Timber walls are slowly becoming less popular and for good reason. Retaining walls are almost always installed early in grading operations after virgin land is cleared. Since they support the earth, site walls are a critical requirement before roads and buildings can be built. The problem facing Home Owner’s Associations of older communities is replacing these walls after the roads and buildings have already been built. Although these timbers are pressure treated, their life expectancy is still only 20 years, roughly.
Replacing timber walls can be a logistical nightmare for the HOA. Frequently, condos, townhouses, or streets are built on top of these site walls. Without proper precautions, significant structural damage can result when these walls are replaced. Access to the walls is also limited. During the grading phase of site development, equipment is easily utilized with little in the way of physical obstacles. Masonry units can be mechanically located to the most strategic spot, avoiding unnecessary manual labor. This is rarely the case when replacing the wall. Additionally, there are other building components may need to be temporarily removed and reinstalled. Rails which are frequently installed above retaining walls to prevent accidental falls, would need to be removed.
Any townhome or condo HOA board with timber retaining walls should have a reserve study prepared as soon as possible. Replacing retaining walls is a very expensive endeavor and requires many years of savings for their inevitable replacement. Of course, the community can always go the assessment route….
An excellent local retaining wall company is Site Scapes, who schooled me about retaining walls when I was a site development manager. They even do their engineering in house.
