Timelapse of a 26 day work of building a retaining wall (in 10 minutes)

In this video you can see how our retaining wall is build in 26 days.
**Update: Placing a pole view from a drone including the design drawings: • Placing a retaining wa...
Placing a pole view from the road: • Placing a retaining wa...
A few comments on some comments below: "I can build this retaining wall in 2 days, 3 days, 5 days" , fill in your own number of days. There is even a guy who can do it in 12 hours. My comment: No you can't, go back to your mother and ask for a cookie.
"That retaining wall will rot in 1 year, 2 years etc, etc." No it won't. New Zealand is full of retaining walls build to this system. Some of them are more than 40 years old. Retaining walls must comply with the requirements of the New Zealand Building code. The poles are H5 treated. The boards H4
"They didn't even put drainage in!" Yes they did at 8.15
"They should use bigger machinery" That won't fit on my driveway.
"Why not concrete!" Concrete looks nice when it is new. In the New Zealand climate concrete looks awful after a couple of years. The retaining wall will be in the shade in the winter and will get full of dark mould like this www.google.com/search?q=mould... No thanks!
Place is Napier, Bluff Hill, New Zealand.

[@jeejee4280]

Props to the sun for never setting so these men could work for 26 days straight😊😊😊

[@nickbrown4762]

What a very professional landscaping team, cleaning up as they go along thus keeping a safe working environment. There should be more landscapers like them.

[@mudilina2451]

999

[@mudilina2451]

88998

[@mudilina2451]

898990898888989989899

[@spacex3140]

I think,that was very expensive, 30T$ ?

[@Richard-et3cl]

Give up all your freedom for safety and you will end up with nothing. Keeping it clean, good, but safety these days is ridiculous. A fragile society.

[@woody5109]

I’ve built walls for 40 years, these guys know what their doing. Great drainage, upper slope protection, there’s not really that much pushing on the wall and I’m sure there’s no freeze season. Well done, bravo to the excavator operator 👍

[@samuctrebla3221]

I was wondering if it was OK to simply seal the base of the poles with a little bit of concrete without an anchor point to the foundation ? Does that mean that gravity is sufficient here to prevent the tipping ? Thanks for the feedback

[@50buttfish]

Palm trees in the background, must be LA area.

[@vashon100]

they're doing vs their doing

[@jsbrads1]

@@samuctrebla3221I don’t know how deep those logs went into the concrete, but I’m guessing a good 4-5 feet. Anyone notice?

[@mackenzieeagle2674]

@@50buttfishNew Zealand

[@Two2onefive]

I might be an engineering/landscaping nerd but seeting a nicely built retaining wall excites me...

[@fredericksullivan7925]

That was mesmerizing, nothing like watching pro contractors do their magic, what an amazing transformation.

[@SargentandGreenLeaf]

Except that if you were an engineer or construction guy you would know that it won't hold. They have done nothing to tie into the mass of dirt that moved in the first place. The mass that moved will continue to move and the wall will fail over time. The rule for retaining wall is as tall as the wall is, that's how wide you need to dig back, and when you backfill you have layers of geotechnical fabric every couple feet as they fill in back the dirt. So this wall would have like 6 layers of fabric that connect the wall to the underlying dirt behind, making the dirt and the fabric a unit of block itself. The unit of block being like 10 feet wide now.

[@andreastherapper]

@@SargentandGreenLeaf people give like to the aesthetic, sadly not the functionality. See above, lol

[@universal7564]

Pro? Takes too long.

[@manlys4351]

Do you mean the height of the wall is how deep the posts should go in the ground ++. The last thing you want to do is dig back into the bank further than you have to as you will loosen it and loosen the original ground. This is engineered wall which would engineered to last 50+ years. The contractors know they are doing and have obviously done it before. The main thing is to make sure it has good drainage do water doesn't sit behind the wall and build up behind it.

[@SargentandGreenLeaf]

@@manlys4351 I mean the sheer strength of the wall, if you have ever built anything

[@muddboss3309]

Not very often you see the operator actually doing manual labor you guys have definitely earned my subscription keep up the great work

[@strangelee4400]

After watching so many 'idiots in heavy machinery' clips, this was a welcome change. Very professional.

[@boboften9952]

...... New Zealand is an Equake Prone County Napier is on a fault line ( look in to the Napier Earth Quakes 1931 ) Timber is flexible , ie has a give and take flexibility movement Note the road way above the construction work , the road way is active with cars driving on it I would go with wood These poles are approximately 300mm across ( 12 inches ) or even larger Damn fine work done here Excellent over kill job Correct for this situation Chur Bro .

[@dputra]

I've never seen wood retaining wall with logs like that. It looks so good but I wonder if it will last for decades like stone walls, especially there's nothing holding the mass behind those planks.

[@defiant1716]

I came here for this observation!

[@ruifilgo]

Me to. Wood incapsulated like that in concrete, will deteriorate with permanent humidity, no? Even if treated.

[@iatsd]

It's being built in New Zealand. NZ building regulations require the use of H4 treated timber for things like retaining walls. That's guaranteed to last 75 years minimum in the ground. It's not going to rot or be eaten by insects or anything like that. It might fail under load, but that's a design failure, not a material failure.

[@adem5762]

New Zealand has a temperate climate and much kinder to materials. Just becasue its not a solution that is used in YOUR country doesnt mean its bad, It just means it is different, Also, New Zealand is the most geologically active region on the planet, a lot of the design features take that into account.

[@iatsd]

@@adem5762 Mmmm. Concrete retaining walls and earthquakes. Mmmm. Repeat work and falling concrete. Mmmmm. Excess costs. And as a side point, Japan actually has just as many earthquakes and more of them are felt compared to NZ, but your broader point stands.

[@JoeNielsen44]

This was very satisfying to watch! Very impressed they washed the road ! Great job too!

[@travisk5589]

So cute. They brought out his little brother to play in the dirt.

[@mitchellbliss3828]

Nothing will stop that heap of mother nature from giving way when she's ready. Just time

[@mikescaffo4850]

Those little machines are really handy to have they do a lot of work well done gentlemen

[@troymeredith9528]

I was nearly going to say something about the wholes not being covered , but you guys did eventually Get them covered 😉.as a foundation driller and excavator operator my self, i know what goes in to jobs like this and i liked the way you kept it tidy .makes a job so much easier and safer.great job lads.

[@michaelmoore3804]

wholes ?

[@troymeredith9528]

@@michaelmoore3804 sorry it is Holes .not wholes.

[@liberalsaredegeneratebetasoyl]

liberal bot lmao so hard to move dirt and stack bricks but we been doing for 4000+ years lmao

[@bigbird4481]

what are you even talking about@@liberalsaredegeneratebetasoyl

[@jacobbelfield9835]

That’s one timber retaining wall I won’t be talking smack on. Good job. The cone to fill up the Tb was clever too

[@Onix.556]

Excellent video! Looks great and the erosion is no longer a concern!

[@Thecomper]

It is impressive to see how they were covering the holes after digging, nobody cares, and takes any kind of safety measures even kids roam around here in India.

[@simcaclub]

Namaste, I know, we have traveled 6 months in India with a backpack.

[@jsbrads1]

That would have been an added benefit. Looks like there was rain and they had to constantly keep them covered to prevent water collecting and wall collapse.

[@andyharris17able]

So very professional , great team. Looking first class .

[@giovannifiorentino8947]

These time elapsed videos are great tools to analyze and improve productivity.

[@m3rcur1u5]

well not mine, thats for sure!

[@jimmyweidman]

What a beautiful job! You guys did great. I love the wall and the team work.

[@martinogold]

That's a very nice looking wall which is refreshingly different to concrete or block. Good job!

[@simong692]

Great video and excellent work by that crew. Great health and safety practiced on-site. It is good to watch this as I am currently pricing retaining walls and land remediation at work. It gives me a better understanding of the massive amount of work required and some realistic time frames. Thanks

[@williamhumphrey9766]

Yeh well that 'great health and safety' doubled the price. What crap.

[@TheSonic10160]

@@williamhumphrey9766 Righto bro, when you get crushed by two tons of loose earth because you didn't get a geological engineer in we'll put that on your gravestone

[@mikeharris1632]

@@williamhumphrey9766 It is a shame that they all lived. I’m sure the emergency response, medical care, death/burial expenses, emotional trama, loss of wages, and legal action would be far less expensive in the long run…..

[@Maplaplaplapla]

​@@williamhumphrey9766"Ma'am we're sorry for the loss of your husband. Our company has allotted a small funeral & grievances fund to circumvent having to keep our employees safe, so I'm sure it will not be a problem in the end."

[@gregdziewit6945]

12' cut is not safe. This would never pass where I work.

[@MooKau_]

Mate.. all that work right through the video, and then suddenly it gets changed back to exactly how it was as you finish. what a blow!

[@pqworks9019]

That was a very clean and organized job! That wall looks really nice and it’s built super well. Great job!

[@myrimu9829]

Great looking work. Done nicely in a relatively cramped area as well. Thanks for taking the time to timelapse it.

[@hallcody3]

That was a beautifully constructed retaining wall, nice work

[@diogo8500]

Loved the cone refuel 😆 @4:44

[@bruceperron3796]

I poured walls back in the early to mid 90's.We used the Advance form panels. We had our own crew that only poured footings,they would dowel them and also tie the rebar on 16 inch centers,vertically and horizontally. We would set the panels,string them, kick them off with long turnbuckles. We had to have many of the jobs pumped because we couldn't pour them off the truck. We could make any wall or basement in 8,10,12,inch thickness. I could pour a retaining wall or basement in the morning and the next day take the forms offs and break the wall tie ends off,then load the panels back on the truck to drive to the next job,We probably poured a hundred basements for new home construction,dozens and dozens of retaining walls as well when i was doing it. We once in fact poured a retaining wall that was about half a mile long in a lake after they lowered the lake for the winter,that sucked lol. That sure was hard work lol.

[@lisawaters2585]

Well that's a by-gosh, no kidding, retaining wall!!! I enjoyed every minute of it, too! Thanx for posting.

[@watchthe1369]

I am glad to see they did the necessary deep layer checks for sheer layers and did deeper remediation if it was needed. Everything else looks well and professionally done including removing that lose organic overburden, which was just trouble waiting to happen.

[@hiramatangi1736]

What a joy to watch. Great work team🙌

[@iberetanaruribeiros924]

Realmente um trabalho de primeira classe, muito bem projetado, executado e avaliado nota 10!!!

[@nickjanssens]

A great watch, actually from start to finish, certainly wasn’t done on the cheap, well done to the project team.

[@timgoodliffe]

right? i know lots of people like to get 100-200$ per hour for an ecavator

[@michaelshillin1983]

Thats a real good idea fir a retaining wall! Best looking retaining wall i seen

[@scottcook6912]

100% top notch work here. Impressed that they got it done in only 26 days. Ultra efficient, and this is how long something takes when it's done right.

[@simcaclub]

Live long and prosper.🖖👍

[@jakubedzior]

Pro tip: set the speed to 2x and have them build it in 5 minutes. Thank me later

[@fergusonlandmanagementweld1039]

I was stationed in Okinawa for 18 months, and the one thing that I was always so impressed by, was the cleanliness of the towns. They were all so clean and well-kept. The work ethic and craftsmanship were always first-class. America is amazing, but we can take a few notes from there on how a city is run.

[@Grizzleback07]

America is filthy compared to Japanese cities. We are total pigs and people just throw out anything from their car windows.

[@MezzoForte4]

America is nowhere near as close to Japan or other countries and yet they boast and puff up about how great they are but they have a LONG way to go.

[@cooleyjay]

Wonderful video. All work, no talk. Lovely music.

[@xaxoon69]

A dream to watch such skilled workers.👍

[@robarksey2070]

Very interesting. The excavator is versatile, never seen one switching attachments like that, usually its just a bucket.

[@junal27]

Interesting, at certain point some realized there was a safety issue and decided to trim down the crest of the slope, thank you for postings

[@jeremy8675]

Yes, top bench should have been excavated first, laborers would have been in harms way backfilling wall and it caused rework cleaning up spoils over the augered holes, but all in all a good job

[@kveldgorkon4611]

Nice Work.. The Wall Blends Great w/ the Surrounding..Very Aesthetic

[@bmck5002]

Guy on excavator knows what he is doing..good work brother🫡👍

[@HarjeetBrarAuckland]

Awesome job, Love it ! May please know that what is the height of the retaining and how deep did you dugout? Really appreciated if you can provide the information. Thankyou

[@simcaclub]

The highest point is 3.2 meter. The holes are 5 meter deep and 600mm width. It took them 10 dayss to drill the holes.

[@Guust_Flater]

Do the poles (slightly) lean to the hillside? Looks like it.

[@CharlieBasta]

I know this was 3 years ago, but it showed up on my feed and this was VERY entertaining to watch.

[@sethdeppen8439]

Professional workand a safe, tidy work site, even washed the driveway off.

[@derekearles9844]

The most important part they missed on the video is the retreating of the timber posts they cut down to stop water penetration getting into the fresh cut tops

[@driveman6490]

Yep. If the guy was smart, he would have applied the preservative right after he made each cut. Saved himself some time and ensured no moisture will be seeping down the end grain of those timbers.

[@SmittyEh.]

Or even sacrificial top caps to divert the rain

[@jeremypetch7006]

Also, no drainage was put in at ground level. The mind boggles at the price too. 3 diggers and a crane. He must be made of money..

[@Adsjabo]

@@jeremypetch7006 you see the drain tile getting installed in the vid mate. Its in filtration sock

[@jeremypetch7006]

@@Adsjabo True.

[@inflatin]

what was the total cost (at the time of construction) for this project?

[@edgundlach2811]

Hi, I know it's an older video. You all did a good job. It looks real nice and should last a long time. Blessings, Ed from Chicago 🙂 USA

[@Adsjabo]

Solid mahi mate! Im well impressed with the fact you guys were able to send auger holes that deep and so close together without any cave in! Some nice solid soil.

[@rr3102]

Or without hitting giant rocks all over the place.

[@adaffro]

That was my first thought. That augur looks to be about 350 wide with 800 centres. Never would have worked where I am with the soil we have.

[@maineeveryday796]

If they were to actually exist at this speed (10mins=26 days) and you watched for 24hrs straight, 102.57 years will have passed before your eyes.

[@tomwery5155]

😆 tells us how short our lives truely are.

[@user-ke8dh5nw4d]

Опорная стена из дерева? На сколько её хватит? Что мешало использовать железо бетон?

[@user-td9lk2sw4g]

бесполезная работа - срыть надо было дешевле и быстрей

[@macdreezy]

Really satisfying video. It was cool to see the workers work from top to bottom 👍

[@user-jq1zk9zp3b]

Прекрасная работа! Ребята вы большие молодцы! С Новым годом и Рождеством Христовым!

[@simcaclub]

Спасибо, очень признателен!

[@SS-ur4my]

Обычная работа

[@Andyfooh]

My only concern is that there doesn’t seem to be anywhere for drainage seeping into the retained soil to go. Usually there are several weep holes connecting to filtered pipes throughout the length of the wall

[@frog-eye1420]

Correct the build up of water pressure will find the weakest point resulting in a collapse

[@samuctrebla3221]

There is no need for drainage if the structure is permeable (here through the plank gaps, it's not a concrete or masonry wall). My biggest worry is that the wood poles do not seem attached to the concrete foundations, but simply put over and sealed with a thin concrete layer. Nothing really prevents the tipping of the poles in my opinion

[@josephlalock8378]

@@frog-eye1420 and it's going to let go right where they stopped the first pour.

[@josephlalock8378]

@@samuctrebla3221 yup. that's what i saw too.

[@RetroJack]

He addresses this in the description - check 8:15

[@compunurse]

It would’ve been interesting if he threw out markers at the beginning of each day so we could see what was accomplished each day. I know it was a massive effort. Quite impressive.

[@ashishkoge9325]

See properly on top right side their is a clock

[@compunurse]

@@ashishkoge9325 Thanks. I missed that. Old eyes....

[@patrickrooney5130]

What a first class job.

[@thefrub]

Love all the striations in the soil. Like a big birthday cake

[@jeffc6832]

Must be a ton of cohesion in those soils.

[@davidrn2473]

Three questions, was the originally removed fill returned, or is it (new) gravel or sand? while filling in the empty space behind the wall, was a tamper used to compact the fill? Were the poles straight or do they lean backwards towards the hill? Thanks, great job and video.

[@simcaclub]

It was refilled with pebble stones for the drainage. The ground which was removed was used for a filling somewhere else in Napier.

[@davidrn2473]

@@simcaclub Thanks, so not tamping down of the new materials?

[@bricelarie6527]

Well ... Nails in between plank do not make a retaining wall ... There's not even a drainage any for any kind a water to perspire thru ... The heck ! Sure, some work been done ! That's for sure ... From France with .

[@johnsmith9161]

@@simcaclub That looks like a road up on top I used to drive a concrete truck we have had customers order pebble stones for drainage ditches we were able to fill them using our chutes.I was called out to a sporting oval that had poor drainage we put stones in trenches 200 metres long it looks like you could have backfilled that retaining wall with stones from the top with a concrete truck.As long as the chutes are on a sharp angle the stones will come out really fast.

[@simcaclub]

@@johnsmith9161 Back fill from the top was easier, but then the guys had to apply for a traffic management plan with the council. The extra cost for the consent plus extra labor (stop go guys) was probably not worth it

[@joeylawn36111]

Great Job. Good thing it didn't rain during construction of the wall!

[@A-Name304]

The amount of time they stand around and talks is much more mesmerizing :)

[@dexterjsullen]

I usually prefer not to live on a downslope on a hill

[@Tim-Kaa]

Wood into soil? Nice. I see you're looking for a job security there, cuz all that horizontal lumber will rot away in a few years and will require replacement.

[@simcaclub]

I am glad there is a professional here who knows what he is talking about...

[@gokiburi-chan4255]

@@simcaclub can't tell if you are being sarcastic 🤣

[@danishmamba8447]

Ever consider this was an option that the owner opted for?

[@handyscapersllc]

@@danishmamba8447 I don't even leave this as an option for my customers. Cause I know they fail. Wood built retaining walls are only temporary

[@simcaclub]

@@handyscapersllc The wooden retaining walls in New Zealand have a life span of 40-50 years. The timber is tanalized and desings above 1.5 meters need to have a consent and need to be designed by an engineer. The poles are 5-6 meter drilled into the rocky ground and encapsulated with concrete. They know what they are doing here. I also had the option for a concrete wall, but the climate in New Zealand makes it that withing 2-3 years the black algea and mould start to grow on the concrete. It will look like a ghetto wall, not good if I want to sell my house. I am not prepared to waterblast a concrete wall every 2-3 years. And anyway, over 50 years I'am 107 years old, I don't think that wall is one of my concerns than.

[@marcoshernandez3023]

EXELENTE TRABAJO DE OBRAS PUBLICAS PREVENIR DERRUMBES. QUEDO BIEN BONITO Y SEGURO BIEN REFORSADO Y IMPREMIABLE CON ESA ARENA Y GRAVA EN LA BASE LO PROTEGERA. TODO BIEN PENSADO NICE VIDEO. SE APRENDE MUCHO

[@6604Charlie]

Enjoyed watching a job well done for sure

[@shroomzzz]

Being made of wood, we'll get to watch this again in only 10 years!

[@tonymarshall9720]

Wood will outlast steel all day long up to 60 years or more if properly treated

[@royoroneric6657]

Àylaykyu

[@iatsd]

Wood used for that purpose is treated and guaranteed for 75+ years in New Zealand

[@mollygriffin5474]

I see that a lot of people in the comments underestimate wood.

[@marcotorres354]

Que bonito quedo​ saludos amigo desde aquí costa Rica 🇨🇷👍😄😄 Bendiciones Pura vida

[@noemisalamante3115]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@Chris.Davies]

There are only two types of retaining walls: 1) Retaining walls that have collapsed, and, 2) Retaining walls which have yet to collapse. Always keep these two types in mind when buying property. Because there are no retaining walls which do not collapse. Period.

[@davem3789]

What treatment do you guys use on your wood there? CCA?

[@simcaclub]

www.weathertight.org.nz/new-buildings/timber-treatment/

[@bricklesskiwi376]

Yes those poles are treated to h5 spec with cca.

[@olafschermann1592]

Didn’t know that you can treat wood that good. In EU we are used to make that out of concrete therefore.

[@simcaclub]

@@olafschermann1592 Most of the retaining walls are build like this in NZ. Probably the EU regulations are prohibit the use of treated wood.

[@GrimwoodCT]

That was really satisfying to watch.

[@chrismaupin9318]

I am watching your video three years after it's been released I enjoyed it I like watching someone take a problem and find a solution for it interesting thank you

[@xvhkgreen6297]

what about your problem with punctuation?

[@KeithMaupin]

That's not a name you see every day.

[@jlbueno0611]

26 days for a project that could be done in 5 or 6 and with better materials...just the labor of 26 days alone can pay for the whole project and with concrete and staggered retaining walls to create planters and levels of resistance. those wood beams will last 20 years ...needing to do it again concrete lasts 200 years easily if done properly and in a third of the time.

[@simcaclub]

I think 5 days for a "staggered retaining wall" out of concrete blocks is quite optimistic. Besides that, this is build in a earthquake prone area. The concrete blocks would fall apart with a 6 Richter quake, leaving the road above on my driveway. The poles are drilled 5 to 6 meter in the ground. Left to the driveway it goes further down. I think the guys who build it did a great job.

[@jlbueno0611]

@@simcaclub you have never seen the power of a few Mexicans with an excavator 🤷🏻‍♂️ concrete is a better material than wood beams and planks when it comes to earthquakes...ask any civil engineer and architect which one is safer ✌🏻

[@cammos]

I think 26 days is too long but nochance in hell 5 days excavation and holes will take atleast that

[@jdd6447]

At least it got done

[@happyface35]

Well I guess that's the reason why you don't build down but up when building your roadways...

[@andyharpist2938]

Always people underestimate the immense forces of a retaining wall. I was expecting the usual block wall (which holds back nothing but looks good). It all depends on how far the log is set into the ground. Seems a bit doubtful to me. 25 years will soon come around.

[@ForeverMan]

What ? Do you even English bro

[@barrythomas9571]

Amazing wish I could work that fast 😄. Looks so much more beautiful than concrete.

[@ii31933]

That was oddly satisfying to watch.

[@royhi1809]

Wooden poles... I thought after all of that work you would have used concrete pillars

[@Zantalo]

That excavator did work! Doesn't even look like a wall was needed once it finished taking out all that dirt.

[@MikeW80]

Wow. Well done guys!

[@budgetbarista]

Such incredible skill.

[@ThePeterlosch]

Gorgeous.

[@donshilo2024]

Awesome! Even though that cost more that a concrete wall this looks nice looks they know what they doing very well

[@GlobalistJuice]

It's a very beautiful thing! 👍

[@smokeygee8371]

Such a gnarly drop in

[@pigrandlemcnary3162]

Professionals at their best... Yessir.

[@Redbull11688]

It's so beautiful

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

Nice to see them cleaning up properly afterwards, they even carefully washed the road surface. Plenty of contractors skip the clean-up.

[@grauergerald9971]

Well done ! And it looks great !

[@lewo-farrell]

Fantastic job boys nice one 👍 👏 👌

[@chuffa1130]

Thank you for capturing this for some of us it's very entertaining and interesting, this is what makes the world go round collective talented builders and engineers solving issues

[@simcaclub]

Thanks for the good comment,

[@muddboss3309]

nice work that was some smooth operating

[@caseystjames32]

Ya gotta Respect the crew👍

[@namshimaru]

Beautiful

[@ranjodhsingh7174]

Love workers and work

[@joyeubertaanire6572]

Wow nice cleaning up...Shoutout from iligan city

[@maria.luisa.garcia2169]

WOW ! Buen trabajo ! Espectacular ! 👍👍👍👍🌹🤗❤😏🌹👍👍

[@syntaxerorr]

Really nice timelapse! Such a tiny work space they have to deal with.

[@MsElijah16]

Beautiful job