Building a boulder retaining wall

Time lapse video of building a boulder retaining wall for a bluestone patio in Stone Ridge NY. Using a Yanmar b50 excavator, John Deere 310se backhoe, Bobcat t190 loader.

[@erneststevenson3872]

Someone who edited this video certainly has exquisite taste in Classical background music: it matched the activity of the heavy machinery perfectly.

[@runeskogstad6927]

Mozart and Machinery! ❤

[@DCR52]

Andrew, I am a super impressed with the knowledge and skills you possess. There isn't much that you can't do. I am glued to the TV every time you have a video posted. You are certainly one of a kind. Thank you for sharing . It is really appreciated in these times we are living. Keep it going !!

[@131dyana]

Loved watching the wall go up and loved the classical music.

[@mahanly]

There is nothing Mr Camarata can not do. Amazing. 👍😎

[@DanKoning777]

*That turned out great.* I'd be very pleased if I were the homeowner. *Well done Andrew.* I can picture it completely done months later; it would be a perfect spot for most any occasion.

[@zigzagz_8423]

I couldn't stop watching it!

[@markbonham3477]

First time I ever saw a compactor on any of your jobs Andrew. I was beginning to think they were outlawed or get stuck in the mud to often anyway, another fine job showing off your artistic side. When you video this job next summer with all the vegetation and flowers the naysayers should quiet down. You can bet one thing, they will be watching!

[@davidmorse8432]

Thank you for the "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" ! Very tasteful.

[@rogerboudreau8496]

Good music choice and good job not hitting those guys with compactors:) Bravo !

[@dave_in_florida]

Watched video from start to finish including commercials to give Andrew credit. I think looks nice. House needs a big deck to bring out to the wall, and will look fine.

[@ronaldziehlke9720]

Well rock me Amadeus, that's some great background music!

[@travisdavis3974]

Neither is storm water piping

[@tiffanyssilkynylonlovelysi6233]

@SISSY Ladyboys in Wet Dixie Belle Panties Well, rock me Amadeus, that’s some great background music!!

[@Military-Museum-LP]

This was nice to see again. You did a good job on this wall. That Yanmar is like a old trusted friend. She's been with you for a while and always there when you needed her.

[@michaeladams9807]

You do amazing work. Well done 👍👍

[@TheAlpine49]

People, you need to understand rock is NOT a manufactured product. You work with what you have. Someone commented and they are right. We don't know homeowner's budget. He got the job done and the wall is NOT going anywhere! He followed basic principles that have proved to be successful. Could it look better? Maybe. But, it's subjective and h/o sure seemed happy. I thought overall the job looked fantastic! Btw, I've been a Landscaper Contractor for 35 years. I've done quite a bit of this type of work. I KNOW how difficult it is to try and fit rocks together (he doesn't have 100 tons at his disposal to find the "perfect" rock right there at the jobsite). And, you don't have unlimited time either. You make due. It's a lot harder than you think. There you have it.

[@michael7423]

beautiful work Andrew, it will only get better with time. Nice house with beautiful landscaping thanks to you and the crew!

[@silvernatedogg]

Great musical choice!

[@samuelgreiner8374]

Love the music ... And the video as well !

[@lifebeginsat190]

I like it...looks awesome...great job

[@doncam]

The Video is your masterpiece! 😃 Great Music background. The wall is ok... 😁😉

[@VinnieRed71]

Yay teamwork! Excellent video.

[@googlemustdie]

LOVE the classical music. LOL!! SO REFINED

[@MagnifiedGiant]

Good job Andrew. I like it. Those rocks are big enough that they won't go anywhere. Always be proud of your work!

[@stacieodowd8858]

I like all of his videos!

[@phillipbonner5215]

That was funny the two guys at the end with the compactors look like they were racing

[@Salvaging-in-Az]

I thought they looked like 2 PAC-MEN. 😀😀

[@tunintunin3417]

The choice of music in this one was awesome.

[@thomasbabcock1985]

Andrew operates his Yanmar better than most people trying to tie their shoes.

[@RaulGillett]

You’re joking right?

[@billycrockett886]

Out the way packerman Andrew got this.great video as usual.

[@benthere8051]

The little backhoe that could! Those are some big rocks. I am surprised. The rocks could have been better fitted together. That will be a retaining wall that doesn't retain.

[@billfeldman3234]

Very Good JOB Looks Nice!!!

[@javierdelosreyes1281]

another happy customer andrew

[@neal5589]

Clicked the LIKE button before watching 👍👍👍

[@kimrice6978]

Bravo Maestro! Bravo! Encore, Encore!!!

[@shadythereok]

I've stacked a few rock walls, a couple up to 20', ya gotta have an eye for the stone

[@littledude5311]

Great music!

[@froggleggers1805]

The beer on the wall at 6:52 was a nice touch, lol.

[@sliob]

Best music ever for watching excavating!

[@mggiezentanner3276]

After that is all grassed in it will look great .

[@tonybrooms]

Wanted to see the finished landscaping ... update ???

[@rogerdavidson2391]

BEUTIFUL JOB WELL DONE...

[@sterlingdavidgrasssr]

Andrew, "hell with the tarpeto's" full speed ahead.. Giving the people what they want.you always do.. Nice job..See Ya

[@billyohara239]

Good job

[@oso9809]

Water is the enemy of retaining walls. I do a crush stone base with tile behind it to move water away. Then backfill with crushed stone and more tile if the wall is tall. Its is far cheaper to spend on tile than go back and make embarrassing repairs. Your pad looks great with all that compacting. That short wall will probably be okay IMO but think about drainage for bigger taller walls.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Its made it threw 2 winters now. Still looking good.

[@MarkJones-kd6ye]

@@AndrewCamarata i dont think these people realise how heavy those rocks are if you need a digger to move them how will they move on there own

[@n8_the_carpenter816]

@@MarkJones-kd6ye frost is a powerful thing and stronger then most people think

[@MarkJones-kd6ye]

@@TheSuppressFurry O wait i forgot how well the ice age moved the world

[@BluntsWorth]

The guy with the compactor just looks like he’s getting in the way lol

[@billytheearthworm573]

Nice move

[@adamfrbs9259]

Dang I had to go this far back to find a 1080p def video only. You got in on high def filming very very early. Even Cleetus' channel isn't on 2160p yet still.

[@1944chevytruck]

thanks 4 video. be kind.

[@walterfleck6019]

Mozart's 'kleine Nachtmusik' as musical accompaniment, great. Very good choice.

[@boyswhoweargirlspanties3861]

Mozart’s “Kleine Nachtmusik” as musical accompaniment, great. Still a very good choice.

[@badlarry172]

just a bit rough, but does the job i suppose

[@googlemustdie]

There was no fabric behind the wall, no issues with soil leaking through wall? not challenging, just asking your thoughts.

[@obeezee]

I wonder what the compaction was like?

[@loskop100]

The blokes with the yellow and red lawn mowers are jumping the gun a bit I reckon :-)

[@oby-1607]

Lawnmowers????? Whaaaaa??

[@slackeyed7260]

Plate compactors not lawn mowers

[@warrenmichael918]

the guys commenting didnt get your joke about them mowing early ! LOL i laughed when i read it and got what you did !!

[@badlarry172]

@@slackeyed7260 its a joke pal (humour)

[@johng5729]

I came here to joke about them practicing mowing the lawn. Well done sir, I raise my glass.

[@thefrub]

This entire comment section is just whining and complaining, and then in the next video "Building a Sand volleyball court and bluestone patio" the entire comment section is talking about how nice it looks. I guess that's the danger of showing the unfinished product to a bunch of chuckleheads lol

[@stacieodowd8858]

I like all of his videos!

[@therealjeff-0459]

Right way wrong way, i like andrew because he is a get ot done guy. He uses what he has, sure there are different things he could have done, but what if the home owner had a budget and andrew made it happen at that price, although i have to say i didnt like the wall, but thats subjective

[@markdesanctis8688]

i have to agree. without digging a stone trench to line the boulders into to anchor into the ground, over the years you are going to get wall creep. just my 2 cents.

[@mtadams2009]

Agreed but its an above ground pool so I bet there is a long term plan that does not include the pool.

[@Crewsy]

Love the stone wall but curious why you use the plate tampers here on a lawn surface but not under a concrete slab you’re about to pour?

[@MM-fe9mz]

Just probably kinda depends how much the original diet is disturbed. This was all new fill so a good idea to compact it.

[@andreas2fast]

I think ,it's cool. Thank's for watching:-)

[@michelwong1]

👍👍👍.

[@jayzenitram9621]

If I'm not mistaken, that's his cousin's house. If I'm right, how does a dude with a cousin that owns multiple pieces of digging machines have an above ground pool?

[@Scruit]

Maybe there's a septic leach field in the garden area?

[@hudsonjamesc]

Whats that yellow walk behind machine?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Pile screw driver. You will see it in a future video.

[@ottocarr3688]

Very nice accompanying music. Please try Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto number 2.

[@Mahkwa]

No gravel under the base?

[@i7Ryzen]

no membrane to prevent soil from filtering between the boulders?

[@ltmonson]

Tk TK I don't claim to be an expert in boulder walls but my understanding is you do not put fabric vertically against the back of a retaining wall because it causes it to hold water which puts too much pressure on the wall and can cause failure.

[@freetolook3727]

@0:15 The boss comes out to supervise.

[@AStanton1966]

I don't know the building code there, however, I think the homeowner may have violated it. An above ground pool doesn't need a fence because of the height of its sides and having a lockable ladder. By raising that back wall near it, the pool's side is not longer deemed safe for keeping kids out. Therefore, they may have to install a fence by the pool along that wall.

[@bluecollardadventures2338]

probably going to build a deck off the raised area to go around the pool, at least that is what I would do

[@Slikx666]

Love the wall, but the music was funny. If you were to live in England and had to phone up the 'Department for Work and Pensions' you would hear this music to the point of insanity. Dial number. Ring ring click. You have rang 'whatever' please stay on the line and we will be with you shortly. Music plays. After 30 seconds "we are sorry, all our people are busy right now. If you stay on the line we will be with you shortly. Music plays. After 30 seconds etc. Oh how I hate that system.

[@timbertom4324]

How many yards of gravel do you average in your truck?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Like 7

[@alwayslearning3671]

Mozart goes well with excavating.

[@AK-47ISTHEWAY]

Thumbs up for the interesting choice of music lol

[@789563able]

Walls built to Mozart last two to three times longer than those using ordinary music

[@boyswhoweargirlspanties3861]

These walls are built to Mozart last 2 to 3 times longer than those using ordinary music.

[@rjb6327]

What's the going rate for a pile of boulders, today?

[@AndrewCamarata]

I'm not sure what they paid for those. At the quarry I can get a 6 wheeler load for $150 or so. Delivery is higher than a load of gravel because they are very rough being dumped out of the truck.

[@gasperajdnik5627]

I like the music 😎

[@alanhill4334]

Well this video is at least two years old and I assume the wall is still standing.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yeah, that wall looks nice, I was there recently.

[@boyswhoweargirlspanties3861]

Mozart music is still entertaining whenever it comes to Andrew Camarata’s work.

[@bradlaviolette2246]

Is the plywood protecting the tin pool from the 1000lb boulders or the yanmar that takes down trees without a sweat? lol

[@tenglish420]

My favorite part was watching the drain pipe bend in half. Mosquitoes will absolutely love it! This smart ass would have thrown a rock under it at least lol

[@FigoEly]

How much this job cost for the homeowner

[@thatrandomguy8530]

3:56 lunch break

[@KILAPH24471]

I've done similar walls..and I love my AC..but I just don't know why AC didn't use filter fabric IMMED BEHIND the stone placements. He's v busy..v focused on getting done efficiently. This I understand. But in this biz you have to put one foot in front of the other. No, it's not cheap. Maybe he was tight on this one. I don't know what planet the homeowner lives on. Maybe THAT explains no geotextiles.

[@SARMASIK1903]

If i'm the in the owner shoes i would turn wall around pool!

[@jrdeckard3317]

Forget the retaining wall, and put a railing on those steps!

[@johnpyle8027]

I've watched almost all your videos now and am very impressed! However! lol Since I've been watching I have never seen anything "rock" other than nice flat smooth shale. Shimming up these big odd rocks can be dangerous. I wouldn't walk within 20 feet of the side you started on. Not hating! Still impressed. I've been laying stone since 1982 and unless it is all flat and came from the same spot I wont set them.

[@mailmanx69]

I, for one, like the wall. I happen to like large boulders. My house was built among giant granite boulders, several of which are bigger than my house. I love the look! But I understand that opinions differ. That's OK. I just don't understand why some people are rude about it. Ultimately, for Andrew, it's up to his customer. If they like it, he was successful. He seems to have plenty of work.

[@johnmazza9432]

Andrew, what machine is that ? I'm thinking about buying a excavator for work like you do and I want one big enough to move boulders like you are using What is the weight of your machine ? about 19k lbs ?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yanmar b50, its like 5 tons.

[@johnmazza9432]

That's not near as big as I thought. It looks like you're lifting 5-6' boulders and you must be lifting them pretty high to load them in your truck. Or are you using a different machine for that ? A 5-6' boulder must weigh 5-6 k lbs.

[@Peterbilt359]

A good contractor is one who knows when to walk away. And owes it to homeowner to get a pro. I build some walls just finished 2700 redi rock blocks 22 feet tall 800 feet long. I don't do stone cause I'm not good enough and I'm a lot better then yours. I've teamed up with a guy who is an artist at it. I refer homeowners who want rock to hime. Are there no codes where you live. I don't mean to pick on you, but don't try to do everything stay with what your best. Homeowner deserved better. To all that will complain about my comment. I build walls and have done excavation 41 years 35 as contractor.

[@markbonham3477]

Do you remember when you first started out? My 2 Bros started a contracting business in 1975. Recession year, gas shortage and the hiring of white people was on hold. Our 2nd business card said we specialize in basically everything. An old contractor looked at our card and then us and said," You guys have a lot of balls!" Over the next 10 years we had every contractor's license we needed, general, plumbing, HVAC, electric and floor covering. We learned as we grew and so will Andrew

[@supertrooper7403]

But your name is Scotty doesn’t Know? You are correct, Scotty doesn’t Know......that you do not start a sentence with “And”. Scotty doesn’t Know.....how to formulate a sentence..... Scotty doesn’t Know....him is not spelled with an “e”.... I think we all get the picture here. Scotty doesn’t Know.....shit.

[@Peterbilt359]

Super Trooper Im not a good at spelling or writing. I do 2 million a year and own 20 machines. I am an ok contractor. Kids gave me nickname from some movie scene. So what has this got to do with ugly wall or are you just confrontational type.

[@pnwmotocross]

Scott coleman I agree with you I literally just commented that this wall looks like complete shit. And that material wasn’t half bad either most had 3 good sides. He used no grid, no fabric, no drainage, nothing. Shame. Probably charged them a fortune too.

[@FARMERJARED14]

Always gunna have critics... they wont know unless their out there

[@Bernie5172]

my god, what are these people thinking? Definitely NOT about KIDS SAFTEY. That easy access over the rocks and into the pool is a child's DEATHTRAP.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Burn Dog Australia survival of the fittest.

[@Bernie5172]

@@AndrewCamarata Looks like it Andy. Here in Australia, it would never be passed by the council until its fenced to keep the kids out

[@AndrewCamarata]

Its better for the gene pool not to have fences.

[@ontario-yota-1050]

@@AndrewCamarata Hahaha, this has gotta be the first time since I've been subscribed I've seen such savage jaded comments from you. Dont let em rile you up Andrew, shits hilarious.

[@mychalson_bot5994]

Ive seen andrews work and this is not his best and i think its because of the home owner as you can see at the very end he starts putting up rocks in weird places but i think the 2 level rock is awesome looking ahoulda left it at that

[@maryannanderson7517]

Comments about the wall looking terrible came from those who perhaps didn't take into consideration that he is working around a regular Grand Central Station of dudes in and out of his work area. Perhaps his attention was on them, like maybe trying not to kill one of them, and if so just maybe that had something to do with the final looks of that wall. I don't think I ever saw any job where people got in the way of the person running heavy equipment quite as much as they did in this video. Dudes, let the man finish before you start smoothing out the topsoil.

[@CranialAccess]

I’m a Registered Nurse who opened the first traumatic brain injury rehabilitation center for children in NY. We had a 9 year old patient who was sitting on a recently re-landscaped boulder on her family’s lake side Home. Somehow it rolled on top of her and caused an anoxic brain injury...very sad 😞.....use extreme care you never know what could happen....

[@markbonham3477]

That is a very good comment and one that should always be addressed.

[@johnmazza9432]

Excellent point. I'm a landscaper and a friend of mine had a big new home built with large rock walls. When I was there helping him with some plantings I noticed how unstable the rock walls were and I tried to help him make them more stable . It would be very easy for kids to be play on those boulders and cause them to topple.

[@andrewslagle1974]

another nice job andrew do not let the nay sayers get to you i do the same thing for a living

[@AndrewCamarata]

Thanks

[@poisonwater7241]

andrew slagle I don't want to be a naysayer but that's not a very well done job! That is, from where I'm looking at it!

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Great advertising to make sure not to get another rock retaining wall job. That wall is shambolic.

[@AndrewCamarata]

That wall is still up and fine. Its perfect.

[@MarcelKoop]

De muziek is wat hard

[@nonurbusiness4157]

I've seen time and time again where stone this size will eventually start to significantly settle from it's shear weight and nothing but soil under them that becomes saturated after heavy rains thus will look worse than it does now not to mention they didn't even bother putting a drainage system behind the wall so it's just a matter of time and weather to start seeing the dirt wash out through the moderate gaps in those broken-up chunks of stone. So did the contractor tell the home owner to do it this way, or did the home owner tell the contractor here's how much money I got and so do whatever you can for this amount of money, and so the contractor had to cut A LOT of corners?

[@mckaynelson7085]

That was not a good wall love you Andrew biggest fan!

[@ajones8699]

Sorry, but that looks like a proper mess.

[@markbonham3477]

so do everyone of my paintings after laying down the first layers of color but then, it all browns out!

[@KarasCyborg]

Yeah, but you never know what the budget is. Economics is everything.

[@alansexton7]

Idiot. Stop looking in the mirror.

[@mikemullenax3498]

AGREED homeowners should of saved some more money and bought stackable rocks would of had much better result

[@MM-fe9mz]

All depends what look you're going for. The natural stone gives a natural look.

[@joebobjenkins7837]

how much did all that cost?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Not sure. I only did the excavation on that one. I think I charged like. $500

[@shaymoose17]

Andrew Camarata add another zero to that and id say that's still on the low side of what the customer paid.

[@AndrewCamarata]

shaymoose17 that was for my cousin. I just charged for my labor. They bought the materials and had the other people there working.

[@its_notta_cedar]

the boulders were placed wrong................

[@ethanbodin1771]

Yes, and shimmed from the front. That wall will fail.

[@AndrewCamarata]

ethan bodin that wall will last forever

[@wdhish]

The boulders are supposed to lay deep and flat into the bank. The earth will topple and shift the rock until you have blow outs; the way it was placed in your video. If you wanted the large face appearance then you would need much larger rocks. This is the common cheap a dirty method used by those who haven't been trained or who don't care. Make the change and your customers will thank you.

[@oby-1607]

Boulders placed wrong? Were there numbers on them or ?

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Andrew Camarata - sadly, not a chance that wall will last. Taller sections will inevitably blow out as chinking is bad practice (particularly in cold climates subject to freeze/thaw cycles that easily dislodge the chinking). Wall should also be battered to resist overturning and each stone needs 3 point bearing (not just stacked on top of each other). It's both an art and science to build a long-lasting, aesthetically-pleasing rock wall. Could easily take several days to place that wall correctly.

[@pnwmotocross]

That wall looks like shit lol. No grid? No fabric? No drainage? Those rocks weren’t half bad either most had at least 3 good sides.

[@morristim1]

Just spent the price of a small house to repair a retention wall built incorrectly by the previous home owner, just like this one. This was like watching a bad dream.

[@beunhaasrudi]

Explain please

[@user-yg8dh1fw6l]

@@beunhaasrudi He already did

[@smackflack5771]

What is it retaining😂😂😂

[@jeremys959]

Rock fall waiting to happen

[@AndrewCamarata]

Those rocks will never move.

[@jeremys959]

Andrew Camarata only time will tell, depends on what part of the country you're in as to how long it will last

[@scotty362100]

Wait until they fall and crush a small child playing around the pool! Tell the judge you only do perfect work.

[@n8_the_carpenter816]

@@jeremys959 northeast where winters are brutal. . .

[@keith8687]

The rocks prob won't move...but the dirt behind them will without propper drainage... just seems slightly rough considering it looks like a new house prob should have used gravel at least behind the boulders.

[@Atheyst]

no drainage behind wall, all of that dirt is going to wash away

[@xxlegolas]

If you're a contractor, you do what the customer pays you to do. You can't always convince him to pay you to do it CORRECTLY.

[@desertrat1357]

Maybe the homeowners didn't want a drainage system.