What Retaining Wall Is Most Cost Effective? Rising Building Materials in 2022.
Well, you’ll be glad to know that in 2022 sandstone isn’t that expensive.
In recent months, we have seen other building material costs surge and sandstone has remained stable with a $5 increase per block (which is what we’ve seen in the inflation rate over passed years).
Because of raising costs in materials, this has closed the gap between timber and other types of retaining wall material costs compared to sandstone.
Building materials has been a significant issue for builders in 2021. Fast forward to 2022 and they’re still rising along with availability challenges and labour shortages. What we’re seeing in 2022 would be the greatest market driven increase we’ve ever seen. Which creates its own challenges for consumers.
As I have mentioned above, because of the growing prices of other materials, this closes the price gap between sandstone and alternative materials. The great thing about sandstone is that you have options. A grade being the premium price, down to C grade, which is the quarry’s lowest grade of sandstone at almost half the cost*. Then we have even more cost-effective solutions such as sandstone boulders. Which is the cheapest option there is.
If you’re looking at building a retaining wall and are uncertain of which materials to use, I often ask clients: “will you be here for a long period?”. They often say “yes, that’s the plan”! So I recommend to our clients If you want to stay at your property for a long period, sandstone is a great option as you won’t have to re-build it in 10-20 years’ time* as apposed to a timber wall. Not only does this save you the hassle of re-building a retaining wall after that time, sandstone brings your property’s value up. So if you need to sell before or even after that period of time, all you need to do is give the sandstone a wash, and it’s like a brand new retaining wall!
So I’ve done some research and added some links below for reference on average costs of a range of retaining walls per m2 below for you to view (Amounts exclude GST):
- Sandstone Boulders $170 - $270 p/m2
- Treated Pine Timber $250 - $350 p/m2
- Treated Timber/Hardwood $300 - $450 p/m2
- Sandstone $300 - $600 p/m2 (Depending on the grade)
- Concrete Sleeper $450 - $700 p/m2
- Reinforced concrete blocks $450 - $700 p/m2
- Besser Block $550 - $750 p/m2
So, as you can see, Sandstone is a particularly cost-effective solution when you compare it to other products. When build correctly by a licensed and qualified tradesperson, a sandstone retaining wall can stand the test of time, establishing a valuable long-term solution for your property.
*Depending on your location and quarry.
*Factored a basic timber retaining wall that is prone to rotting,replacing after 10-15 years.