Holy cow they are expensive.

May try timber for a short retaining wall instead.

About 35p aren’t they? Maybe 50p from a DIY store. Cheaper than a loaf of bread

80p each or so.

But I reckon I’d need 120 bricks above ground and some say as many below ground. So it adds up.

I’d avoid timber for a retaining wall.
But then I’d get up early on a Sunday morning and nick me a ton-score of bricks from the nearest estate that was being built. 🙂

I have two garden fences that have been badly damaged in the recent storms that i want to replace by building some brick walls.
Even cheap reclaimed that’s making my eyes water at the cost

These aren’t bad though:

http://www.huwsgray.co.uk/bricks/brick-library/clearance.html?p=1

Concrete block, on it’s side, faced with some decent looking timber.

Concrete block, on it’s side, faced with some decent looking timber

Not a bad idea.. could use relatively thin timbers. Might even prefer that idea aesthetically.

Or I coudl maybe tile it, make it look funky.

There’s always folks getting rid of concrete block, walls down, extensions etc, have a look on freecycle/whatever it’s called now.

How high is the step you’re working with? 900mm paving slabs angled and buried won’t cost much and will be easy to put in.

I think the wall will need to be about 50cm high.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/featur06.htm

If you didn’t want to use concrete slabs there are loads of vendors for Indian limestone at the minute for £10-15 per slab at the minute, 900x600x22mm. Not sure about strength though, might be better with freecycled slabs then face with limestone decorative.

There’s no strength in vertical slabs per se, the strength is in the concrete haunching you put behind the slabs. Ring round the merchants, they will usually have some end of line packs. 800 a 1000 is a ridiculous price.

Retaining wall & part below ground? I’d be using Concrete commons or engineering bricks.

Railway sleepers a possibility?

use gabions

partly as you’ll be able to plant things in them, and partly as i like the name. Not that I’m shallow or anything