. It has damages our pool as well as our entertainment area. His engineer passed away and the new guy suggested move the wall back. He started off with 3 meters, but ended at 2.1 meters away from our wall and he only has ground filling and stone in between the blocks. He has pushed ground right against our boundary wall with no drainage. We had an engineer out who will now charge us R14 000 to right a full report, money we do t have. We are told this is now a Civil case for which we dont have the money. Our house is in the market, but the bank refuses to give us a bank valuation until the wall has been rebuilt. Our neighbour was going to rebuild it, but refuses to as he says he has reduces the preassure to our wall. We have tried everyrhing and no one can tell us who we can turn to for help. I have hundreds of photos of how i wall looked before rhe loffelstein wall and he results now. We are from Magalieskruin in Pretoria – who can help us. This is really an uegent matter as our wall can fall over at any time. Regards Chery
Hi Jitesh, boundary walls and retaining wall construction is covered in the Regulations not who pays for them. The costs etc. should always be negotiated between the neighbouring parties before building and this should be put in writing and signed by both parties.
Hi
I’ve recently bought a plot on an estate. At the back of the land there is a slope to the adjourning plot. I’m looking at clearing part of the slope to create additional building space. I’ll need to put up a retaining wall; my question on this is whether the cost of this should be shared with the neighbour as it is holding up his plot. Surely he cannot have built with the notion that the land below will always have the slope as is.
Regards
I have answered this question in Boundary Lines, Walls & Fences
Hi, I own a panhandle property on an estate. Along the side of my panhandle driveway the neighbour has built less than a metre from the boundary line. The land sloped up the panhandle, this owner filled sand along that boundary to create a platform in order to build soo close to the boundary line, as he has a small plot and I suppose wanted to make use of all land that he could. I queried this with the estate and was told they gave him permission to do this. However my big issue is that he filled sand on that boundary to build his house and retained it with sand bags and created a bank. When it rains those sand bags have collapsed into my property in the past, and each time he puts the sand bags back. He now says that it is my responsibility to retain the bank he created as I am the “lower neighbour” which doesn’t make any sense. My understanding is that if you cut, then you retain. If you fill, then you retain. Please can you advise what the actual regulations are regarding this. He created this bank with the permission of the estate and now they have put my property at risk and put me in a position where I should pay for a bank he created.
This guy is a developer and trying to steam roll over me. Please can you advise the rule regarding building lines and the responsibility of retaining.
What they are trying to do is indeed illegal. ALL retaining walls require plans (however low they are) and permission, and there are very strict requirements laid out in Part K: Walls of SANS 10400.
Put your complaints in writing to the planning department of your local authority. Phone, email … and demand the council stops them. You are well within your rights. They are also liable for damages – there is no question about this. And tell the project manager if he doesn’t stop harassing you you will lay a criminal charge of harassment against him.
Kenneth, a 1,8 m high wall is considered minor building work so you don’t need plans. You should be able to add to the existing brickwork. You will though need to notify the council of what you are doing; they may have additional requirements.
I stay in a complex in Roodepoort. Its a sectional Title. Me and my neighbor have walls that are 1.5m high. We would like to extend it to 1.8m for some privacy. We both agreed to it, but the current wall is a single layer wall with good foundation pillars (2 brick layer). Can we extend to 1.8m with a single layer or must we get plans and do a double brick layer wall
Hi, I live in Fourways Jhb. The behind me was bought by a complex developer and I am having a number of problems with them. Firstly, the boundary wall between us – they have twice started raising the wall, without my permission. In fact the 2nd time was after I expressly told them that it is illegal to do so. The wall is will be over 2.5m on my side as they are higher than I am. And it is a retaining wall. They are trying to co-erce me into agreeing to the raising of the well. The project manager is arriving at my house after hours and ringing my intercom & phoning me, also msgng me over weekends! They have told me that they do not need approved building plans, that they can raise the wall and just get the work appproved afterwards if they want! Furthermore, they have said that the wall needs no work done to it, beyond just adding bricks on top. However, I believe that given that the wall a) will be over 2.5m on my side and b) retaining wall it will need to be rebuilt from the foundation up, with support pliers? Secondly, in addition, in Dec, they did groundworks too close to my house – they broke the join in my side wall and the wall has split and is falling over. The said they will “get around to fixing it”! I really need your help. Can someone pls advise me on what my rights are, what actually needs to be done, what I need to ensure is put in writing by them and agreed on etc? Your help is very much appreciated!!
Hi Rakesh, This sounds like you are talking about a retaining wall. All retaining walls that are above 1 (one) meter high will need to have plans submitted and approved. Depending on the slope and cutback and the amount of soil the wall retains you might well need an engineers report to accompany the plans. Drainage is also a critical factor and the engineer will have to design the wall accordingly. Whoever told you that no plans are required is possibly not aware of the laws, you can check with your local council planning department to confirm this.
good day,
to whom it may concern;
I was told that when constructing a wall using interlink blocks does not require a plan;
further more my wall was damaged by a municipality dam that burst about 12 to 15 years ago,
I tried in vain for municipality to re-erect a wall,
because we bought the property a long time ago, nobody checked if the previous owner had done things correctly, thus the wall that was there didn’t have any plans, now that it has become a major problem because we live bellow road level, I had to act & erect a wall using interlink blocks
Please advise!