Building a block wall

[jonboy]

I have a 20 mtr long low wall which has shrubs above that provide reasonable screening but poor security. I want to build up the wall by another 1 mtr to around 1.6 mtrs in total using 150mm blocks on top of the existing wall. Can I do this without ref to the concelho ? I will obviously have to extend the existing re inforced concrete posts which appear to be every 4/5 mtrs apart. Where is bets to obtain the iron rods to reinforce the concrete.

Thanks

JB

[jonboy]

Does anyone have a contact at the Concelho who could tell me how high I can build up without contravening local buidling regs?
It is only a going to 1.65-75 m but I dont want to build only to have to take it down again.

Tks

JB

[pato]

will it be like the Berlin Wall sort of thing?

[jonboy]

Why do people feel the need to make silly responses to sensible requests for information.. !!

JB

[alf1956]

you should accept that pato will make a comment on most things jonboy

[EMM]

Remember he is " bored, bore, bored "
Having a high boundary is no insurance against unwanted visitors ( ref Shanagarry's experiences ) in fact it can provide cover once " anyone has got in.
If you got an existing hedge, why not interlace it with barbed wire or anything else that will make it an unpleasant experience for your unwanted visitors.

[widge]

EMM the man doesn't have a hedge he has a wall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 20 mtr long low wall which has shrubs above that provide reasonable screening but poor security.

[EMM]

Read Again " which has shrubs above " are you having a bad day

[Jaylay]

I have to agree with EMM, a high wall just gives protection to anyone who is behind it, especially if they are up to no good.

[widge]

Apologies it was the hedge that threw me !

[maccasa]

Generally the standard wall/fence building height limit is 2.5m

[pato]

I dunno! there's no helping some people, keep it low if you build it like a fortress they, the scallies, will think you have valuables inside, Paint the top of the wall with anti-vandal paint and put a sign up on your side saying "warning anti vandal paint" otherwise they'll sue you, other than that get a pit bull and underfeed it.

[pato]

Just back from the ale house and I discussed your problem with the local scallies, their recommendations were to dem0olish the hedge and the wall, leave it open, one thing the housebreakers like is cover and a high wall provides just that, get a camera placed on the house functional or not it's a major deterent along with the alarm system stating that the house has response cover, that coupled with security lights is a definite deterent, I've been broken into five times at least in the UK in the past but not any more, so I know what I'm talking about.

[jonboy]

Thank you everyone ( including Pato) for the advice .Interesting that the limit is 2.5 m. The exisitng wall is built using 150mm thick blocks without any piers . Does anyone know if I can go to 1.7 ish without piers?

JB

[maccasa]

Hmmm - the normal height for a single 100m wide wall is ~1.5m and 1.8 for 150 wide - and then add the usual wire on top to 2.5m. You cant go to a 2.5 block wall without piers every 2-3 m. If you are starting from scratch with 100mm thick blocks it's usual to put a block "end on" every 2.5m. Even if you are making it out of reinforced concrete you need to put a pier. Not sure what the regs are now, but there was a standard "slenderness ratio" calculation of wall thickness vs height - its probably still available on Google somewhere.