Canberra Retaining Wall FAQ
Contact Retaining Walls Canberra about retaining walls in Canberra.
Do I need a building approval for a retaining wall in Canberra?
ACT Planning says a retaining wall does not need a building approval if it is not higher than 1.2 metres from the top of the wall to the lowest adjacent ground level. A wall up to 1.5 metres may also be exempt if it complies with the exempt building code and the building code. Check the page for your wall.
Do I need a development approval as well?
Possibly. ACT Planning says you should self-check the development approval exemptions separately. It describes different height limits for cut-in walls, fill walls and parts of a wall within 1.5 metres of a side or rear boundary.
What is a cut-in wall and what is a fill wall?
ACT Planning describes a cut-in wall as one that keeps an embankment cut below datum ground level and a fill wall as one that keeps soil above it. A wall that does both is a combination wall.
How is the height measured?
ACT Planning measures from the top of the wall to the lowest adjacent ground level. An Access Canberra factsheet says the height in the building exemptions refers to the actual earth cut that has to be retained, not how the wall looks.
Who can confirm that my wall is exempt?
ACT Planning says its development team can give advice but does not issue exemption approvals, and that only a building certifier can ensure plans and work are legally completed. A certifier can issue an exemption notice.
Does a retaining wall builder need a licence in the ACT?
ACT Planning says builders must be local to do work that requires building approval, while carpenters and bricklayers do not currently need a licence. Ask each business which licence applies to your job and search the number on the Access Canberra register.
What else holds a licence?
ACT Planning lists builders, plumbers, drainers, electricians, gasfitters and certifiers among the local occupations. If a wall needs a connection to stormwater, ask who holds the licence for that part.
Who must show their insurance?
ACT Planning says a person with a construction occupations licence must show the client their insurance when they work for them, even if the client has not asked.
What does a retaining wall cost?
Yakka Labour gives $250 to $1,000 per square metre of face nationally, and Karven gives $250 to $1,000 or more. Both are guides. See our cost guide for the sources and dates.
Why do two quotes for the same wall differ so much?
Yakka Labour says one may include the footing, drainage, excavation and soil removal and the other may not. Ask each business to list them.
What does drainage involve?
Yakka Labour describes slotted pipe wrapped in geofabric, about 300 millimetres of clean gravel behind the wall and an outlet to stormwater or a safe discharge area. Karven says weep holes are also part of it.
Should I be worried about a leaning wall?
Yakka Labour says a tall wall that is moving is a safety issue that needs an engineer to look at it before anyone digs near it, and warns against digging at the base of a leaning wall. We give no engineering advice.
Who checks for underground services?
Before You Dig Australia is a single point of contact for asset plans. Ask each builder who requests them.
Do neighbours share the cost?
Yakka Labour says the owner who changed the ground level is generally responsible for retaining it, and that neighbours sometimes agree to share costs. It suggests putting any agreement in writing. ACT Planning's page on fences refers to the Common Boundaries Act 1981. Take legal advice for a dispute.
Are you a builder?
Contact Retaining Walls Canberra about retaining walls in Canberra.
Does it cost anything to send a request?
No. The form is free and there is no obligation. Businesses set their own prices.